How to crazy pave over storm water drains?

TheArthurs

Hi There,

Looking for some advice. we are wanting to crazy pave our outdoor area but didn't want to bury our storm waters and no looking at getting tiled covers. not sure if we can just use shower type tiled outlets or we also found the HIDE brand covers but they are quite large. we don't want strip drains either. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Tony.

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, Tony (@TheArthurs). It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about drainage.

The type of drain outlets you’ll need really comes down to how much water they need to handle. If it’s a smaller area with minimal water flow, shower-type tiled outlets could work well, as they’re designed to manage light drainage. However, for larger outdoor areas that see significant rainfall, you’d typically need something with a higher capacity to prevent pooling or overflow.

If you’re concerned about the size of pre-made options like HIDE covers, you might consider creating your own custom drain covers to better match your crazy paving. One way to do this is by using a solid drain cover or a metal grate as a base, then securely attaching pieces of your crazy paving to the top with a strong outdoor adhesive. Just be mindful to leave small gaps for water to drain through or incorporate discreet slots at the edges.

When making custom covers, it’s important to ensure they’re still easy to lift for maintenance access and that the drainage isn’t compromised. You could also slightly recess the covers so they sit flush with the surrounding paving for a seamless look.

If potential drainage issues could cause overflow to an area like your home, causing damage, it's important to discuss your ideas with a drainage expert to avoid costly mistakes.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell