In the present study, fluid flow characteristics of a porous layer overlaid by a fluid layer were investigated through experiments. The experimental results were analyzed in comparison with theoretical results of a porous medium bounded by impermeable walls. With spheres, the slip coefficient was found to be 0.0107 for Poiseuille flow over a porous layer. As the permeability decreased, the experimental results approached the values calculated by Darcy’s law and Forchheimer’s equation. In addition, the effects of the presence of a fluid layer over a porous medium were examined in terms of the friction factor. The present experimental data placed in the range of the Darcy to the non-Darcy region are shown to be in reasonable agreement with the proposed correlation.