How to trench a downspout: Our patio project

This is the second step to our patio project. How to trench a downspout, bury a downspout or extend a downspout.  {click here to see previous post}

I know that this post may seem very boring for those of you wanting to see progress on our patio. Stay with me, progress is being made, but it takes time and many, many steps. Hey, someone out there may need this helpful information, right?

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How to trench a downspout

There can be many reasons that you would need to trench a downspout: standing water, water redirection, standing water by your home foundation or water flowing into a window well to name a few.

We needed to trench our downspout because we are building a patio...OURSELVES...yes we are crazy! The current downspout lands in the middle of our soon-to-be constructed patio. 

Another great tutorial on this is at:

This Old House: How to extend a downspout

Tools you will need (pictures below):
4" PVC pipe
4"PVC couplers
4" PVC elbow
4" PVC DWV downspout adapter
PVC bonding glue
Pop-Up Drainage Emitter
shovel
saw

Pop-Up drainage emitter can be purchased at Lowe's

Pop-Up drainage emitter

4" PVC Coupler

4" PVC DWV Downspout adapter

4" PVC elbow and downspout adapter

IMPORTANT NOTE: Your first and most important step is to call your local One Call (That's what it is called in Iowa). They will mark where any buried gas or electrical lines are.

Next, map a line to where you need/want the downspout to drain.

 Start digging, digging and digging. Be careful with the sod you dig up.
You can place it back down and save your lawn.

 Next, you will need to saw some of the 4" PVC pipe and attach the downspout adapter to it using the bonding glue. Then attach the 4" PVC elbow to the 4" PVC pipe with a coupler with the bonding glue. Set this into the ground where you dug the trench and fit your downspout into the adapter.

Place the 4" PVC pipe in your trench and make sure that your couplers are attached with bonding glue, if you are using more than one PVC pipe. Use a level to make sure you have a gentle downward slope so the water will drain to the end of your trench.

Attach the Pop-Up drainage emitter to the end with another coupler using the bonding glue. Then start to fill your dirt back in.

Now we don't have a downspout on our patio. Stay tuned for more patio projects.
{How to build a patio: part 2}
{How to build a pergola} 
{How to build a patio: part 3}

We're building a pergola. O.M.G!