[Greenie]

Hello fellow DIY's. As you can see in the below photos I have an area where my trash cans rest. the area when it rains gets super muddy and almost impossible to walk through.

My question is what would you suggest I do to make it so it doesn't get all muddied up when it rains? Different ground material? Cement walk way? Stone? Gravel? As you can see it leads into the alley on the side of my house which is also dirt and there is a fence door separating the two areas. The fence that appears wet in the photo is the fence dividing my property and my neighbors property. This area butts up against te front of my house as well as a small stone enclosed planting area.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[joecaption]

That fence was installed to close to the ground and will end up rotting if it's not fixed.
I'd use periable steping stones so they can drain and not just redirect the water againt the fence.

 

[ddawg16]

That fence was installed to close to the ground and will end up rotting if it's not fixed.
I'd use periable steping stones so they can drain and not just redirect the water againt the fence.

Ditto.....

 

[Greenie]

Thank you. So what would u do for the current fence situation?

 

[ddawg16]

What is on the other side of the fence?

One of the keys to water control is getting the water away from where you don't want it. In your case, proper grading. Assuming this is the front of your house, you need to see if you can grade it a bit better to get the water to drain faster.

On the fence...if you can't lower the level of the ground, then either cut the bottom of the fence about 1" from the ground or remove the planks and re-attach 1" above the ground. Just doing that might help get the water away a bit faster......depending on what is on the other side of the fence.

As for what to put down....personally....I would put down pavers where the trash cans go and then steping stones up to the trash can. If you fix your water problem, you might be able to get grass to grow which will help control the mud.

 

[joecaption]

Snap a line 2" up from the ground and cut the pickets off.
The closest your going to get with a ciruler saw is 1-1/2, that why 2" will work better so it's not hitting the ground.

 

[Greenie]

Snap a line 2" up from the ground and cut the pickets off.
The closest your going to get with a ciruler saw is 1-1/2, that why 2" will work better so it's not hitting the ground.

If I cut the pickets off. (Prob a silly question..). But then what's holding the fence in the ground.

 

[Greenie]

What is on the other side of the fence?

One of the keys to water control is getting the water away from where you don't want it. In your case, proper grading. Assuming this is the front of your house, you need to see if you can grade it a bit better to get the water to drain faster.

On the fence...if you can't lower the level of the ground, then either cut the bottom of the fence about 1" from the ground or remove the planks and re-attach 1" above the ground. Just doing that might help get the water away a bit faster......depending on what is on the other side of the fence.

As for what to put down....personally....I would put down pavers where the trash cans go and then steping stones up to the trash can. If you fix your water problem, you might be able to get grass to grow which will help control the mud.

On the other side of the fence is my neighbors driveway. This is a dividing fence between me and my neighbor. This is on side of house away from house. Not front.

 

[md2lgyk]

If I cut the pickets off. (Prob a silly question..). But then what's holding the fence in the ground.

Uh, the fence posts. You set your circular saw to a depth that will only cut the pickets (probably 3/4").

 

[bigchaz]

Can you get a picture of the neighbors side of the fence? It almost looks like they may have a board running along the ground to secure the slats since I can see through the entire middle portion

 

[carpdad]

First is it your fence? Good side facing you, in my area, that usually means your neighbor put up the fence. Also, doing anything to the ground so that water drains away from your house and possibly drains into neighbor's driveway (especially if icing is issue) can bring up disputes. I agree with pavers, wide spaced and limited so drainage is not changed. Another option to fence is you and your neighbor could agree on digging a small ditch under the fence and filling with gravel so there is less water that fence can wick.

 

[Greenie]

First is it your fence? Good side facing you, in my area, that usually means your neighbor put up the fence. Also, doing anything to the ground so that water drains away from your house and possibly drains into neighbor's driveway (especially if icing is issue) can bring up disputes. I agree with pavers, wide spaced and limited so drainage is not changed. Another option to fence is you and your neighbor could agree on digging a small ditch under the fence and filling with gravel so there is less water that fence can wick.

Not sure. It was there before either of us moved in. Icing never an issue.

Basically I want to have an area that doesn't get all muddy where the 3 trash bins are so when we throw trash out we don't bring mud back in the house. Moving the cans and the water on the fence brought up new "issues". Lol.

 

[Greenie]

Can you get a picture of the neighbors side of the fence? It almost looks like they may have a board running along the ground to secure the slats since I can see through the entire middle portion

Here is neighbor side

 

[Greenie]

Ok. Here is update... Dug a trench for a drain pipe as seen in photos below. Also trenched out a space to cut the fence by 1-2". Now I'm taking suggestions and recommendations as to the next step.... This area is where I put my three large trash bins during the week. I would like to put down brick or stone or something so that the bins can sit on it during the week as well as slope it to the middle a bit so that when it does rain it collects in the drain I put in and runs off in the bushes. Ultimate goal is to fix the fence and prevent rot and more importantly, create a dry/ mud free area for the trash bins.

Please me know your thoughts and how you would proceed.

 

[Greenie]

not sure if my last update went out with the new server being updated. Anyone?

 

[bigchaz]

I think that sounds like a good plan so far, I dont know much about what type of surface covering is best though. Maybe gravel so it can drain through?

Trimming the fence up some and putting some gravel under there in the trench may help move water along to fence line. Does your drain tie into something else?

 

[Greenie]

I think that sounds like a good plan so far, I dont know much about what type of surface covering is best though. Maybe gravel so it can drain through?

Trimming the fence up some and putting some gravel under there in the trench may help move water along to fence line. Does your drain tie into something else?

No I elbowed the drain to drain off into the dirt area in between my driveway and my neighbors driveway. There are hedges that live there so figured was a safe area to drain to. Though we don't get a TON of water throughout the year. But enough that it leaves this area under te garbages muddy.