In today’s blog post, I’m sharing the different ways our landscaper designer is creating better drainage in our sloped yard.
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Our Backyard Remodel Series:
A Look at the Before | Design Plans | Selecting a Landscape Designer
Our main goal with this remodel is creating better drainage of water in our sloped backyard. There are various ways our landscape designer is addressing this in and I’m talking through each one today.
If you’re also having issues with drainage in your sloped yard, these tactics listed below may be things you can implement into your design. Helping to channel water away from areas in your yard where you do not want it.
Here are the different things our landscape designer did to create better drainage in our yard:
- Creating a base for the pavors with layers of gravel and crushed limestone
- Raising the ground level along the back of our house
- Grading the ground and foundation for the patio to slope away from the house
- Installing a drain pipe to channel water from the downspout away from the house
- Adding retaining walls
- Adding gravel beds to help prevent soil movement
Using layers of gravel and crushed limestone beneath the pavers to help with drainage
Creating better drainage in our sloped yard started on demo day. After they dug out the rough outline of the patio and removed the old cement slab, they prepped the ground by tamping the soil.
Next, they added a layer of gravel and then a layer of crushed limestone. Tamping the ground between each layer. The gravel creates a barrier between the pavers and the soil. Helping to prevent water from pooling and giving it somewhere to drain.
Adding a layer of crushed limestone on top of the gravel also helps with drainage while filling in the gaps between the gravel to help create a sturdy and level base for the pavers.
The guys also followed this same process along the garage. They ended up temporarily transplanting our plants to the back of the yard so they could rework this space.
They added the gravel and crushed limestone to build up the ground level so we could prevent water from running towards the house.
Both the gravel and the crushed limestone beneath the pavers are crucial to creating a foundation that can withstand time and shifts in weather.
Raising the Level of the ground at the back of our house
The layers of gravel and crushed limestone provide a way for the water to drain away from the surface, but they also provide another function. Increasing the ground level at the back of our house.
Previously, when accessing our backyard through the patio door, there was a decent step down to the ground. This, coupled with the steep slope towards our house, was the perfect storm for collecting water.
Raising the level of the ground with layers of gravel and crushed limestone, and eventually pavers, helps prevent water from collecting at the back of the house. This, coupled with the next tactic, helps create a way to channel water away from areas where you don’t want it to collect.
Grading the base of the patio away from the house
Adding the gravel and limestone and raising the ground level at the back of our house were the first steps to creating better drainage in our sloped yard. The next step was to grade the foundation to help these materials do their job.
Once the gravel and limestone were down and the layers tamped, it was time to begin the process of grading.
Grading simply means building up the ground using soil or other materials to shape and create desired slopes or levels. This technique is what helps channel water in the direction you want it to go.
When our landscape designers reached this point, much care was taken in getting the grading just right. Brook, the owner of the company, was on site that day and heavily involved in the process with his lead, Jack. They both spent a lot of time raking, adding more limestone, raking again, and then checking their progress with a level. The process looked like a life-size Zen garden in our backyard.
Creating too little slope wouldn’t fix our issue. Creating too much would only cause the water to pool in other places where there may not be enough drainage. Causing potential damage.
It took them most of the day to get the slope the way they wanted it. Tweaking and adjusting as they went until it was perfect.
With our project, their goal was to design a gentle slope that created a channel, or swale, for the water to flow. Our swale starts at the back of the patio near the stairs and runs through the middle towards the walkway.
When it rains, you can see it in action. By design, the water is now funneled to this channel and carried towards the walkway where it can drain away from the house.
Installing a Drain Pipe to Redirect Water Away From the House
Another thing our landscape designer did to reroute water is to install a new PVC pipe along the side of our garage.
Previously, our downspout at the back of our house had a short connected spout that directed water away from the house. But, because the ground sloped towards the house, it didn’t always function as intended. The system was easily overwhelmed during heavy rains.
Along with raising the ground level at the back of the house, the guys raised the level along the garage as well. They then added the pipe that connects to the downspout and carries the water to the front and down the driveway.
They removed the plants along the garage to rework the area. Slight grading was needed here as well to make sure the water would run towards the driveway and didn’t just sit in the pipe.
Creating Better Drainage in our Sloped Yard with Retaining Walls
When a yard has steep slopes, grading alone might not be enough. Especially if there isn’t enough space to properly grade the slope. This is when retaining walls come in handy.
In our case, two retaining walls were needed to help with drainage. They also provide structure and prevent further soil erosion in our yard.
With little grass to help anchor the soil, heavy rains caused the dirt to run off onto our patio. We’d get a thick layer of mud that would collect at the back of the house. Making it impossible to keep the inside clean with 2 dogs running in and out.
The first significant drop in our yard occurs a few feet past the original cement slab. It made sense to extend the patio to this point and add a retaining wall here.
The retaining wall provides structure to hold the soil. Also, it allows us to create a level portion in our yard where we could have usable space with grass.
The second big drop in our yard is at the back of the house, a few feet in front of the old white picket fence. Most of this space was covered in ivy and is shaded most of the day.
Again, they added a retaining wall here as well to add structure in our yard and create a usable bed for planting if we want.
When constructing the walls, layers of gravel were also added before being backfilled with dirt to help with drainage. Our soil has a ton of clay in it and can hold a lot of water. The gravel and the retaining walls work in tandem to give that water somewhere to drain as it passes through the dirt and away from the surface. Preventing flooding and standing water.
Creating Better Drainage in Our Sloped Yard with Gravel Beds
The last thing our landscape designer did to increase drainage in our sloped yard was to include gravel beds. On the plans, Brook designed a few areas in the yard for mulch or gravel to be added. Giving us areas for planting, but also eliminating awkward spaces for mowing.
We decided to place mulch at the back of the house. When it came to the space between where the retaining wall along the patio ends and the walkway connects, we went with Brook’s suggestion to add gravel.
Since the yard naturally slopes here towards the walkway, and the retaining wall doesn’t extend here to support the dirt, gravel is used in its place. The gravel functions like the grass. slowing down the flow of the water and giving it time to drain away from the surface.
It also acts a bit like the retaining wall in that it adds a little support here to the dirt. Preventing the soil from eroding.
Redirecting water flow
These 6 tactics utilized by our landscape designers have created better drainage in our yard. Helping to not only create usable space in our backyard but also add support and protection to our foundation.
If you’re dealing with similar issues in your yard, hopefully you can implement some or all of these to help correct those problem areas.
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