My Adventure With DIY Concrete Foundations

"adding a good layer of coarse gravel around the drain pipe before wrapping it with fabric"

Good tip—I did something similar when I tackled drainage issues around my patio. Definitely noticed less clogging afterward. One thing I'm still unsure about is how thick that gravel layer should ideally be... I've heard everything from a couple inches to nearly half a foot. Curious what thickness you settled on and if it made a noticeable difference?

I went with about 4 inches of gravel around mine and it's been solid so far. From what I've seen, less than 2 inches can get overwhelmed pretty quickly, especially if your soil doesn't drain well. But honestly, going beyond 6 inches felt like overkill (and a waste of money). I'd say anywhere between 3-5 inches hits that sweet spot—enough to keep things flowing without breaking the bank.