Install a culvert

Step 2 Call before digging. Each utility company electric, gas, water, etc. Step 3 The next step is to purchase the right size and length of culvert pipe. The size will be determined by the kind of traffic the driveway will be handling. Typical driveway culverts will have a diameter ranging from inches, again The length must be so that it extends past the low end of the driveway.

This helps keep erosion from shortening the lifetime of the culvert. Step 4 Now it's time to dig out the ditch and flatten the area where the culvert pipe will lay. Step 5 Now it's time to dig out the ditch and flatten the area where the culvert pipe will lay. Place the culvert pipe in prepared ditch Step 6 The backfill used, should not have any large materials, should be easy to compact, and should be stable under load. Soil available from the immediate area or other aggregates such as sand, fine crusher run, and gravel are all good to use to backfill the culvert pipe again doing so in smaller increments and tamping as you go.

If using sand or erodible materials, protect the ends to keep the sand from washing or piping. Ideally you want to create a backfill layer of inches all depending on the type of traffic over the pipe, before the driveway material is laid.

Normal traffic would call for 12 inches of backfill base over the pipe. As backfill is brought in, create a slight slope going toward the street so that water will runoff properly. Now that you have an idea of what is involved in installing a driveway culvert , who will do it?

It's important to hire a professional construction company who specialize in installing driveway culverts. An experienced company like LLewellyn's Construction will present the finished product on schedule and will give you the peace of mind knowing it was done right. A driveway culvert pipe helps keep the flow of water moving along the drainage ditch near the roadway. If you're installing a driveway culvert, check with your local building codes administrator for specific guidelines.

In most instances, your municipality specifies that the tube must be a minimum length, usually 20 feet, to handle any fire emergency vehicles. The diameter of the tube depends on how much water it needs to handle, but 12 inch and 15 inch pipes are common.

A skid-steer loader with a backhoe attachment will make quick work of digging the trench for the project. File the necessary paperwork for the permit application. Have the approved permits in hand before you start. Mark where you plan to install the culvert with string and stakes. The string and stakes help you make a straight trench. Make the trench deep enough to allow for the tube plus 6 inches for base material.

Slope the trench so that water flows from the high side of the driveway to the low side. Compact the gravel in place with a vibrating compactor. Set the driveway tube in position on top of the gravel base, maintaining the slope. The pipe is heavy, so plan to have helpers available. The bottom of the tube should be level with the bottom of the drainage ditch. If necessary, add or remove gravel from either end to get the desired slope.