Did you end up putting landscape fabric around your drainage tile, or just gravel? Clay's definitely a beast—learned that the hard way myself when I redid my patio. Thought I'd skip the fabric to save a few bucks, and within a year, the clay had clogged everything up again. Sounds like you got it sorted though... live and learn, right?
"Thought I'd skip the fabric to save a few bucks, and within a year, the clay had clogged everything up again."
Been there myself—clay doesn't forgive shortcuts. Good on you for sorting it out though... DIY's all about learning from those curveballs.
I get the logic behind fabric barriers, but honestly, they're not always the silver bullet people think they are. Sure, skipping it entirely can bite you (as you've found out), but I've seen plenty of setups where fabric alone didn't solve the clay issue long-term. Clay's tricky stuff—it's dense, holds water like crazy, and can push through or around barriers if drainage isn't properly addressed.
A few years back, I helped a friend redo his foundation drainage after a similar DIY mishap. He'd used fabric religiously, but still ended up with clogged drains because the real issue was inadequate gravel and poor grading. Once we tackled those two things—adding a thicker gravel layer and making sure the slope actually directed water away from the foundation—the fabric became more of a secondary safeguard rather than the main line of defense.
Don't get me wrong, fabric definitely has its place, especially in heavy clay soils. But it's just one piece of the puzzle. If you're dealing with stubborn clay, I'd argue that investing more time and resources into proper grading and drainage design upfront can save you headaches down the road—even more than relying solely on fabric.
Glad you got it sorted though... DIY is definitely about learning from experience, and sometimes those lessons sting a bit. But hey, that's how we all get better at this stuff, right?
Good points there—fabric isn't magic, just a tool in the box. I've done plenty of builds on heavy clay, and honestly, grading and drainage are usually the real heroes. Glad you figured it out though, lessons learned the hard way tend to stick!
"grading and drainage are usually the real heroes."
Couldn't agree more. Fabric helps, but it's not a silver bullet. Had a client once who insisted on skipping proper grading—thought fabric alone would save him. Fast forward a year, and I'm back there sorting out puddles and foundation cracks. Lesson learned: never underestimate good drainage...or stubborn homeowners. Glad your DIY adventure ended better than his did.
