Securing Sleeper Wall - What screws/bolts

[dg1983]

Hi,

New to this so please bear with me. I'm building a railway sleeper wall, with the sleepers being secured to posts. The sleepers are 150mm thick and the posts 100mm. The question I have is what to use to secure them?

Coach bolts?
Coach Screws?
Fancy timbalock or spax screws?

I know they need to be galvanised regardless.

Just looking for some advice.

Thanks

David

 

[Burnerman]

Usually the posts would be heavier than the bearers, and you could have problems getting coach bolts to the length you need (10mm diameter maybe)
However, you could counterbore the head in to overcome that issue.
Can you get a drill long enough, if you decide to use bolts or studding?
John

 

[Mursal]

8mm threaded rod/bar might be an option. Just use 2 nuts and cut to fit.

Example only:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M8-x-200m..._Material_Nails_Fixing_MJ&hash=item4167248fcb

 

[r896neo]

I use timberloks which are expensive but because they save so much time are better when used professionally. You also need an impact driver or an sds drill to put them in as they will ruin a normal corded drill.

If you have more than 20 sleepers to do get timberloks but less than that just pre drill and use coach bolts.

The timberloks are good as you only need drill the sleeper as they don;t need piloted into a soft wood post.

 

[dg1983]

Thanks for the replies.

I should have mentioned they are new softwood sleepers, so I shouldn't have too many issues with drilling?

I agree that its difficult to get bolts long enough, so that only leaves coach screws or tiberlock things. I have 22 sleepers to do.

Is the difference only boiling down to time? If so I might go with the coach screws as they are half the price!

David

 

[r896neo]

Yeah the difference is purely time saving and the fact that you dont need to find a 200mm 5 mm drill bit to pilot with.

You can easily get sds bits like that but less easy finding one for a normal drill.

Go with the coach bolts.

 

[dg1983]

Great.

Thanks for the advice. I actually found some timberfix screws at a comparable price to the coach screws so might go with them.

Any other tips or advice?

And just so I'm clear - Ill have to pilot drill holes for the coach screws but not the timberfix screws?