Install Perforated Pipe and Connect Gutter
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At 0:15 in
Hidden French train 
What happens here
Lay a base layer of washed drain stone (angular gravel, typically 3/4 inch or 1 inch in size) approximately 3-4 inches thick at the bottom of the fabric-lined trench. This layer provides a stable bed for the perforated pipe and facilitates initial water infiltration. Next, place the perforated PVC pipe (4-inch diameter is common) on top of this gravel layer, ensuring the holes in the pipe are facing downwards to allow water to enter. The video mentions 'hooking up their gutter' to the drain, so connect a non-perforated solid PVC pipe from the gutter downspout to the perforated pipe within the trench using appropriate couplings and adapters.
Goal: Lay the pipe for water collection and connect it to a downspout.
Tools and materials
- Hacksaw or PVC Cutter Stanley — Cutting PVC pipes to length
- Perforated PVC Pipe — Collecting and transporting water
- PVC Couplings and Adapters N/A — Joining sections of pipe and connecting to downspout
- Solid PVC Pipe N/A — Connecting the gutter downspout to the French drain
- PVC Cement and Primer Oatey — Gluing PVC pipe connections
- Washed Drain Stone — Base layer for pipe and surrounding material