Then use the 2 1/2" hole saw centered with the pilot hole from both sides. Because PVC is a soft plastic, you can use both wood and metal drill bits to make small holes, and spade bits can be used for larger holes. Like another user said. If you need to go further in, drill slowly in until you feel like the drill has gone through the back of the board. The gravel is the workhorse here I believe. Counterintuitive though it may be, French drains work by allowing water to flow into them from below. Sediment will eventually start to fill the French drain over time. You could drill more holes if you like, but the holes that are in the pipe will work just as it is supposed to, to insure the drain stays open. The finished wall is papered and it would be a mess to cut out the sheetrock to plug the 1/4″ holes. In many cases, inadequate slope to drain the area is the original problem that usage of a french drain aims to solve. A trench is excavated and pitched. Re: What size hole to cut to fit a 2" PVC line through? DRILLING PVC. Where possible, the lowest course of block is tapped and bled (weep holes) in order to drain the walls. I used one recently and avoided drilling through a main sewage branch pipe. The hole will be straight and there will be 1/8" clearance for the pipe. Instead use 4" rigid PVC drainage pipe that has holes along the bottom edge. While hanging a shelf, I recently mistakenly drilled two holes in a PVC drain pipe that was tight against the sheetrock. Amazon sells cheap USB powered camera endoscope. To save some steps in the process of French drain installation, consider purchasing an alternative gravel-free drainage pipe system. The 3 hole pipe allows water to enter the pipe from the sides and be carried away, (french drain), while the 2 hole pipe is designed to leach water from inside the pipe away from the line, (draining the bath tub or flushing). Fully slotted polyethylene drainage pipe is installed and covered with gravel. Most french drains use holed corrugated piping or holed PVC. Another important thing to remember in PVC installations: Orient the pipe holes downward. This allows the water to leech into the soil over a given distance, rather than pooling where you don't want it. A traditional french drain is a drain that directs water away from an area via a trench filled with gravel. I used PVC for this project. The 4 inch rigid PVC drain pipe can be cleaned out with a Roto-Rooter machine - as long as you install a cleanout access point and use the proper fittings. This system uses a corrugated pipe surrounded by polystyrene aggregate that is then wrapped in filter fabric.. Rigid PVC drainage pipe can be easily cut with a handsaw. Once a 4-in. To install a French drain: The inside perimeter of the floor is cut approximately one foot from the wall. drain pipe is placed underground, it should be covered with 2 in. 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