Garden sleepers

[adrian007]

Hi, I am building raised beds.

 

I started looking for garden sleepers, either 2.4 or 1.2 meter lengths.

 

Does treated softwood have a decent lifespan?

 

I've seen rustic sleepers. I'm not keen, but the price is tempting - I've just had a spell unemployed so cost is a factor.

 

I saw 50mm thick sleepers... my first reaction was that those were planks not sleepers... but I could stand them on their edge.

 

Anyway, I usually get good advice here, I thought I'd ask.

 

If you were building alot of raised beds (wife is disabled) and cost was one of the factors (and delivery to chesterfield)

 

What would you use and where would you get it from?

 

I've been relying on google so far...

 

Many thanks in advance

 

 

[headgroundsman]

I am disabled too. I am paralysed chest down due to a spinal cord injury. I prefer to do my gardening from my wheelchair at ground level by using tools that allow that. I personally am not keen on raise beds as I would end up sitting sideways and leaning over which is not great. Also I have 3 large veg beds and that would be a lot of raised beds. Just check this would suit your wife before starting. I did a job for someone a few years ago using soft wood "sleepers" and they only lasted about 7 years. I would think the thinner ones may even be better as the treatment should have penetrated further. I have made a few raised beds using decking boards on their sides and this have lasted better so far. Again about 7 years and no sign of rot yet. We have just put a raise bed in my garden for herbs and we made this out of old railway sleepers

[Ratman]

Where abouts are you? I put raised beds in, been in since 2016 and are fine as of yet, just look weathered obviously. I lined all the inside of mine though with old aluminium long vehicle boards that we fit to our trailers at work. We tend to fit new plates at every m.o.t so had an abundance of them.



That was before i built my rockery in the middle



This is a good twelve months later after i did rockery etc, you can see the sleepers have started to weather, get that silvering effect.

[gary112]

33 minutes ago, Ratman said:

Where abouts are you? I put raised beds in, been in since 2016 and are fine as of yet, just look weathered obviously. I lined all the inside of mine though with old aluminium long vehicle boards that we fit to our trailers at work. We tend to fit new plates at every m.o.t so had an abundance of them.



That was before i built my rockery in the middle



This is a good twelve months later after i did rockery etc, you can see the sleepers have started to weather, get that silvering effect.

Looks good Andy?

[scbk]

If money is an issue, how pretty do they have to be?

[adrian007]

Ratman - they've done well.

Headgroundsman - that suggests paying premium prices for treated softwood isn't the way to go - 7 years is pretty poor.

[adrian007]

If money is an issue, how pretty do they have to be?

Theres a question.

These are winning at the moment

Sleepers Rustic Sleepers 1200mm x 150mm x 100mm

WWW.EDECKS.CO.UK

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With a rustic bark finish these sleepers are pleasing to the eye!You may want to create steps, pathways, retaining walls or even a raised terrace.Pressure

I'll be getting enough to get the cheap rate.

Do you have a suggestion?

[adrian007]

I am going to cost up scaffold boards as well... I figure those rustic logs should be good for 10 - 15 years

If scaffold is good for, say 10 they might work

[adrian007]

I want what Ratman has really... :-)

[trigger_andy]

1 hour ago, adrian007 said:

I want what Ratman has really... ?

Have you considered contacting some on the Millers on here? They might be worth a dropping a message in the Milling Forum.