A french drain consists of a perforated pipe installed within a gravel-filled trench designed to collect and redirect groundwater away from structural elements. In commercial settings, these systems are engineered to handle larger water volumes and integrate with site grading and stormwater flow paths. Properly installed french drains help reduce hydrostatic pressure and minimize moisture-related soil expansion beneath slabs and foundations.

Capture groundwater before it reaches foundations or slab systems.
Reduce moisture fluctuations that contribute to settlement or slab heave.
Relieve pressure buildup behind commercial retaining walls.
Engineered layouts integrated with commercial foundation repair when movement has occurred.
Warehouses and distribution centers, office buildings and corporate campuses, retail centers, industrial facilities, municipal and government buildings, and multi-tenant commercial developments, with engineered subsurface solutions and a long-term moisture control strategy.

Cardinal performs this work across Dallas-Fort Worth, with larger commercial and specialty projects statewide.
By intercepting groundwater before it reaches the structure, french drains keep soil moisture more consistent, reducing the expansion and contraction cycles and hydrostatic pressure that drive movement.
Tell us about your property and we'll schedule a free, no-obligation inspection. Your request routes to the right team: commercial, residential, or new construction.