Railway Sleepers on top of brick wall

[jrterror]

Hi everyone.
My wife has once again been watching far too many home improvement programs and has given me my next project, but I have my reservations. We have a raised patio built using red/orange brick with cheap stone flags on top. To stop people falling over the edge is built a knee high wall constructed using concrete balustrades with concrete cappings. These are a little loose in places and could easily be pushed over.

My wife has had the idea of removing these balustrades and their cappings and building a wall using railway sleepers instead. However I can't see any examples of using sleepers on top of bricks anywhere on the web and wonder how safe it would be. I suppose the first course of sleepers would be fastened to the flags and maybe even straight through into the brick work below.

I suppose my main concern is the aesthetics of the finished project.
Has anyone completed a similar project?

Many thanks
D

 

[libby lou lou]

The average sleeper . any pictures of your patio etc.

 

[Mursal]

I don't think you intend to use old railway sleepers?
Because they are rough and will be difficult to finish

Treated 150mm timber, maybe?

 

[libby lou lou]

You must not use old sleepers as they will leach cancer causing stuff like creasote and other nasties.

 

[r896neo]

The practicality of it is certainly possible, the aesthetics on the other hand probably needs some resolving? It might look pretty weird.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Have a trawl here: http://www.railwaysleeper.com/Customers ideas, photos and projects.htm

 

[jrterror]

Many Thanks. Yep, I just need to convince my wife that this was not one of her better ideas.

Many thanks again to you all

DG