If you are experiencing issues with drainage on your residential or commercial property, you may be exploring your options for ways to solve those problems. As you well know, drainage problems can lead to other issues that can be quite expensive, such as lawn damage, landscape plant damage, and even potential damage to your home's foundation. There are several different types of drainage solutions such as downspouts, land grading, French drains, and dry creek beds. While dry creek beds and French drains may look somewhat similar on the surface, they operate on different systems and structures.

Learn more about dry creek beds and French drains so you can better determine which one may be best for resolving your drainage issues in Waterloo, Columbia, Millstadt, and the surrounding areas of Illinois.

Cost: Dry creek beds cost less to install than French drains.

Dry creek bed drainage feature installed in Waterloo, IL.

Typically, dry creek beds will cost about $5-$7 per square foot to install, while French drains will cost around $20-$30 per square foot. Depending on your budget, dry creek beds may be a more feasible option for you. They use fewer components than a French drain, which means there is less labor involved in the installation process. A French drain is much more involved, whereas the process for dry creek bed installation involves these steps:

  • Digging a trench and smoothing down the sides
  • Installing weed fabric to help stop weed growth in the area
  • Carefully placing river rock along the length of the trench to make it look like a river bed

Building a French drain also starts with digging a trench, but in this case our experienced drainage contractors will also install specialized tile and a perforated pipe to aid in effective water drainage. Once the pipe is placed, we put in gravel or rocks to fill in the area.

Use Cases & Effectiveness: French drains redirect water flow from your yard or home, while dry creek beds are often used in landscaping.

If you are just concerned about drainage problems in your landscape bed, then you may want to explore adding in a dry creek bed. They are beneficial for landscapes because they help prevent erosion and move excess water elsewhere.

French drains, however, are typically used in lawns or around your home or business. They move water away from these areas to prevent it from collecting there.

No matter which type you decide to install, both are very effective solutions when installed correctly and professionally.

Aesthetics: In the end, both dry creek beds and French drains look natural.

French drainage system with rock mulch near Waterloo, IL.

After dry creek beds and French drains are installed, both will look natural as though they have always been a part of your lawn or landscaping. If you really want to highlight these features, consider spotlighting them at night with a custom outdoor lighting system. Both will provide you with a drainage solution that is naturally beautiful for decades.

Are you having drainage issues on your lawn or in landscaping? Contact us today.

At Linnemann Lawn Care & Landscaping, we have decades of experience in the lawn and landscape industry and have installed countless French drains and dry creek beds across Columbia, Waterloo, Millstadt, and nearby areas of Illinois. If you are having issues with water draining from your property. contact us today at (618) 939-4769 for an estimate.