# Help w/boring under a driveway....



## justdon (Nov 16, 2005)

*Clarification needed*

I have a sump pump also and it pumps out in a 1/12" line or 2" at very tops. Do you REALLY need that 4" to drain it?? Second question, where is it going to?? Storm sewer? or ditch?

If I were to do this my 'preferred' pipe would be heavy wall pvc 3"(or smaller)."IF" your talking 4" thin wall drain pipe,,,I wouldnt use it,,,weight of dirt OR stepping on it will crush and break it!!


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## Bobrobert (Jan 8, 2008)

*Valid point....*

Justdon - Thanks - probably should have explained a bit better. 

My sump discharge comes out of the front of my house below ground with a 1-1/2 inch line, and then dumps directly into my "underground" down spout drain system (thus the 4 inch line) and the down spout line runs over to the side of the house before it comes up to ground level. 

It's a combo of both the sump pump discharge and the down spout drain system that I need to get to the other side of the driveway. I was planning on using the thickest wall PVC I can buy just for the part under the drive. I can also put in steel if necessary, but would like to use the PVC for ease and expense.

But you have given me food for thought. You've made me think about taking the sump line out of the down spout drainage system and extending that line only over to and under the driveway. It would be much easier to poke a 1-1/2 line under the drive than a 4 inch, that's for sure. I can live with what water comes out of "just" the downspouts, it's the sump that dumps water for 3 or 4 days after a hard rain, and it all runs into the drive at the front of the garage doors. 

I may just do that very thing. *Do you know if there is any problem or concern with running a 1-1/2 diameter discharge line for 60 or 70 feet before it can dump? Would there be any pressure issues?* It would be all sloped down a bit, no up hill at all. Hey - I could also up it to a 2 inch line outside the house if there were pressure concerns.

All right!!! *THANK YOU!* I think that's exactly what I'm going to do. Up it to a 2 inch line outside the house and run that over and under the drive.

Do you see any potential problems with that? 
That should work OK right?


Bob


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## Bobrobert (Jan 8, 2008)

*Missed part of your question...*

Justdon - 

Sorry - I didn't answer where the line would dump. It would just come above ground on the other side of the drive on my property and run onto the lawn, down hill and out into a field.

Thanks
Bob


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

There are companies that have specialized equipment for such. Can't quote you prices, but I know it's not cheap. They bore a rod thru with a small chain or other, and then use that to pull boring/drilling thu to the other side. 

I do not know if rental companies carry such equipment.

We had an industrial client (company) that needed data lines run from one building to a new building in the same office park. They called up, but before we could look into it more, they located a company that did it. I think, they may have paid $1500.00, for the one area that was bored out? Often, such work has a minimum cost, then a LF rate....


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## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

I had to run landscape wire underneath a circular concrete driveway that was about 10' across. I dug down on both sides of the driveway to create troughs right at the edge that were about 16" deep, 2' wide and 5' in length alongside the driveway. Then, with two long lengths of 3/4" PVC pipe, a PVC garden hose fitting, a PVC coupler and a plastic "water drilling" or sweeper nozzle, used simple garden hose water pressure to make a channel under and across it. The 16" depth was necessary to get the PVC rig as close to the ground as possible and therefore keep it fairly level as I fed it through. The PVC bends so once it gets started, you can keep it from dipping and drilling downward. The troughs are necessary so that dirt and water have a place to go as the water is boring the hole. All-in-all, the hole I made was about 3" in diameter by the time I got it fully across. So, if this is something you think might work in your case, you could pull the rig back and forth with the water running to open the hole up more. If there are large rocks or solid debris buried under the driveway where you start, you may have to try "water drilling" in a different spot. This method does make lots of mud and you may have to dig up some of it and pile it up as you go but it's one way used out here in AZ to get something under a concrete slab.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,...

I know it's not what you want to hear,...
But,...
Cutting,+ trenching your driveway will probably be the Cheapest,+ easiest way to go....


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## ponch37300 (Nov 27, 2007)

pressure washer?


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## jogr (Jul 24, 2007)

I've never used one but this might work:
http://www.borzit.com/customhtml/


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

10 feet or less? just dig yourself a tunnel if it comes to that. 10' isn't that much to dig under something.

Other than that, you can use a combnination of a couple things;

water drilling is probably your best bet though. If you use a spray nozzle that angles, you can rotate it and drill a larger hole.You can also use this driling rig and place it inside the 4" pipe. A sledge hammer will help it along. Use wood blocks to prevent damaging the pipe


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## Bobrobert (Jan 8, 2008)

*Is pressure buildup a concern........*

Hey guys - Thanks for all the great input. I appreciate it much. This is one of the best sites for straight forward information, I have ever come across. We're getting some warm days here in central KY and will be starting the "big dig" under the drive soon. 

I just measured my discharge and it's 2 inch OD. Does anyone see a problem with running this size line about 60 to 70 feet before it discharges into open space, or should I up it to a 3 inch OD at some point. I have a 1-1/2 hp pump and was wondering about pressure built up. 

Again thanks for all the replies....Bob


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## jogr (Jul 24, 2007)

I imagine your pump manufacturer can tell you how high and how far it will pump through a 2" pipe. Check their documentation and if you don't find the info give them a call.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

One problem with boring under a driveway is not being able to recompact the soil underneath and then the driveway buckles and collapses along the route of the pipe. The end result can be a patch that looks worse than cutting the driveway and trenching for the pipe installation.


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## Bobrobert (Jan 8, 2008)

Jogr - Good point & I'll give them a call. Thanks

AllenJ - I thought about that as well and it's a concern I've had. I thought if I could go with a 2 inch OD that I would try to water bore it and put it as far down in the ground as possible under the drive. If I see that it's starting to sag I'll cut the drive at that point and compact it dirt and patch the drive. But that would mean a much bigger cut than a 2 or 3 inch if I did the cut on the front end wouldn't it? Hmmmmm! I just I'll have to ponder that one for awhile..... Thanks...Bob


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

I forgot to mention that any driveway sagging or buckling will not happen right away. It may be weeks or months later, after the affected area has been driven over a lot.


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## tomthumb2009 (Jan 28, 2009)

*help/boring under driveways pipe installation of pipe*

20/20 advice installing pipe under driveways with out washing them out cutting them out or bidding it out, check out www.bulletmole.com watch the video it's simple, clean & dry :thumbup: 
p.s. dose anyone no what time it is ?


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## woodtwister (Jan 28, 2009)

get 4in fitting and some short pips and a small fitting awater hose would fit on .
cut teeth in the fitting and wate bore with a chain wrench add pipe as you go


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## JackTrade (Nov 6, 2009)

BobRobert,

I know this is an old thread but i'm curious how you solved your problem? I just bored under 3 sidewalks (8' wide) in North Carolina. The soil there is hard, red clay like in Georgia. It was terrible. We finally beat a 4" pvc pipe through and used a zero degree fitting on a pressure washer to clean out the pipe as we went along. At one point the pipe hit an obstruction so we pulled it out and used the pressure washer alone to shoot a hole under the sidewalk. Then we were able to easliy force the pvc pipe through.

PS: Love this forum! Been a lurker for some time.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

BobRobert has not been back to this site since Nov 2008, about a year ago


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## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

I went under a city street once to run a new water line to a house - probably 20-25' wide street. City would not allow the street to be cut/patched. Made up a water drill of pipe. Used a jack hammer to drive the water drill pipe, adding pipe sections as we went along. Was a heck of a lot of work, but got it done. Your run is not as long - I would think very doable with a water drill.


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