drain tile location

[Fibersport]

How far away from the walls of my pole barn, or beyond the drip line of my gutters can I install drain tile and still have it be effective? I had thought it would be dryer in the building but my gravel floor is typically damp. I plan on pouring a concrete floor but want to get as much moisture out as possible. I have stone about 18" out from the walls, if I rent a trencher, I will have to remove the stone so I don't tear the machine up. My thoughts were to trench about 24 inches from the walls and 24 inches deep, install drain tile and cover with stone, I would think that water will follow the path of least resistance so any water between the trench and the building will enter the trench before going towards the building. Any better suggestions?

 

[Firebrick43]

A mini excavator instead of trencher. You can check and adjust your grade easier and no issues with digging through stone. By stone you mean compacted gravel/crushed stone?
Don't think a trencher will have issues with that. I have gone through several driveways without an issue before. A trencher should have lazer grade control of your using it for tile unless your ground it will drive on is perfectly sloped.

As far as water going sideway, yes it will but depends on soils. Some fields we tile at 80' spacing but most clays at 40'. Some guys with black dirt even closer.

Also wind driven water hitting the wall will go both ways to. I like to keep a tile as close as possible and would like 18" but 24" will certainly help tremendously.

 

[kbs2244]

You have a drip line and gutters?
You need to up size your gutters and downspouts.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I dug about 12" from the side of my garage, and 8-12" deep. Laid some stone (#57 or #8 limestone) and placed some landscape fabric in the trench. Then in went the 4" perforated tile with some river rock along side of it. Once it was in place and level to the top of the tile I folded the remaining edge of landscape fabric back over itself towards the garage. I then covered it with more river rock. I just did it this Spring along the back and also between the trailer pad and garage. It seems to be working ok, time will tell.

 

[Fibersport]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be using a trencher because I also have to run electric, figured I would kill two birds with one stone. And the stone is crushed concrete I figure anything will be better than nothing and I can always adjust pitch easy enough. It's goo to hear the distance I'm looking at should be fine.

When I mentioned drip line I meant a perpendicular line from the outside of the gutters, that that they actually overflow and drip. I do still have to install the downspouts but the gutters themselves are 5", the building is 30x54 and so far they have survived a winter and are handling all the water from the roof.

NuttsGT - I think I ran across your thread, I'll have to go and re-read it, it turned out looking very neat. I was thinking of going deeper as the building is on a slope that drops about a foot in 30' so I would need to be at least 18-24 inches to get enough pitch and stay buried.

 

[Firebrick43]

Do NOT use crushed concrete. The fines will pack solid and nothing will be able to enter the tile. It's even worse the crushed limestone with fines. You want #8 crushed stone or River Rock

I would put soil back over a tile before I put crushed concrete on it.

You didn't put your slab on crushed concrete?

 

[Fibersport]

Good to know on the crushed concrete, we're removing all the river rock and stone from our landscaping very soon, maybe I'll just use that. As for the slab, it isn't poured yet.

 

[spudley]

I dug a trench about 24" out from my bldg (no gutters with 24" eaves) lined it with heavy black plastic back to the bldg, put in 4" perforated filter sock drain pipe and covered it all with 3/4" washed stone. Looks alot like NUTTSGT only a little wider. This is around a basemented bldg that has remained bone dry.

 

[Fibersport]

Thanks, more confirmation, it's a big help.