Concrete Drainage Solutions

Substrate

• Spread a substrate such as crushed rock, gravel or cinders as part of constructing a concrete patio or walkway to aid in drainage. If the soil drains poorly, use 3 to 4 inches of substrate. If the soil drains well, put down 1 to 2 inches on top of the soil. Laying an adequate substrate beneath the concrete helps solve the drainage problem if the soil's water table rises. It also prevents the water from overflowing onto the concrete's surface.

Pervious Concrete

• In an area that suffers constant water problems, you can try pervious concrete. Pervious concrete is heavily porous, which allows the water to flow away from the concrete's surface and into the soil. The concrete contains very little sand. Once dry, it is comprised of voids totaling around 15 to 20 percent of its volume, which allows the water to drain freely. Pervious concrete makes an ideal concrete for parking areas, walkways, patios and around a pool, according to the University of Maryland Extension.

Drains

• Slant a driveway or walkway away from the structure so the water naturally drains away. For wetter situations, you can construct channel drains of plastic or concrete polymer, usually 10 to 20 feet in length. These lay flush to the concrete's surface and usually have a grill that can be decorative to cover the drain's opening. The drains allow storm water to flow freely into them and divert the water away from the concrete. Trench drains are usually constructed of premade concrete and look like simple trenches with no grill coverage. They can also be crafted on site from concrete. They work similar to channel drains but usually do not have a grill.

Repair

• The surface of concrete can begin to flake over time. The flaking allows water to penetrate the concrete. The water can freeze and crack the concrete. Instead of installing drains, you can paint the flaking concrete with a concrete epoxy to render it waterproof. Concrete walkways, steps or patios that butt up to a structure can suffer drainage issues of they do not slop away from the structure. Caulk the area where the concrete meets the structure to encourage the water to drain away and caulk along the sides of the concrete so the water does not pool near the structure.