1. With a shovel or
trencher, dig a trench. As you dig, maintain a slope of at least 1 foot per 100 feet (use a
line level
) so it will drain properly.
2. If you are installing pipe, line the trench with
soil-filter fabric. Lay pipe on top of the fabric with perforations in pipe facing down. Fill in
drain rock
above. Wrap fabric over the drain rock and cover the top with 2 to 6 inches of soil or gravel.
3. If you use only gravel, your trench should be no longer than 50 feet. Fill the trench with soil-filter fabric and drain rock. Don't cover with soil.
4-foot mason's level
line level
perforated drainpipe
drain rock
gravel
hacksaw
wheelbarrow
shovel
Tool and hardware-related resources on the Web