The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Fri May 11, 2007 2:23 pm**

I've decided to build a retaining wall using sleepers slotted horizontally into RSJ's like here: http://www.railwaysleeper.com/Kings%2....WEB.jpg

My question now is what sort of sleepers should I buy? I'm getting new ones to avoid creosote problems but should I buy untreated hard wood (oak) or treated softwood (pine)?

The oak ones are up to Â£10 more expensive and I'll need around 30. Is it worth spending the extra or will the pine ones be fine?

The wall will be 45 feet long and 3 to 5 sleepers in height as the ground slopes down along the walls length.

Thanks for any advice.

Posted: **Fri May 11, 2007 6:08 pm**

The old sleeper wall eh? done more of these than i care to remember, the last one was in my yard to make bays for sand/crushed concrete etc. and I used 70 old sleepers!
I would go for the treated softwood, and if it is a retaining wall, backfill behind with gravel or crushed for drainage. Likewise, try to sit the wall on free draining material.
I see no reason why this shouldn't last at least twenty years, and all you ahve to do is slot some new ones in the steels.
Oak is a little bit of a waste of timber for sleepers in this situation.

Posted: **Fri May 11, 2007 6:44 pm**

if its functionality you want sleepers and rsjs are ok,but you need summat to give it a bit of character.
my mate did his back garden and it looked like a railway goods yard
you need to think about the softscaping too,trailing plants perhaps or a climber
try and get the rsjs painted with red oxide at least to help combat rust
cheers LLL

Posted: **Fri May 11, 2007 7:13 pm**

Thanks guys,

The sleeper wall won't be visible on the non retaining side. Hiding it will be a large Laurel hedge - so I don't really care what it looks like!

So, pine sleepers are the way ahead! Now I just have to find somewhere that hasn't run out of them!

The Brew Cabin

Sleepers and rsj retaining wall