Hardwood sleeper treatment

[Cellophaneskies]

Hello yet again.

Almost at the point of putting in hardwood sleepers to serve as a ‘retaining wall’ against dirt. More cost effective and easier than masonary.

I’d like to treat them still with something to prolong life, especially where they are in ground contact. However I’d like to be ‘eco conciosu’ about it, plus some of the ground nearby may be used for plants, possibly of the edible nature!

Everything I see chemical is not particulate friendly to the environment. I was planning to have gravel behind the sleeper, a DPM of some sort over that gravel to prevent some water ingress and allow drianage of the water that does get through. So perhaps this is enough of a barrier for any treatment to not get into the soil.

Is there any product that’s eco friendly, or Better than others? Does anyone have any experience or advice.

 

[Deluks]

A pressure treated softwood sleeper could easily outlast an untreated hardwood one, especially when in constant contact with soil.

If you want a food safe treatment then use an oil for worktops, it will delay the inevitable.

 

[Cellophaneskies]

A pressure treated softwood sleeper could easily outlast an untreated hardwood one, especially when in constant contact with soil.

If you want a food safe treatment then use an oil for worktops, it will delay the inevitable.

Dang, I thought hardwood would outlast regardless. Seems like I’ve misjudged some things here..

 

[Deluks]

Dang, I thought hardwood would outlast regardless. Seems like I’ve misjudged some things here..

Not necessarily. They all rot eventually, if it's raised up and as you suggest putting gravel behind it, it will help it out.
Just crack on, but using a food safe oil, whilst not everlasting will give the timber some initial protection.

 

[Mr Chibs]

Could you staple/glue wide sheets of DPC on the back of the sleepers?

 

[opps]

Could you staple/glue wide sheets of DPC on the back of the sleepers?

I have seen people do that in the past. I honestly do not know if it helped though.

 

[Why Not Indeed]

I can't see how it wouldn't help. It means that one face on each sleeper, that would normally be in contact with the ground, won't be.

 

[Deluks]

Water will get trapped under the plastic, I don't think it's any better than soil contact.
I have in the past, made raised beds using old water tanks, with timber surrounding it.

 

[Mike13]

I had a damp part of the garden and tried wooden stepping "stones", bought some second hand purple Jarrah and some greenheart.
The geenheart managed about 12 years and the Purple Jarrah has managed about 20 years.
They were not cheap, and needed a carbide blade to cut, but it was only a few steps needed so the outlay was bearable.
The point is that not all hardwoods are the same.
In the garden I have some old "British Rail" sleepers with creosote and Tar, they are presumably well over 50 years old, but still weep tar on a hot day...
They were in the garden when I moved in over 25 years ago.

 

[Cellophaneskies]

I’ve returned the hardwood and gone with uc4 incised sleepers. I’m going o set them on bed of gravel so water can drain out the bottom. Backfill with gravel for drainage. Damp proof membrane along the back at the top, above the gravel, with soil on top. Hoping it means less water gets only the water that does get in can drain out..!

 

[Deluks]

I’ve returned the hardwood and gone with uc4 incised sleepers. I’m going o set them on bed of gravel so water can drain out the bottom. Backfill with gravel for drainage. Damp proof membrane along the back at the top, above the gravel, with soil on top. Hoping it means less water gets only the water that does get in can drain out..!

That's how I would do it too.