My parking area is currently gravel and is upslope of my home (which has a basement that could be susceptible to being damp). On the Oregon coast, there is lots o water from now through June. Even though I have lots of drainage gravel and a drain plane on the basement walls, I would like to do what I can to divert water to the side of the house and downslope as fast as possible.
But I do not want to asphalt or pave the parking area. So I was thinking of grading the area so water would run to one side and then create a drain pipe around the side of the house. But to get the water to the pipe or french drain, I would need to put some heavy duty plastic or something. Then I would put gravel back on the top.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
I'm with you on the grading to drain to the side and then into a drain pipe but you lost me with,
"I would need to put some heavy duty plastic or something. Then I would put gravel back on the top."
If it's graded to drain to the side and into a pipe. What would the plastic be used for?
How much slope and how large of an area are you talking about?
Sorry about my lack of clarity. I have 20 feet from the street to the house. That 20 feet is currently gravel over fill. The fill is mostly rock, but not purely. The house has a basement, so the wall of the basement has the potential of having moisture issues. I have already done lots to divert water away (dimpled membrane around walls, gravel fill against walls, perf. pipe with filter fabric over it, etc.) , but I want to do everything conceivable to make sure water is diverted.
So in essence, I was thinking of creating of creating an impervious plane over which gravel could sit. Maybe I am over thinking this, but I thought it might work if I could put down some heavy plastic over the properly graded grounded then a 4" layer of gravel, it might work and I wouldn't have to do any flat work or bring in asphalt.
I think the impervious layer would tend to encourage your gravel to migrate down the slope during heavy rains or snowmelts. Permeable landscape fabric is usually used to help hold gravel fill in place while allowing water to go downhill as it wants to do. Sounds like your efforts to date are correct.
It sounds like with the work you've done,you shouldn't have an issue. I agree with rwanders on the use of plastic and gravel.
Thanks. The rains just started today....here's to a dry basement..... c*