Sleepers

Traditionally used to lay rail tracks on, Railway Sleepers are large rectangular sawn pieces of timber that are now used in a variety of landscaping and gardening environments, such as raised beds, lawn and border edging, steps, pathways and retaining walls.

All of our railway sleepers are made from softwood for easier handling and are pressure treated to ensure your Sleepers are protected from rot, fungus and insect attack, prolonging the longevity of the Sleeper condition.

Railway sleepers can be used in all manner of ways.

The most popular uses for railway sleepers are retaining walls, border edging and raised beds, however, we have seen people make raised deck areas from them, use sleepers vertically to create fences and walls, and one customer even used railway sleepers to make a swimming pool for the summer!

They can be secured and lined to make ponds, and many gardeners and landscapers use them to make benches, tables and other features in the garden. For a more modern touch, we’d recommend pairing our railway sleepers with gabion baskets.

Yes, you can lay railway sleepers directly on soil, but it depends on what you’re using them for. Although the sleepers can be laid directly on soil, it is still good practice to prepare the ground first to help prevent sinking, movement and rot.

You can put a membrane under railway sleepers, but it’s not always necessary. It depends on what the sleepers are being used for. In most cases, preparing the ground properly is more important than adding a membrane. Adding a weed membrane will reduce weed growth but it will not improve the longevity of your sleepers due to external factors such as rot.

Railway sleepers will typically last between 5 – 15 years and will eventually rot if they are left exposed to weathering. Treated railway sleepers from Mick George are pressure treated to ensure the maximum lifespan and to prevent insect attack and fungal decay.

Pressure treated timber boards or gravel board are a good, cheaper alternative to railway sleepers. Gravel boards allow you to create a stunning look, at a fraction of the price. Available to order from Mick George, here.

New softwood sleepers are a great choice to create an aesthetically pleasing space. New softwood sleepers are typically cheaper than reclaimed or oak railway sleepers which does come with a few drawbacks such as being susceptible to warping and decaying over time. Providing they are in good condition, reclaimed railway sleepers will offer the best value and lifespan for the cost, over time.

Yes but it will depend on the supplier. Half railway sleepers are useful if you want the look of railway sleepers without the full thickness, weight or cost. They’re particularly handy for garden edging, low borders and smaller raised beds.

To calculate how many railway sleepers you need for a raised bed, you’ll need to know the bed’s length, width and height, plus the dimensions of the sleepers so that you can understand how tall each sleeper will be when laid flat.

Sleepers can be fixed together by either using heavy duty timber screws, timber stakes, or galvanised fixing brackets. Heavy duty timber screws are quick to install, timber stakes will prevent movement under soil, and galvanised brackets are brilliant at withstanding weathering over time.