Make a mistake here – use the wrong materials or install them incorrectly – and you’ll be faced with a big repair job later on; one that costs you a lot of time, money and effort. And your reputation will take a big hit, too.
To help ensure that you put the right drainage and filtration systems in place and that your landscaping projects are of the highest quality, we have put together this mini guide to drainage and filtration landscaping solutions.
How to meet lawn- and garden-related drainage challenges
Long, wet winters and increasingly concentrated and powerful seasonal downpours pose a challenge for landscaping contractors, whether the job is a new lawn, path, patio, driveway or a larger project. It is vital to install the right drainage and filtration system.
A common challenge with regard to gardens and lawns is waterlogging – customers don’t want it, or else they have it and want you to tackle it. If spiking the grass with a garden fork won’t cut it – and often it won’t – you need a more robust solution, such as a French drain.
If you’re installing a French drain, you need to line it with a non-woven membrane that has a stable but open structure – this will maintain the capacity and efficiency of the drain. We recommend Draintex, which is ideal for trench work like this. It’s also great for wrapping soakaways and water attenuation crates.
Often with projects like these, weed suppression is another key focus – in many cases it is as important as ensuring good drainage and filtration. If your job includes plant beds, you need a permeable weed-control fabric, such as Landtex, that will allow rainwater and nutrients to permeate whilst blocking the light that weeds need to grow.
How to ensure proper drainage for new paths and patios
When it comes to laying a new path or patio, drainage and filtration are usually only part of the challenge – you often need a landscaping material that will also provide excellent ground stabilisation and help keep weeds at bay.
Whether it’s a soft or hard landscaping application, we recommend Groundtex. This woven fabric membrane performs several jobs. The fabric is designed to allow for the filtration of rainwater and is tough enough to provide the ground stabilisation that you need.
If you’re laying a gravel pathway, another consideration is how best to avoid unsightly puddles. To do so, you need a stabilising grid system with an open mesh base that allows good drainage, such as Gravelrings gravel grids.
How to address new driveway drainage issues
Installing a new driveway presents a different set of ground stabilisation and drainage–related challenges for landscapers. One of the biggest challenges is avoiding sinking and rutting caused by aggregate settling into the soil beneath the driveway.
To achieve the vital long-term drainage and ground stabilisation that is required, you need a heavy-duty, multi-purpose, non-woven geotextile fabric that will provide both solutions, such as Drivetex.
If you’re installing an asphalt driveway, the solution could be different: you may want to consider directing surface run-off water into a soakaway with crates wrapped in drainage geotextile fabric, such as Draintex.
Filtration solutions for larger landscaping projects
For larger projects, where there is heavy traffic use to consider when it comes to drainage and filtration systems, as well as soil separation and reinforcement, you need a super-tough solution that provides excellent durability and mechanical resistance, such as Earthworx NW1000.
This type of non-woven, super-strength geotextile is purpose built for civil engineering landscaping projects where significant road traffic and parking are key features of the site.
The importance of the right drainage solutions in landscaping
Ensuring proper drainage and filtration in landscaping is critical; achieving it often throws up challenges, whether you’re laying a new lawn, patio or pathway, installing a new driveway or working on a larger project.
It is imperative that you plan properly, tackle any issues relating to drainage and filtration in the right way and install the landscaping materials that ensure the delivery of a high-quality job. Your reputation depends on it.
Our aim here has been to provide you with the information that you need to do this. With this knowledge, you can make an informed decision about planning and materials on your next landscaping job.
With 20 years’ experience in the landscape industry, Growtivation understands the needs of landscaping professionals and has concentrated on providing high-performance solutions with our Product That Works range.
Growtivation’s wide range of professional landscaping systems means we have the right solution for all common landscaping problems.
Find out more about the Growtivation Product That Works range by downloading our Product Guide and your free copy of our Landscaping That Works guide to weed control and geotextile fabrics. Our PledgeMark warranty certifies that our products are suitable for their intended use for your peace of mind and quality assurance.
To find out where you can buy Growtivation products, visit our online Where to Buy facility or contact the friendly team at Growtivation for advice on 0800 197 8885 or email sales@growtivation.com.
