Installing A Channel Drain System For A Concrete Patio

In this video I show how to install a water drain system to capture water running off a concrete slab. The concept behind this drainage set up was to capture water similar to how roof gutters capture rain water. The goal was divert the water runoff from the patio to the far back yard in an effort to minimize the amount of water in the area of yard space held up by the newly built retaining wall.
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I utilized channel drains for the project as the concrete patio had been designed to pitch water to the far edge of concrete slab. Since water was flowing to the entire edge of the patio I needed to utilize a long section of channel drain to capture as much of the water run off as possible.
Installing the channel drain required a few tools: a shovel to dig the footprint, a saw to cut the channel drain, as well as equipment to mix a few bags of concrete. The drain was set off the existing slab about 2 inches and concrete was poured all around it to hold the drain in place.

[@free_at_last8141]

Thanks for the great video. I found that placing a wide enough strip of painters tape to cover the top of the grill of the drain allowed me to avoid getting any cement in there.

[@MrKistel]

Great drain installation tip. Thanks for sharing and watching.

[@Rubibi-saltwaterjim]

Great tips cheers

[@pugspound]

This system looks great for preventing water from weakening concrete patios and sidewalks completely removing water away

[@MrKistel]

Thanks Eric, the main goal was to move the water away and minimize soil erosion. This drainage system did that and any additional benefit is welcomed.

[@richlramos]

Thanks for the video, we're having a pool and decking installed and seeing how you tied the channel drain into the rest of your drainage is very helpful! I now have a solution for my yard!

[@MrKistel]

Glad I could help!

[@ILoveAnchovies334]

i like how all these videos are digging in perfect soil conditions. Lets have some DYI vids up here in the New England where you have to contest with ledge, thousands of baseball sized stone or stone too heavy to move but to small to leave, hard packed clay and deep freezes that would make a polar bear shiver.

[@MrKistel]

Yikes! Sounds like it is a real challenge to dig in the northeast.

[@MrRspar]

Or clay soil that dry is like concrete and when wet sticks to your shovel.

[@nova31337]

Grab your pickaxe and an extra pair of underwear and get to work! 😂

[@gmcjetpilot]

I am about to install a similar patio drain with same slim drain. Suggest you use painters masking tape on grill in future to keep it clean and give clean line without sanding. Much cleaner and faster. Second all those end fittings and pipe can be silicone into place.

[@MrKistel]

Great drain installation tips, thank you for sharing.

[@pensive69]

On the far side of the porch/patio? I'd suggest raising the exit a bit above the ground level. Helps to reduce backflow of sandy/silty water back into the discharge. And I might fill around the discharge with some larger clean stone to support the pipe and allow a drain bed for the storm water. Nice project. Most of us envy your easy digging sandy soils.

[@MrKistel]

Thank for the patio drain installation tips. yes this "sand" was fresh fill when i built the retaining wall. Check out that video if you are curious.

[@michaelmoses9256]

Thanks for posting, this one is more helpful than the manufacturer's video

[@MrKistel]

Awesome and great to hear the video was helpful.

[@angelluis6477]

Bien explicado y mostrando "casi todo" Ha faltado el como nivelar el drenaje con rejilla , pero muy buen video👏👏👏

[@MrKistel]

Gracias

[@ClarkTangTV]

Great videos. I like your other channel Raising Poppy. You’re a Super Dad. I have been thinking doing the same channel with my daughter. God bless

[@MrKistel]

Thank you. I hoping those family videos earn some parental brownie points when the kids are older. Ha! best of luck with your channel and please share when you get it started.

[@janetleeharrison]

Awesome! I have never seen anybody install this channel system before. French drains using gravel are all I've seen. Now in person I've seen this before in commercial settings, but not residential. This has probably been around for a while in residential construction, but it's new to me. Smart choice - low maintenance & looks great! Looked easier; this should encourage people to give this a try. Geat editing -TFS!

[@MrKistel]

Thanks J. In this case the channel drain works similar to how a roof gutter system would work. It should take the majority of water from the roof and patio and bypass the new wall completely.

[@gemmrk]

Thats because the channel drains are overpriced noone buys them

[@pensive69]

Local painter suggests you cover the grates with some contractor grade masking tape.' Keep the channel cleaner when setting and placing the cements or concretes.

[@MrKistel]

That seems like a great idea to protect the channel drains from getting messy. Thanks

[@roberte5322]

What a great idea! How is it holding up? Would you have done anything differently? Where did you get the drain channels? Would love to see what it looks like with grass along the backyard.

[@MrKistel]

Thanks, the drainage system is working great. Here is something similar but bigger amzn.to/3hqXqP6 . Will have some videos up in the future that will show the backyard so please stayed tuned.

[@julioacevedo172]

I never knew Tom Cruise would be the one to help me with my DIY drain system.

[@MrKistel]

LOL thanks

[@ricric9521]

Why not cover the grate with blue tape during concrete insertion?

[@nancyv9051]

Great....it looks you can do it in 10 minutes 🥰

[@MrKistel]

It may have taken me a little bit longer to complete the whole drain installation project 😁

[@nancyv9051]

@@MrKistel I know just was an expression 🥰

[@Jake.Gentry]

good job, very informative!!!!

[@MrKistel]

Glad it was helpful! Best of luck with your DIY channel drain installation.

[@Inquisitive37]

Thanks for the video

[@MrKistel]

Thanks. I hope it was helpful for you incase you will be installing any rainwater drains.

[@weejohnbb]

The only thing I missed was a rain event happy ending. Is it possible to record and upload a video of your system working hard? Thank you for taking the time to make and upload your videos.

[@MrKistel]

Thanks for watching and the video request. I can say the patio drain system has been working well since the installation of the channel drains. Seems to capture run off water well in both light and heavy rain conditions.

[@weejohnbb]

@@MrKistel that's good to know and the satisfaction you get during rain storms is enjoyable I'm sure.

[@franciscoroman9927]

Leaving connecting pvc joints without primer, cement ?

[@GlenHoffmanX]

Nice job Joe! I wish I could have been there to help.

[@MrKistel]

You and me both! Thanks Glen, i will dust off a shovel for you for the next project!

[@JA-xb7od]

Since you sloped the ground, how is it that the fully attached length of the channel drain with cover sits flush with patio? Wouldn't it drop underground even an inch or so, thus making it impossible to lay grate level with surrounding walkway? I'm getting stuck on this point. I want a 6" width drain 16 feet long cut into a back (uncovered) patio defectively constructed and sloping toward house.

[@MrKistel]

I am not exactly clear of your question however in this case the concrete patio was not pitched to where I wanted the water to drain. I still had to pitch the drain and it is not flush with the concrete patio height. In this case I dug a small ditch along the edge of the patio and temporarily braced the drain running at the proper slope. The drain was kind of floating in the open space of the ditch at this point. Then I backfilled and use concrete to fill the ditch and hold the drain in position.

[@mehrdadfereidooni]

Would u recomment this to be used in cold temperatures? -30 c?

[@victorvek5227]

Wouldn’t a catch basin / d-block be helpful before the termination for easier clean-out?

[@MrKistel]

That is a great rainwater control drain installation suggestion. Thanks for sharing

[@Rubibi-saltwaterjim]

I'm concreting between a garage and wooden fence, I'm going to throw in a few screws to secure to the fence then anchors of some type into the concrete side to interlock them into the path. Would it be OK to use the drain as my firm for the concrete? I'll tape up the cavity prior to concreting.

[@MrKistel]

sounds like that could work to me

[@toddmichon]

Curious, at the very end, why do you have it going up and out instead of just running the pipe further and straight into the woods?

[@MrKistel]

Having the the pipe come up a bit briefly at the termination point works in a water drainage system like this, however water can get trapped in lower end of the pipe. Holes can be drilled in the elbow joint to allow water to escape but this only works well if you have good drainage near the holes. Running the pipe straight like you mentioned is a good method of drain termination when it is an option.

[@slee00316]

pvc glue does not work on HDPE

[@o3198two]

could you just have placed the channel drain next to the existing concrete and not have to put new concrete? I have a dilemma, I went with poured concrete and 4" turf between concrete slabs and I dont want to put new concrete because it wont match existing.

[@MrKistel]

Maybe you can insert concrete anchors into the existing concrete to secure the drains.

[@ranpos1]

Hi Can you install the drain flush with the patio without the concrete channel?

[@MrKistel]

Yes the channel drain could be installed more flush with the patio edge. In this case the channel drain would not fit flush because of the surplus concrete seepage just below the soil surface. Instead cutting the concrete to make a clean edge I installed the drain as shown. The drain should still be attached or anchored in some fashion. The concrete works well to hold it in place.

[@gmoneycash7456]

i'm going to install a pea gravel and 2-4 inch rocks natural area around my patio. Do you think the rocks would be strong enough to hold the channel in place without setting it in concrete?

[@lexigermaise9040]

Definitely going to try this! I’ve had estimates of over $8000! Do you have a recommendation for securing the drain to the concrete without pouring the additional concrete?

[@MrKistel]

I like using concrete to secure the patio drains in place but there are other options. If you are able to flush the channel drain directly to the concrete edge you can hammer pressure treated woods stakes into the ground on the other side, sandwiching the drain in-between the concrete and the stakes. Once your pitch is set correctly you could screw the drain to the woods stakes.

[@bbasian]

but the finish of the concrete is not smooth enough. how to make it look smooth?

[@MrKistel]

Taking a bit more time to finish the concrete can clean up the surface appearance.

[@rukesthagoat1536]

Where do they sell these drain kits?

[@MrKistel]

see the video description for more details and thanks for watching

[@juarezlawnlandscapingllc9559]

Is it everything comes together Except the pvc pipe? How many ft are they ?

[@MrKistel]

The PVC drain pipe connects to the lower end of the channel drain assembly. the channel drain kit came with the parts for the channel drain portion and the pvc parts they connect to is separate. These channel drains were about 6 feet length per section I believe.

[@willm3742]

is it flexible to make a half circle?

[@MrKistel]

no it is rigid

[@jimwildasin4464]

Any time you glue PVC, you need to rough up the PVC with some sandpaper and then primer, then glue. The coating on that stuff is very slick. In the future, sandpaper it first

[@MrKistel]

thanks for the working with PVC tip.

[@MCphattyStoolz]

While I agree, the MEK primer does it anyway. Turns the surface to jelly. Yet I see too many lazy plumbers still skip it. I remind them to read the instruction label on the side, which makes it real clear.

[@ClearWater7.62]

Where can I buy these channel drains?

[@MrKistel]

Thanks, see the video description for channel drain system info

[@robertaugat5250]

What channel drain product are you using?

[@MrKistel]

I added a link in the video description to a similar drainage system. I can not locate the exact channel drain product I used in this video however. Thank for watching and commenting.

[@KGTX512]

It would have looked way better if you butted up to the concrete walk way. Again I can’t see the grade so there might be a reason why you ramped with new concrete...

[@MrKistel]

Perhaps, however the finished edge of the concrete patio was not completely clean. Underneath the the edge was bumpy from surplus concrete overflow and so the drain would not sit flush against the patio edge. I figured leaving the gap between the channel drain and patio slab would leave room to fill in with concrete and allow me to create a straight path parallel to the the patio edge. It would required more concrete to to this but also feel the drain is more secure in this fashion.

[@cq608]

So why didn't you just use tape or plastic over the top of the drain before you poured concrete? That probably would have saved a lot of work cleaning/sanding, not get concrete in the actual grate and not scuffed up the top of the drain with a sanding block. Otherwise, nice installation.

[@MrKistel]

Putting tape over the channel drain grid might have been a good approach

[@gr9515]

How about erosion over time?

[@MrKistel]

not sure I understand the question. Installing the drain was in part to help minimize erosion to the yard area around the patio.

[@gr9515]

@@MrKistel the water exiting the drain is not causing erosion over time? These contractors installed a drain on our yard and the exit point is eroding.

[@franciscoroman9927]

Did not use masking tape on drain line!

[@gemmrk]

Those channel drains are so expensive its not worth using them. A simple french drains costs a fraction of it and works the same

[@MrKistel]

A French drain can be very effective for water drainage. Thanks for the tip. In this case the hope was divert water away from yard above the retaining wall and directing with a channel drain system seemed a good practice to do so.

[@xxBLKSNXxx]

These are fairly cheap

[@mrdev5281]

WOW he cant glue pipe together obviously a minor step becomes a major issue

[@nevermind8694]

Everybody routes they're drainage towards they're neighbors properties instead of put in more effort and drain it to the sewer drains the street not towards your neighbors unless they're .....

[@MrKistel]

Good point, install drains so the water ends up in the most appropriate area.

[@mrdev5281]

what a mess maker

[@jimrylander9143]

Rookie…..they make pvc glue that 100% cures in 30 minutes. Hilarious.

[@bucsboy78]

Love the hat, Go Bolts !!!

[@MrKistel]

Thanks Ronnie

[@xxBLKSNXxx]

Did this hold up for you? I noticed you no longer have this setup anymore.

[@MrKistel]

Yes, The drain system is still in place and working well to this day

[@xxBLKSNXxx]

@@MrKistel Sounds great. Sorry, it looked like you installed a new patio after you did this lol. I was looking at it wrong.