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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298   
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before departing with my hard earned cash - does anyone on here sell / deliver to Birmingham garden sleepers?
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6th Apr 2021 11:23am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298
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thanks for the info Andy.
New ones are the way forward for use as we're looking for a more modern look than the original sleepers will likely give. in terms of a very short timber could you quantify please - the treated ones are 'seemingly' warrantied for 15 years which I'd probably be happy with? do you think 15 years is somewhat optimistic? |
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6th Apr 2021 11:47am |
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3748 
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Hello
I used 'real' sleepers in a previous house garden, they weight a tonne... literally, Creosolt after layers of creosolt they will probably last well beyond me and you... However You can hardly move them, very difficult to work with, cut, etc... ooh and the ones I had were very dark (with the gallons of creosolt used in them). For a retaining wall in our current house I'm using 125x250x2.4m treated I can just about carry one but much easier if 2. You can also cut them with a circular saw, flipping them each time and finish the middle with a hand saw. I have used bricks and old plastic hen feed bags underneath to help them from rot and also behind used plastic sheeting to stop the soil constantly keeping them damp. For 'looks', moving, they are much better to work with. I doubt they will last anything like as long but still pretty solid. You can see them in use here between steel beams  I'm happy with them, but as others have said you can get all sorts of types.. some much thinner and maybe not treated
 Click image to enlarge |
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6th Apr 2021 11:58am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298
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like yourself I was planning on putting some plastic sheeting between earth and sleeper to help keep them drieier
yours if looking very tidy  |
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6th Apr 2021 12:35pm |
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| LR90XS2011 Member Since: 05 Apr 2011 Location: bickenhill Posts: 3641 
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I used that farm supplies shop on the road between Coleshill and Nether Whittaker not far from you. DEFENDER 90 TDCI XS,
I hope everyone is well and your land rovers make you happy |
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6th Apr 2021 12:47pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298
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hmm - not got a clue where you mean but will get onto google after my teams call shortly
thanks Rob. trust you're well and the def is going well?  |
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6th Apr 2021 12:53pm |
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5692 
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Soft wood ones have failed after about 5-6 years, so always recommended oak new sleepers. They are still a modern look and are quick grown oak, so not hugely heavy, but still very simple to work with, cut and stack. End of the day it comes down to price, and the amount of time you plan to stay where you’ve installed them.
Oak ones are about £10 more per sleeper (2400mm long) |
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6th Apr 2021 12:54pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8021  
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Just remember water can be trapped on top of plastic sheeting causing just as many problems as it solves stopping water coming up. Cheers
James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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6th Apr 2021 12:55pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298
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/\ good point
5-6 years - presumably not treated? |
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6th Apr 2021 3:10pm |
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| lohr500 Member Since: 14 Sep 2014 Location: Skipton Posts: 1316 
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Reading the comments with interest as I need to replace 11 "genuine" sleepers that form the roof of our septic tank soakaway.
They were reclaimed ones when I put them in place nearly 30 years ago, but they have now started to rot away on the edges and are allowing debris to fall through into the soakaway. Some of the cheaper softwood ones I have seen advertised are shorter in length and smaller cross section to the original sleepers. If they only have a limited lifespan as well, then I think I'll stay clear. I probably need to bite the bullet and get another set of good quality salvaged originals. |
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6th Apr 2021 3:27pm |
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3748
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My Neighbour has used the treated ones I am using for a wall (not a retaining wall)
He's had them 5 years and they look as good as new. I'm guessing these are good for 15 years easily at a guess? but depends on the use, water levels, how your using them, area? etc etc. The way we have built our wall while it will be slightly awkward I would think we could change them relatively easily when they need replacing. For us it was more about 'looks' as the boss didn't want darker ones which round near me most originals are much darker. |
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6th Apr 2021 4:37pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17367 
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For this application you could possibly consider using concrete sleepers, the only downside is that handling them is harder since they are much heavier than wood. They would last forever though. As someone who uses sleepers for their original purpose (holding rails in place for trains) it amuses me how far removed the things you now get for gardens are from real sleepers. Genuine ex-railway sleepers of the old-fashioned pressure-creosoted variety are now considered hazardous waste (due to the creosote) and are frowned upon for gardens. Nowadays if you want an enduring wood sleeper (or more commonly crossing timber - think sleeper but in a bigger section and much longer - for S&C work) you would use a sustainable hardwood such as Jarrah. This is probably unattractive for garden use however due to the cost, and the fact that you very seldom need something as big as a real sleeper anyway (they used to be used because they were available, cheap, and suitable, rather than necessary). I imagine that for garden use green oak would be as suitable as anything and if installed sensibly should last a long time. |
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6th Apr 2021 5:41pm |
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| LR90XS2011 Member Since: 05 Apr 2011 Location: bickenhill Posts: 3641
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Blythe Mill Farm Supplies Ltd (no connection other than being a customer)
off the B4114 they are the garden variety rather than the real thing but best price with delivery I could find Def is going well thanks DEFENDER 90 TDCI XS, I hope everyone is well and your land rovers make you happy |
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6th Apr 2021 6:10pm |
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| lohr500 Member Since: 14 Sep 2014 Location: Skipton Posts: 1316
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I did think about concrete ones Blackwolf, but then I found a website somewhere that said they weighed 250kg a piece  Does that sound about right? My compact tractor's front loader would probably cope with them, but it makes it a big job to lift them when we need to get to the tippler and for periodic maintenance. At least with the wooden sleepers, we can move them easily with one of us on each end.
Also seen some slabbed original sleepers for sale locally, but they aren't a lot cheaper than full sized ones. I am toying with the idea of sheets of marine ply to cover the top and then put the existing sleepers back in place over the marine ply to provide some strength for when sheep walk over it. |
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6th Apr 2021 6:52pm |
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