Painting sleepers.

beertons

Don't think my sleepers have been treated for a few years. I'm here a year and the house was vacant for another two previous. What i want to know is do i paint the creosote straight on or do i give them a once over with a wire brush?

slimjimmc

beertons wrote: »

Don't think my sleepers have been treated for a few years. I'm here a year and the house was vacant for another two previous. What i want to know is do i paint the creosote straight on or do i give them a once over with a wire brush?

Personally, unless you're lifting them up I wouldn't bother using a dedicated wood preservative because it's the bit in contact with the ground that's most at risk.

If you want to improve appearance in-situ I'd give them a quick rub and wash down to to remove algae, etc., allow dry then paint with the likes of fence-life (or better) .

beertons

Noob question. What's better than fence life? Culprinol?

rickmoister

I use fence coat (black) on my sleepers once a year it really brightens them up

deandean

Creosote-coated sleepers last a long long time. The creosote usually kills all plant life that comes in contact. It's likely the sleepers are AOK under a layer of crud.

Suggest you clean them with a stiff brush or power washer, then spray or water-can apply a 50:50 water:bleach solution, that'll get rid of mould & lichen for very little effort.

Now, over to paddy147....ta-dah!

paddy147

deandean wrote: »

Creosote-coated sleepers last a long long time. The creosote usually kills all plant life that comes in contact. It's likely the sleepers are AOK under a layer of crud.

Suggest you clean them with a stiff brush or power washer, then spray or water-can apply a 50:50 water:bleach solution, that'll get rid of mould & lichen for very little effort.

Now, over to paddy147....ta-dah!

Pistachio

Sorry for hi-jacking your post OP.

Hi Paddy147, can I paint Timberguard over the creosote?

Thanks, Pistachio

paddy147

Pistachio wrote: »

Sorry for hi-jacking your post OP.

Hi Paddy147, can I paint Timberguard over the creosote?

Thanks, Pistachio

Just looked at the drum of it,and it doesnt say about overpaint creasotes.

Im not sure,but sure why not try it on 1 sleeper and see how it goes.

The Timberguard soaks into the timber and stains the surface.Its pet and plant friendly and it repells the rain/water.

You might get a slight bit of creasote seeping up onto the surface in very hot sunny weather.

beertons

That paint you recommended was mighty gear. 2 coats on in 90 minutes, doesn't look like my back garden at all now.

paddy147

beertons wrote: »

That paint you recommended was mighty gear. 2 coats on in 90 minutes, doesn't look like my back garden at all now.

The Ridgewood is good stuff.

Made by Fleetwood Paints in Cavan,and it holds up well to the ran and frost/ice/snow.:)





Hope you enjoy your back garden and planting it.Good weather for it today:)