Railway sleepers on drive

[marsaday]

I was at a holiday resort yesterday and the parking bays were done with railway sleepers and gravel. The sleepers were laid in lengths as quite wide bays and there was about a 3cm gap between them and this had gravel in it.

I really thought they looked pretty good, although some had rotted a little in places.

Anyway i am going to be doing a new drive this year after i have done my extension. So a lot of services are being rerouted in the drive, hence i want to do a new one. I have ugly concrete at the moment so no great loss.

What do people think about a sleeper drive, with gravel in between?

What depth base would you use under the sleepers and would you set them into a concrete footing?

[digerjones]

Forget it unless you're using concrete sleepers

[marsaday]

Can you explain why ? These bays look good and i assume the rotting has taken place because they are fairly level and so puddling has happened. My drive has a good fall so don't think i will get that issue.

[digerjones]

Ask yourself how many private drives have you seen constructed with wood.
It wouldn't last long.

[Tony McC]

Timber rots, especially when in permanent contact with damp ground, and then gravel spreads bloody everywhere.

It wouldn't be for me, but if you like the look, and don't mind sweeping up dispersed gravel every couple of weeks, then go ferret!