Sleeper retaining walls

[mikeF00]

Hi, I’m thinking about building a retaining wall (about 2 fr high) using wooden sleepers. I guess in time the sleepers will rot? Does anyone know any tricks to prolong their life?, and how long should I expect them to last? Is there a certain type I should use ?

Cheers
Mike

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Other than coating them in RIW or similar there's not much you can do.

 

[mikeF00]

a plastic membrane on the soil facing side of the wall would help as well, right ?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Possibly, though if it merely traps moisture.

 

[mikeF00]

Good point.

 

[Mike13]

I have a 1 metre high sleeper wall on the uphill side of a log cabin, it has been down at least 5 years. I put gravelly soil behind the sleepers, arranged for it to be able to let any water soak away from the bottom of the wall and put a plastic sheet behind the sleepers, no signs of any rot yet. I used H beam laid into the ground using an auger, so the girders are about 5-6 feet long and do not protrude above the top sleeper. I arranged for a definite slope to the wall so that it does not have to hold back as much dead weight as a vertical wall.