Sleepers as a kerb

firestarter51

I am re shaping my mother in laws lawn it's too narrow and all the kerbs are broken, what the cheapest way of kerbing the lawn, I was thinking of using sleepers but someone told me grass won't grow due to the creosote that's been used, any help on this would be great

paddy147

firestarter51 wrote: »

I am re shaping my mother in laws lawn it's too narrow and all the kerbs are broken, what the cheapest way of kerbing the lawn, I was thinking of using sleepers but someone told me grass won't grow due to the creosote that's been used, any help on this would be great

Fire away.....with either old/reclaimed creasote railway sleepers or new non creasote Pressure Treated sleepers.

Grass and plants wont be affected.


Just dont grow any fruit/veg/herbs with the old/reclaimed creasote sleepers.

firestarter51

Thanks for that, Buddy in the pub was telling me the wrong info, nice pics thanks

loco-colo

Paddy - I need to do something like you did in the image below - what is the timber you have placed beneath the sleepers - i thought I would be able to just lay the sleepers on the soil with the supports behind - as in your pictures. Thanks.

[URL="https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=266142&d=1375905395"[/URL]

( cannot get that link to work - maybe because it is https?)

paddy147

loco-colo wrote: »

Paddy - I need to do something like you did in the image below - what is the timber you have placed beneath the sleepers - i thought I would be able to just lay the sleepers on the soil with the supports behind - as in your pictures. Thanks.

[URL="https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=266142&d=1375905395"[/URL]

( cannot get that link to work - maybe because it is https?)

Its another railway sleeper.My missus and mysllf built the raised beds,well I tried to help anyway.But I got more in the way than anything else..(with camera in hand and all that...:pac:)


The sleepers are held in place with long stakes that were mades from a 16 foot length of pressure treated 3 x 2.These are hammered deep down into the ground,behind the sleepers.

16 foot lengths of PT 3 x 2 be had in any builders providers for around 7-8 euro a length.
Large decking screws are then screwed in through the back of the stakes into thre backs of the sleepers.

Sonnenblumen

loco-colo wrote: »

Paddy - I need to do something like you did in the image below - what is the timber you have placed beneath the sleepers - i thought I would be able to just lay the sleepers on the soil with the supports behind - as in your pictures. Thanks.

[URL="https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=266142&d=1375905395"[/URL]

( cannot get that link to work - maybe because it is https?)

A single line of pressure treated pine sleepers can be easily positioned on a bed of gravel and held in-situ by rebar. Simply drive rebar into ground directly behind sleeper and secure by packing and compacting (use lump hammer) some dry fill/loose stones along the inside edge of sleeper.

Even PT sleepers will eventually rot in persistent damp soils, so it make sense whenever possible to provide some protection for sleeper from wet soils.

loco-colo

Thanks lads. Nice job Sonnenblumen - 2 questions:

1) Have you joined those sleepers end-to-end and what did you use?

2) If the sleepers are not connected to the rebar - what is stopping them from falling outwards? Thanks.

Sonnenblumen

loco-colo wrote: »

Thanks lads. Nice job Sonnenblumen - 2 questions:

1) Have you joined those sleepers end-to-end and what did you use?

2) If the sleepers are not connected to the rebar - what is stopping them from falling outwards? Thanks.

http://s7g3.scene7.com/is/image/ae235/?wid=128&hei=128&op_sharpen=1&layer=0&size=128,128&layer=1&size=128,128&src=ae235/74129_P


You can secure rebar with your own clips or use metal saddles similar to above used to fix electrical ducting to walls.

Securing the sleepers end to end, we use various methods, including screw fix to PT 4"x2" (100x50mm) anchor battons, universal adhesive and sometimes 100mm M40 screws.

In relation to 2), simply set the sleeper 1"/30mm below concrete edge, and the rebar etc will ensure there is no risk of the sleeper falling forward. 1 course of sleepers is a doddle to fix in position and the back pressure is only nominal. Tip - set on gravel or even better a dry mix of gravel and cement which will facilitate easier alignment and levelling and eventually cure to provide stable base and rear haunching.

loco-colo

Very good - Thanks Sonnenblumen.

prospect

I have 'original' creosote treated sleepers as Kerbs in my place, no problem with grass growing beside them.

I left them untreated, after installing them, for a few years and then painted them with black fencelife.

Here is a pic of some when they were first put in:

paddy147

Just back home from Donegal and visiting Glenveagh National Park and Tory Island.:)




2 x 12 inch lengths of Pressure Treated 3 x 2 as battons drilled and screwed into the backs of each end of the sleepers will hold them together......end to end.


You place the railway sleepers a few inches below the existing ground surface/level on a level bed so that the sleeper cannot move outwards/forward.




A few Pressure Treated 3 x 2 wooden stakes hammered into the ground behind the sleepers.We used 3 stakes per sleeper.

Screw 2 x 110mm outdoor decking screws through the backs of each stake into the back of the sleeper.


The stakes can be easily made/cut from a 16 foot length of PT 3 x 2 wood.

This can be bought in any good builders providers for about 7-8 euro a length.

Gautama

firestarter51 wrote: »

I was thinking of using sleepers

Honestly, I think sleepers look horrible.

firestarter51

Why read the thread if you don't like them, I asked for info regarding this and the replies have been very helpful, thanks to all that helped and if you don't like them jog on to another thread