A channel drain, also commonly called a trench or strip drain, is surface water collection drainage solution. They are designed to catch flow coming into the top grate and down into a long linear drain channel (trench) which then diverts water into a piped drainage system and to an outlet area or into storage location. The channel can be premanufactured or constructed out of any number of materials such as concrete. Grates can be HDPE or Brass depending on usage and how decorative it needs to be. For information on other outdoor drain options, visit our
catch basin drainage page
Channel drains are typically used as a part of hardscape applications where water is moving across large surface planes, rather than be funneled to one small area. Channel drains work well to prevent water from reaching an unwanted location, such as running into a garage and preventing the runoff from pool-decks from draining into a pool. Generally speaking, we do not recommend using channel drains in lawn areas. Because of their long length, channel drains are prone to popping up or sinking too low on one end or another due to freeze thaw cycles, when installed directly in soil. Here are some of appropriate application spaces for channel drains in MN:
Choosing the right channel drain material for the application, and correctly sizing is the key to whether a channel drain will fail or succeed.