Railway sleeper patio

[Andy B]

I want to build a small patio area using pine railway sleepers. Do the sleepers need to be laid on some sort of mortar bed or could they be laid on sand on top of a compacted hardcore base? Also, if they were laid on sand would they need to be fixed together in some way to stop them moving apart or would their weight be enough to keep them in place?

[GB_Groundworks]

use threaded rod to hold them together, drill through them all in the same spot then feed the threaded rod through cut to length, washers on nut and tighten.

theres a great site with loads of examples let me find it, i've been and got his new french oak sleepers a few times


http://www.railwaysleeper.com/

there's 100's of previous projects on there, he's to sleepers what Tony is to paving

[dig dug dan]

Threaded rod? Sorry giles, but that method went out ages ago

What you need are Timberloks. Available in various lengths. just zip them in using a cordless drill

[GB_Groundworks]

haha

tried the timberloks in the oak ones we had waste of time, even driving them in with hilti's etc pre drilled etc and they are ridiculously expensive

i stand by the best way to join a large number of them together and get them straight and flush is to drill and threaded rod them.

the french oak was like steel, but i had no joy with the timberlocks, i tried them as mentioned below by the guy i got them off. but found the threaded rod to be better way to guarentee a good fixing. we sheared a few of the timberlocks off using a hilti sds and like i said we pre drilled and lubed up the threads with silicone grease.

http://www.railwaysleeper.com/Timberl....ers.htm



Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1279822512

[dig dug dan]

french oak i guess is a problem. i use a corded sds(no hammer) and put chain oil on them.
i see your point though.

[Dave_L]

Should sleepers and patios go together really??

[michaelthegardener]

i was thinking that ??? wont it look a little odd just like a big old lump of wood

[GB_Groundworks]

cant find the one i;m looking for yet but its different but not unappealing.

http://www.railwaysleeper.com/Dave%20....ers.htm

[michaelthegardener]

i like that

[lutonlagerlout]

its possible,but in the wet country we live in i think it would be a fail
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

i hear there was trouble in your neck of the woods today Tony,

theres a really nice one on that site in african azobe sleepers laid in a large oval, all planed and lights sunk in looks amazing deep red wood, but i cant find it on that page to many to look at. real contemporary finish.

[Dave_L]

Looks lovely new but in 6 yrs or less it will look awful.

[mickg]

is this the one you was looking for Giles

[GB_Groundworks]

No Mick, saw that one it was a large deck laid really well togthere smoother than that, I'll find it when I get some time.

[Andy B]

Thanks for all the replies. On the weathering question, do I need to make any special provision for drainage underneath? I was thinking of just a layer of sand over the sub base, but will this do the job?