Warning: my backyard shed studio flooded 4 inches in one storm and I learned the hard way about drainage
We got hit with a freak rainstorm here in Omaha last month and my converted shed studio took on about 4 inches of water overnight. My acoustic panels soaked up most of it and my interface was sitting right on the floor like an idiot. Spent all weekend pulling stuff out and running a fan through it. Has anyone dealt with drainage around a backyard studio before? I'm thinking a French drain but not sure where to start.
My neighbor put in a French drain after his garage studio got 6 inches in a 2021 storm, and it worked, but the trench has to slope right or it just moves the water around. He dug his about 18 inches deep and filled it with gravel and perforated pipe that runs to a pop-up emitter at the alley. I used to figure gutters alone were enough, but watching his setup handle the next big rain changed my mind. Get the slope checked with a level before you dig, that part matters more than the pipe.