Area Drains: Fixing Low Spots & Patio Ponding in Oregon

The Small Drain That Solves a Specific Problem

Not every drainage problem needs a long trench or a big catch basin. Sometimes water just pools in one tight spot — the corner of a patio, the bottom of a sunken entry, a dip in a walkway — and sits there long after the rain stops. For that, the right tool is an area drain: a small, grated point drain that captures the puddle and pipes it away.

Area drains are the precise instrument of the drainage world. They handle the localized hardscape low spots that bigger systems would be overkill for. This guide covers how they work and where they fit. For the full range of options, see our Oregon drainage guide.

What an Area Drain Is

An area drain is a grate over a small sump or catch box, set flush into a paved or low surface. Water flows to the grate, drops into the box, and exits through a drain line to your outfall. It's point collection — it grabs water at one specific location.

The difference between an area drain and a full catch basin is mostly scale. A catch basin is a larger box, often serving a bigger drainage area with more sediment storage. An area drain is smaller and purpose-built for a single low spot. Our catch basin vs French drain guide covers the surface-versus-subsurface logic that applies here too — area drains are firmly surface-water tools.

Where Area Drains Earn Their Keep

Area drains are the go-to fix for hardscape ponding:

• Patios that hold a puddle in one corner after rain
• Sunken entries and stairwells where water collects against a door
• Walkways and paths with a low spot that stays wet
• Driveway dips too small to justify a full catch basin
• Planter beds and courtyards that pool against a wall
• Window wells that fill during heavy PNW storms

Anywhere water gathers at a defined low point on a hard or finished surface, an area drain captures it neatly without tearing up the whole area.

Grate Selection

The grate is the visible part, and it gets chosen for both looks and load:

• Decorative grates — for patios and visible spots, in finishes that blend with the hardscape.
• Heel-proof grates — narrow slots that won't catch shoe heels, important in pedestrian areas.
• Load-rated grates — heavier grates where vehicles cross, so the grate doesn't deform under weight.
• Atrium / dome grates — raised domes for planting beds and lawns that resist clogging from leaves and mulch.

Matching the grate to the location keeps the drain functional and safe. A pretty grate that catches heels, or a light grate that cracks under a tire, defeats the purpose.

Tying Into the System

An area drain is only useful if its outflow goes somewhere. The drain line — solid pipe, since this is conveyance — carries captured water to an outfall: daylighted onto a slope, into a larger catch basin or storm line, or to a dry well. Multiple area drains across a property often feed into a shared collector line.

Slope matters even on these short runs. The line needs enough fall to keep water moving and self-clearing; a flat line silts up and the grate starts backing up during storms. For how area drains figure into a full yard system and its budget, see our yard drainage cost guide and catch basin installation cost guides.

Installation Basics

1. Find the true low point — the spot where water actually collects, confirmed by watching it during rain or checking the grade.
2. Set the drain box flush with the finished surface so water sheets right into it.
3. Run solid drain pipe from the box to the outfall, with continuous slope.
4. Connect the outfall to daylight, a collector, or a dry well.
5. Fit the right grate for the location and load.

The trickiest part is usually getting the box exactly at grade. Set too high, water flows past it; set too low, it can create a trip lip or a divot.

Maintenance

Area drains catch leaves, mulch, and debris — that's part of their job — so they need occasional clearing. Pop the grate, pull out the gunk, and flush the line if flow has slowed. In Oregon's leaf-heavy fall, drains under trees benefit from a check before the heavy winter rains arrive. A clogged grate is the most common reason an area drain "stops working," and it's usually a five-minute fix.