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Railway Sleepers
Everything you need to know about Garden Railway Sleepers!
Nottage Timbers' Garden Railway Sleepers have been used in gardens across Bridgend and South Wales for the last 40 years. From creating simple borders to fully engineered retaining walls, our customers have made the most of these versile garden timbers. These chunky rustic timber beams lend themselves to both contempory gardens or the more rustic landscapes allowing our garden sleepers to blend perfectly into your space regards of design choices or aesthetic desires.
Each of Nottage Timber Merchants Garden Railway Sleepers, either softwood or hardwood, comes directly from the saw mills. Our sleepers are never from a reclaimed source and have never seen the harsh chemicals used by railway companies. This means our Timber Railway Sleepers are perfect for use around children and pets, and can be used safely as raised beds.
Are railway sleepers toxic?
Nottage Timbers' Treated Railway sleepers are not considered toxic once dry. As with any treated timber, there is a level of toxicity due to the treatment used, However, In general use, this does not pose a health risk when used in the correct settings. To give you an idea, Our railway sleepers undergo the same treatment process as Picnic benches, Garden Furniture and Sheds. If you want a non-treated garden sleeper, take a look at our hardwood oak sleepers. These have no treatment and are naturally rot and bug resistant. These are just hardwood, no chemicals, no treatments, no nasties.
Are railway sleepers treated?
Softwood Garden Sleepers are always treated to ensure they lasts longer. Untreated softwood sleepers would start to decay within the first year, and would most likely be completely rotten within the first 3 years. Pressure Treatment ensure your garden sleepers last 10+ Years. Hardwood Oak Garden Sleepers are not treated, these are naturally rot and bug resistant.
are railway sleepers hardwood?
Most garden sleepers are softwood. Hardwood garden sleepers are available, but are more expensive.
are railway sleepers safe for vegetable gardens?
New Garden sleepers from Nottage Timber Merchants are safe to use for raised beds. Do not used reclaimed garden sleepers for raised beds due to the highly toxic chemicals used by the railway companies.
are railway sleepers expensive?
Railway sleepers are similar prices per cubic meter (the measurement merchants use to buy and sell wood) to other treated softwoods such as fence posts. It is only the size that makes garden sleepers seem expensive. The are slightly bigger than 4 4x2's to give you an idea of thier size.
are railway sleepers slippery when wet?
Any timber is slippery when wet, especially if algea or moss are allowed to grow in the surface. Keep the sleepers clean with a pressure washer and a decking cleaner. IF your are using garden sleepers to create a walk way, you may want to consider using a Non-slip Decking Oil to decrease the chances of slipping and injury.
are railway sleepers termite resistant?
Thankfully in the UK, we do not have a big risk of termites. However, Nottage Timbers' treated softwood garden sleepers are treated against wood boring insects such as beetles.
are railway sleepers heavy?
Softwood Garden sleepers are around 27kg each, hardwood oak garden sleepers are around 40kg each.
what are railway sleepers used for?
Railway garden sleepers are used for a variety of landscaping projects. The most popular uses are Raised Beds, Lawn and Border Edging, Steps, Pathways and Retaining Walls. If you have some DIY skills and a few tools, many of our customers have create benches, tables and other garden furniture using Nottage Timber Garden Railway Sleepers.
can railway sleepers be used as a retaining wall?
Yes, one of the most common uses for railway sleepers in for retaining walls in the garden. Always seek professional advice when building retaining walls to ensure the design is correctly engineered.
can you paint railway sleepers?
Yes, any garden furniture paint would be suitable to use on Railway Sleepers.
can you lay railway sleepers on soil?
Yes, Nottage Timbers' Garden Railway sleepers are treated to withstand direct soil contact. However, whilst the sleepers will withstand direct contact with soil for many years, you can prolong the life of your railway sleepers by using gravel or other draining foundation to maximise the lifespan. Soil contact traps moisture and harbours wood boring insects, so regardless of treatment, we still recommend protecting your new railway sleepers for direct soil contact. Placing your sleepers on a bed of gravel can extend the lifespan of your sleepers by upto 100%.
can you cut railway sleepers with a chainsaw?
Yes, Cutting sleepers is possible with a chainsaw. Obviously use all the correct PPE when working with tools such as chainsaws. You can always save yourself the job and ask Nottage Timber Merchants to cut your garden sleepers to the right size before delivery.
can you stain railway sleepers?
Yes, you can use any wood stain suitable for exterior use on your Railway garden sleepers. Wood stains for sheds and fences are normally preferred by our customers.
can you sand railway sleepers?
Sort of… Treated softwood sleepers should be sanded as little as possible. Railway sleepers are pressure treated, meaning the wood preservative is forced into the wood using high pressure. This treatment penetrates the exterior of the wood, but not all the way through. Sanding exessively, can weaken or remove the treatment in some cases. If you do need to sand your railway sleeper for any reason, only sand lightly to remove slight imperfections.
can you cut railway sleepers?
Yes, you can cut railway sleepers using only a basic DIY tools. If you need a workout, you can even cut railway sleepers with a standard handsaw. Circular saws will work, but you will likely need to cut from multiple sides due to the thickness, the same goes for mitre saws and recipricating saws. Chainsaws will also work for rough cutting. If you order your garden sleepers from Nottage Timber Merchants and you want an easy way to cut railway sleepers, just ask us, we'll cut them for you. Our powerful cross cut saw will cut railway sleepers in a single cut, with perfectly square ends.
can i burn old railway sleepers?
No! Reclaimed railway sleepers contain very strong pesticides and toxic chemicals. Burning old railway sleepers will cause toxic vapours and long term health side effects.
how to cut railway sleepers?
Any DIY tools will cut through a railway sleeper eventually, even a standard handsaw. If you are ordering your garden sleepers from Nottage Timber Merchants, just ask at the time of ordering and we will cut them for you.
how to fix railway sleepers for a retaining wall?
Consult with an engineer. Retaining walls should be built to a specification, your engineer will give you plans to follow and what fixings to use. Common fixings would include reinforcement steel bar (rebar) or engineered brackets.
how to fix railway sleepers to the ground?
for most application, our customers tend not to physically attach their garden sleepers to the ground. Due to the weight of a railway sleeper, there is very little additional support a smaller fixing could add to a railway sleeper to connect it to soil or soft materials. If you are fixing a sleeper to concrete or a hard surface, brackets and bolts will work just fine. For load bearing structures, retaining walls or uses where movement must be stopped, a solution must be engineered to meet your needs. We offer a range of brackets that can be used in some situations, but we cannot offer generic advice for all situations.
how to lay railway sleepers?
Railway sleepers can be laid directly onto the ground, and built up like a brick wall. When laying multiple layers of railway sleepers, stagger your joints to increase its strength. Where possbile, connect your layers together using large screws directly connecting the sleepers, or using brackets and smaller screws.
how long do railway sleepers last?
Railway sleepers should last 15 years on average. However, there are many factors that can shorten or extend this life expectancy. Avoid direct contact with soil if possible. Paint, Stain or Re-Treat your sleepers atleast annually to ensure good UV protection. Keep your garden sleepers clean to reduce algea and moss build up.
how to join railway sleepers?
Where possbile, connect your sleepers together using large screws directly connecting adjacent sleepers, or use brackets and smaller screws. Depending on the layout and final use, some customer opt not to physically connect sleepers together, and allow the weight of the wood itself to keep a stable foundation. We do not recommend leaving sleepers unfixed, as this could result in the structure collapsing and causing injury.
how long are railway sleepers?
Railway sleepers are available in a range of lengths. We currently stock 1.2m, 2.4m and 3.6m garden sleepers. We do offer a cutting service for our garden railway sleepers, so we can cut our sleepers to any length you require. Some customers send us drawings of raised beds and ask us to cut the sleepers to suit, which can save them a significant amount of time, allowing more time to enjoy thier gardens and the limited sunshine we get each summer.
where to buy railway sleepers?
www.TimberOnline.co.uk - We offer quick home delivery and a cutting service. Why go anywhere else?