Quick one:

When backfilling a French drain, what materials do you use?

My thought was:

Turf top
Sand
Pea gravel
Perf pipe in a sock
Pea gravel


Does anyone use soil in their backfill? (I have mostly clay soil)

Maybe someone else can answer but I need more information.
What is the purpose of the french drain?
Do you intend to intercept underground water as it rises with the water table?
Is it intended to drain a pipe from somewhere else?
Is it intended to get rid of surface water?
Will it daylight somewhere to get rid of the water?
Are you asking what to put over french drain stone or are you asking what to build the drain out of? Please excuse my prying but it is vital info to me.

Maybe someone else can answer but I need more information.
What is the purpose of the french drain?
Do you intend to intercept underground water as it rises with the water table?
Is it intended to drain a pipe from somewhere else?
Is it intended to get rid of surface water?
Will it daylight somewhere to get rid of the water?
Are you asking what to put over french drain stone or are you asking what to build the drain out of? Please excuse my prying but it is vital info to me.

Good questions -- sorry.

It's to get rid of surface water and it does NOT daylight. I just want to know how to backfill the trench.

Dig trench, lay in nylon fabric, (weed block from garden shop is good), cover pipe with 4 to 6" of gravel, fold fabric over top or gravel, back fill. You have to use what ever soil you have to back fill. Clay is not good, if you can get some sandy or loamy soil that would be better, but do what you have to.

Harold nailed it! Here's some more. I
These guidelines are intended for a drain pipe that is 4 inches in diameter. For this project, you will need:

Drain pipe
Rocks
Shovel
1. Starting from where the water will enter the drain and ending where the water will flow out, dig a ditch that's about 10 inches deep and 6 inches wide. Keep in mind that you will need to dig deeper if your starting point slopes upward.

2. Lay about 2 inches of rock into the trench before placing the pipe lengthwise into the ditch.

3. Cover the pipe with another layer of rocks, again about 2 inches.

4. Fill in the remaining space with soil and then plant some grass.
Good luck, Tom

We put "sock" or nylon wrap over the pipe and fill with 1/2" gravel.

I've got ample rock above and below my drain. Maybe 2 feet of rock and gravel. Here's what I'm wondering...

After I pull up and wrap the fabric over the top, is their a limit on how much dirt I can cover it with? I've still got about 3 feet to get to grade, and I'm wondering if I can use a loomy soil for that purpose. Or, do I have to keep going with rock until I get to the sod layer?

Please advise, and THANKS in advance!

~ j