drainage around foundation in urban neighborhood


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Old 08-08-17, 09:31 PM
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drainage around foundation in urban neighborhood

I know most people want to get rid of clay soil, but I have a drainage issue around my foundation, and I've been trying to build up the slope around the house so that water runs away more effectively. I've read on various other websites that clay soil would be nice to have, in this case! We had a bunch of garden soil and topsoil in our garage, so we went ahead and used that as a first layer. But I would like to add another layer of clay-rich soil (or sand?) sloping atop that soil all along the exterior wall, so that the water is even more likely to run off when it rains.

Our neighbors on that side are less than 10 feet from our foundation, so I don't have a lot of room to build a french drain or something more complex.

Any suggestions about where to buy clay soil for this, or is there something else I should be looking for that would serve the same purpose? Thank you!!
 
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Old 08-09-17, 04:30 AM
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Most sands are very porous. Adding a layer or trying to slope the ground using sand would not work very well as the water will just pass through.

To buy clay contact your local landscapers, nurseries and grading contractors. Do NOT bother with big name home centers as it will not be sold in little bags. Grading contractors may even have clay left over as waste from another job so you might only have to pay for transportation.
 
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Old 08-21-17, 07:18 AM
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I did kinda temporary solution. I got road grade soil(left over from making roads which you can get dirt cheap), gravel and a thick plastic. I dug up a little bit around the foundation, lay down the plastic first, put the road grade soil then top it up with gravel for aesthetic. It's been holding up well for last 5 years ...
 
 

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