• Home
  • About Us
    • Testimonials
    • Gallery
  • Cedar Stumps & Driftwood
  • Tree Care Services
    • Tree Pruning & Shrub Trimming
    • Tree Removal & Stump Grinding
    • Tree Wellness Program
      • Oak Wilt
  • Tree Care Calendar
    • Proper Tree Watering
  • Contact Us
  • Blog

Woodsman Inc.

Woodsman Tree Service

Expert Tree Care since 1984

Mobile: 512-940-0799 (call or text)

The Woodsman Axe

Woodsman Driftwood

Refining Cedar Since 1984

Office: 512-846-2535

French Drain vs Trench Drain: Which Is Right for My Landscape?

French Drain vs Trench Drain: Which Is Right for My Landscape?

July 16, 2019 By Woodsman Staff 2 Comments

If your landscape suffers from poor or nonexistent drainage, you should consider building a drain.

When rainwater accumulates in your landscape, it can drown plants while eroding the soil in the process. By building a drain, you’ll encourage rainwater to flow down and away from your landscape, thereby preventing problems such as these.

There are two primary types of drainage systems, however: French drains and trench drains.

What Is a Trench Drain?

Also known as a slot drain or strip drain, a trench drain is a type of water-drainage system that’s characterized by the use of a narrow channel.

To construct a trench drain, you must first dig a narrow channel to divert rainwater away from your landscape. Of course, the channel must be dug at a downhill angle so that gravity will naturally guide the rainwater.

After digging the channel – about 3 to 5 inches deep should suffice – you’ll need to place a drain liner in it. The top of the drain liner should feature a perforated surface.

When it rains, water will seep past the liner’s perforated surface and into the trench drain, at which point it will flow away from your landscape.

What Is a French Drain?

Also known as a blind drain or rock drain, a French drain is a type of water-drainage system that’s characterized by the use of a gravel- or rock-filled channel in which a perforated pipe is placed.

French drains have been around for centuries, and in that time, little has changed regarding their design.

To construct a French drain, you’ll need to dig a channel, followed by placing a perforated pipe inside the newly dug channel.

You can then fill the channel and cover the perforated pipe with gravel or rocks. The gravel or rocks will act as a filter, ensuring that only rainwater makes its way into the perforated pipe.

Choosing Between a Trench Drain and French Drain

You can use either a trench drain or French drain to improve the runoff of your landscape. Of those two water-drainage systems, however, most homeowners prefer the French drain.

When compared to trench drains, French drains are easier to construct and, more importantly, are less likely to clog with debris.

Since the top of a French drain is covered with gravel or rocks, only rainwater will enter the pipe. As a result, you don’t have to worry about pine straw, leaves or other debris clogging it.

The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.

If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or

Request a Quote / Schedule an Appointment

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Filed Under: Landscaping

Comments

  1. Greg Sungreen says

    August 22, 2021 at 8:45 am

    It’s good that you’ve differentiated between French and trench drain here. I think that a French drain fits my landscape the best, which I will use in my next project.

    Reply
  2. Luke Smith says

    September 13, 2022 at 2:29 am

    It’s nice that you pointed out how most homeowners prefer the French drain. We are about to landscape our backyard and my wife and I decided to add a French drain. With that in mind, we should hire some professionals to assist us with this project.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Schedule an Appointment

The Woodsman Company on Facebook

Trees After Pruning

Our Uniformed Crew

Woodsman Tree Service Team

Payments Accepted

Cash
Checks
Money Orders
MasterCard
Visa

Contact Us

The Woodsman Company, Inc.
Phone: 512.846.2535
Fax: 512.365.1201
109 N Main Street
Taylor, TX 76574
United States

Our Service Area

Proudly serving Williamson County and Travis County and the surrounding areas including Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, Pflugerville and Taylor, TX.

Recent Blog Posts

  • How to Prevent Grass From Sticking to Your Mower Deck
  • Fescue vs Bermuda Grass: Which Is Best for Your Lawn?
  • How to Spot an Aphid Infestation in Large Trees
  • How to Keep Your Lawn Healthy During a Drought

Copyright © 2023 The Woodsman Company, Inc. · All Rights Reserved
Website Built, Hosted and Managed by Website Mojo