# drainage requirements alongside stucco house



## kashimama (May 14, 2007)

Hi there, I am digging up the sod and putting in a mulched walkway alongside my house. (it will span the area between the side of the house and a raised planting bed I will be building) I plan on putting down that weed-stopping fabric and then putting the mulch on top. I'm concerned about how to secure the side that runs along the house and also about interfering with drainage, etc from the house. Are there any tips you have to offer?


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,........

There's really only 1 Rule,......... Water *Must* be able to flow Away from your house......
No Exceptions.......

Without knowing the lay of your land,.....
It's Possible that your raised bed garden could Stop the flow of water,.....
Donno.......
You can check things out with a spirit level,+ a 2X4,....
Maybe you can tell by Looking.....
As long as it's pitched Away,..... You can't go Wrong.....


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## timber (Nov 30, 2007)

I agree with Bondo, sometimes removing sod up against the house isn't always a good idea. If too much soil is removed you may create a water problem. Consider laying out your walk and then doing a turf kill in that area. Not only is it less work, but you don't change the grade. Once the turf has been sprayed and is dry, you can lay your weed barrier down and spread the mulch over that. If it looks like the water from the downspouts may wash the mulch out, simply put down some river rock or decorative stone as a creek bed path to take the water pass the mulch.


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## Spike99 (Dec 24, 2007)

As a general rule, "the water must be allowed to flow away from house". A critical rule I learned as well. Thus, why I had to manually dig (pick and shovel) and install over 350 feet of weeping tile "zig zagging" on my properly. Either that or "raise the house" out of the ground 24" (which is much more costly).

Here's some lessons learned that might help.... 
- If you have eve troughs on your house, ensure their down spouts are away from walkways. If needed, replace the eve troughs on your house (like on my house).
- If you have a basement under this house, ensure its under ground weeping tile (around basement footings) is unblocked and their slope is flowing in the proper direction.
- If your house is on a cement slab, ensure its outer weeping tile (usually 24"-48" down "depending on region") is of proper slope and unblocked as well. 
- Personally, I don't like wood mulch around the outside of a house. It holds moisture and attracts bugs. And can attract little outdoor critters as well. Mice between wood, outer wall and under the warm snow is a big problem in my area. I'd rather apply fabrick and lay in 4-6" of pea gravel ontop of it. And, ensure the fabrick layer is higher then its outer sod level. Thus, "forcing water to flow away from the house". 
- If you have a sump pump (used in a basement design), ensure its discharge pipe is flowing "far away" from your house. Installing a Sump Pump Discharge Pitt (aka: Drywell at http://www.thenaturalhome.com/drywellinstallation.htm )for its discharge exhaust pipe is best. 

Hope these ideas help as well....

.


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