An Evolution in Footing Construction, Drainage, and Radon Evacuation

 

We highly recommend and use Form-A-Drain®for sub-surface water drainage in the construction of all basements. Take a moment to view this section and you'll see why we believe Form-A-Drain is the best product available for this very important aspect of basement construction.

Form-a-Drain forms precise foundation footings, with an ideally located foundation drainage system above the bottom of the footing and below the foundation wall. The system allows for simple adaptation to function as an effective means for radon reduction since it forms a complete loop around the foundation.

Installing FORM-A-DRAIN® is simple using lineals, couplings, and corners which ensure a precise form setup.The entire system is left permanently in place, eliminating the need to return to strip, remove, clean, and transport forms to the next jobsite.

What is Form-A-Drain and how does it work?

Form-A-Drain® is a complete, permanently installed system that forms footings, drains foundations, and provides a sub-slab perimeter radon reduction system. CertainTeed designed and developed FORM-A-DRAIN, a patented combination footing form system, foundation drainage system, and radon reduction system for residential basement applications.

The system consists of lineal sections installed as the foundation footing forms. Upon completion of the concrete pour, the system stays permanently in place and performs the function of a foundation drainage system.

It is also an effective method of reducing radon, since it is a sub-slab perimeter system that forms a complete loop around the foundation.

FORM-A-DRAIN is the subject of BOCA Research Report #95-37, renewed annually.

 

 

Features and Benefits

Builders and contractors alike now have a revolutionary way to design a superior foundations system into their homes. 

Features	Homebuilder Benefits
Ideally located drainage system, parallel to footing, below foundation wall	Relieves hydrostatic pressure on walls and slabs, reducing risk of cracking
Drainage system cannot sag or crimp	Reduces risk of blockage or uneven drainage
Greater water intake capacity than traditional drain pipe, 50% more water inlet area than minimum ASTM standards	Ensures rapid collection of ground water; minimizes possibility of water infiltration
Level installation	Uniform drainage of foundation, easier to set wall forms
Smooth interior wall	Allows for free flow of water and less chance of build-up and clogging
Drainage is provided for both the inside and outside of foundation footing build-up and clogging	Better drainage protection against water infiltration; reduces risk of cracking and leaking
Strong, rigid PVC construction; greater stiffness	Minimizes possibility of system failure due to a collapsed or crushed drainage system
Conforms with EPA’s “ Model Standards & Techniques for Radon Control in New Residential Buildings” and ASTM E 1465-92 Standard Guide for Radon Control Options	Acceptance by local code officials and inspectors

 

Features	Contractor Benefits
Stay-In-Place lineal footing form system	Eliminates wood or metal form cost and form removal, cleaning, and transportation costs
Less elapsed time between footing pour and wall construction	Reduces carrying cost expense
Immediate drainage capability	Can minimize down time in inclement weather
Simple adaptation with a round pipe “T” and vertical PVC pipe stack provides radon reduction	Eliminates material and labor costs for separate
Eliminates need for conventional corrugated poly drain tile	Reduces material and labor associated with drain tile installation
Complete line of lineals, couplings, 90° and 45° corners, vertical T’s & L’s, outlets, and accessory items	Can accommodate virtually any foundation layout
No oiling of forms required	Reduced oil cost and elimination of oil handling and disposal
Dry fit joints allow for job site assembly without the use of solvent cement or mechanical fasteners	Reduced form set-up time
Easy to cut with hand or power saw	No additional or special tools required for cutting; fast installation
Spacer straps available in pre-determined width dimensions	Improved set-up time by reducing time used for measuring

 

System Components

Form-A-Drain lineals are manufactured from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) material using high content of recycled materials, in convenient 12-foot lengths. Three full dimensional sizes are available: 4", 6" and 8" – all sizes are 2-1/4" wide. Each 12-foot lineal weighs less than 6 pounds in 4", less than 8 pounds in 6", and less than 11 pounds in 8", for ease of transportation, handling, and joining. Accessories are available, including couplings, corners, drainage outlets, T’s, and vertical angle pieces. Grade stakes can be left in place; they do not have to be pulled. Spacer straps are available in various widths to ensure proper footing width. All fittings and accessory items are made to precise CertainTeed product specifications. Fittings are manufactured for easy assembly without mechanical or solvent fastening. Lineals can be cut easily with a hand or power saw to exact lengths required.

Click photos for larger images.

Filter Fabric

Outlet Fitting

Grade Stake

Spacer Strap

back to top