Drainage Ditch Liner

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Shipping estimates shown on the map pertain to this specific product only. HDPE orders typically ship same day if the order is placed before 12:00 noon CST. Transit times displayed in the map are listed in business days, and are approximate. Transit times are subject to stock levels at regional warehouses.  The day that the order is shipped is not counted as a transit day.

Rock lined drainage ditch in landscape

Building A Rock Drainage Ditch with a Lined Bottom

If your next project includes constructing a rock drainage ditch, it's a lot easier than you might think. First off, start by planning out a trench path that will capture water and send it downhill. Your trench should have a depth of 18 inches (45 cm) and a width of 36 inches (90 cm). Next, line the trench with drainage ditch liner, add 8 to 10 inches (20-25 cm) of gravel and top it with rocks or smooth stones. Finally, add a border of stones or plants to create an attractive dry creek for your yard.

The Steps For Creating A Rock Drainage Ditch

Creating a rock trench for drainage is actually quite easy and is a great way to stop water from running downhill or drawing standing water away from a boggy area and drain it away underground. Your drainage trench can be as simple as a straight line of uniform width or be creative and turn it into a natural, bending look of a dry creek bed. Here are the instructions to build a drainage trench:

Gather The Right Tools & Materials

In order to dig and build a good rock drainage ditch will take the right tools for digging and the right materials to line the ditch.

The minimum tools and items to include:

• Shovel
• Pickax or mattock
• Ditch Liner
• 1" to-2" round gravel, and/or large decorative stone
• Large rocks, river stones, fieldstones.

As an option, you might want to add plants that love water alongside the drainage trench to create a beautiful element for your landscape. Consult a local nursery in your area to get a better idea for what plants will work best for your climate. 

Planning The Ditch

With proper planning, your ditch should be positioned so water will travel downhill into the side of the ditch. Once the water enters the drainage ditch, it should flow downhill. Therefore, the drainage ditch must be angled across slopes to catch water and carry it away from problematic areas.

You need to plan out your drainage trench to ensure it catches water flowing downhill or for drain areas of standing water.

A drainage trench must slope down at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) for every 10 feet (3 meters) to drain properly. To capture water and drain downhill the right way, your ditch may need to contour.

Road-side drainage ditch with large stone

For a natural-looking element, add more curves and bends. By making it look more natural however, more liner will be used to compensate for the bends. Additionally, additional care will be required when overlapping the liner pieces to ensure that water cannot flow around the overlapped pieces. You should measure the slope of your yard to ensure you have good drainage.

The Ditch Liner

Once the drainage ditch is completed, line it with waterproof ditch liner. The liner will prevent erosion and stop weeds from coming up from the bottom of the trench. The liner will hold back gravel and keep it from mixing with dirt so the trench will continually drain properly over time.

Add The Gravel

Pour an 8-inch deep (20 cm) layer of gravel or rock on top of the ditch liner in your drainage ditch. For best results, use large rocks such as no. 3 crushed stone which will range from ¼ to 2 inches in size. As a substitute, 1-1/4"-2" stone will do quite well.

Pour 8 inches of gravel into the bottom of the drainage trench, on top of the liner.

Avoid using small gravel, like pea gravel. Small gravel will compact and prevent water from flowing through. In turn, it will lead to a flooded drain that will not offer any benefits. Larger rocks will allow the water to seep and enter the soil.

Top Off With Stones or River Rocks

Top your gravel layer with 2 inches of rocks, additional gravel, or field stones. smooth river rocks to create a creek bed appearance.

Even though there are many different materials you can use as a finishing layer, use medium-sized rocks to advance good drainage. Avoid using sand or other materials that could prevent proper drainage or will allow weeds to take root.

Add A Border Or Use Plants

To complete your drainage ditch, you can leave it as is or use field stones and rocks alongside. Because the ground around the ditch will be moist, you might want to consider planting water-loving plants like lilies, irises, or horsetail rush.

For a rocky look, place some decorative field stones or large rocks alongside your drainage ditch. Keep in mind, that because your drainage trench is performing properly, does not mean it has to be totally unattractive. You can choose the look you want and turn it into a landscaping center of attention.

What Is The Best Size Rock For Drainage?

Whether medium or large-sized rocks, both offer the best drainage for a trench or ditch.
Always consider:

• Use medium to large-sized rocks
• Choose an angular rock that will not cause compaction.
• Do not use small rocks, round gravel, or sand. They drain very poorly and are susceptible to sliding.
• No. 3 stone or 1" to-2" gravel
• Large rocks, river stones, fieldstones.

The best materials for drainage ditches are angular rocks and gravel. They will allow water to flow through but will resist sliding. Pea gravel and round rocks will slide down slopes.

Conclusion

Creating a rock drainage ditch is not difficult. Alays start by planning out your area ahead of time to decide the look you want for your property.

There is much flexibility in the materials you can choose for this project, just be sure to stay away from fine aggregates that will potentially clog up your drain.