What to replace these sleepers with?

Some_randomer

So I put sleepers down over 10 years ago and now a lot of them are rotten as you can see in the pics, so I'm looking for ideas on what to do with them and what to replace them with. I could get new sleepers but they'd need replacing again in in the future so I'd rather fine a more permanent solution.

Someone suggested putting concrete blocks on their end and painting them, but I'm not sure how they'd look. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on what to replace the sleepers with?

Tia.

alias no.9

You can build a dry retaining wall with bricks like this
https://www.goodwins.ie/products/aspen-stone-cashel-dry-walling.html

Bass Reeves

They are not real railway sleepers. Builders suppliers sell them as that bit they are only a large timber board that are treated with preservation but badly done at that that.

It will be impossible to get a timber solution. You are really looking at a brick, stone or concrete solution. It's a matter of looking around and seeing what available and what you like

kadman

Any timber in constant contact with the ground is going to deteriorate
due to moisture.

Unless you use an extremely durable timber. But that may discolour.

I think timber in this instance is not the best choice.

twowheelsonly

Brick slips on the concrete blocks rather than paint ?
Either that or bricks as described in the earlier post by alias.

Bass Reeves

alias no.9 wrote: »

You can build a dry retaining wall with bricks like this
https://www.goodwins.ie/products/aspen-stone-cashel-dry-walling.html

They are good value especially as you need no mortor between them. However weeds will grow out through the joints so you will need to keep sprayed.

A brick/ stone/ artificial stone solutions with mortar in between may be a better solution longterm

seamus

Definitely remembering this one. My new sleeper wall is already settling a bit funky and the dry weather has made noticeable gaps appear. Would only cost about €400 to replace with those bricks. A project for next year or the year after!

Timber is OK for this stuff, but it does deteriorate quite quickly with our damp winters. Five years is about the max you'll get out of anything sitting on the ground.

Painted concrete blocks is a cheap solution, but it'll look cheap too.

Granite blocks could look really nice, but you'll need to do a clean up job on the gravel to get it looking nice and clean.

Bass Reeves

seamus wrote: »

Definitely remembering this one. My new sleeper wall is already settling a bit funky and the dry weather has made noticeable gaps appear. Would only cost about €400 to replace with those bricks. A project for next year or the year after!

Timber is OK for this stuff, but it does deteriorate quite quickly with our damp winters. Five years is about the max you'll get out of anything sitting on the ground.

Painted concrete blocks is a cheap solution, but it'll look cheap too.

Granite blocks could look really nice, but you'll need to do a clean up job on the gravel to get it looking nice and clean.

Problem with sleepers is you cannot no longer use real railway sleepers in domestic or setting where people have access to them. What the call sleepers now bear no resemblance to a railway sleeper. I have ones down in front of a grass verge where cars are parked and pull in and out of. They are 25 years old and are good for a that again I would say

NCC1701

alias no.9 wrote: »

You can build a dry retaining wall with bricks like this
https://www.goodwins.ie/products/aspen-stone-cashel-dry-walling.html

Would these require a foundation/solid base like 804 whacked down and levelled? I've a 15m border in the front garden with bushes lining the wall (weed control fabric and bark mulch around the base) but the grass is continually growing in and around them which is a pain to weed out. Depending on what base these bricks need, I could lay weed control fabric under to slow down grass ingress perhaps?

Some_randomer

With all the upheaval to boards recently I completely forgot about this post and ended up posting a new thread. To bring this up to date I bought a load of limestone blocks (see pics) and plan to build a low retaining wall approx 1 foot high around the flower bed, so two rows of blocks.

Trouble is I don't have the skills for this so I'm wondering a few things:

- do I need a concrete foundation / base for the retaining wall? If not what should I lay the blocks on?

- do the blocks need to be cemented together, or would some kind of glue do the job?

- will it be easy or difficult to get the blocks level and flush?

- anything else I should be aware of?

Finally if anyone can recommend a good handyman on north side Dublin that might be able to do this I'd be happy to get the details.

Tia

Bass Reeves

It all depends on how good the existing concrete base( driveway) is. Technically you can build a dry stone wall however in your case the wall will not be wide enough to support itself. Yes you could use an external no more nails, however you would need to butt all the stone up against each other. Stone work is harder to perfect that brick work or blocks as all pieces are different sizes. You really will need a tasty tradesman to do it.

However see if you can stand the stone tightly against each other loose. If you can you could use the external no more nails and then case the inside of the stone and fill it with a concrete ( really a course mortor mix)

_Brian

We laid actual railway sleepers at our other house 25 years ago and they are still perfect.

bit more work wot them and cutting isn’t without risk, but they are a minimum 30-40 year job once in.

our stables uses traditional railway sleepers as uprights on one end, 50 years in place amd I see one probably only has 5 years left.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117765711#Comment_117765711

Very hard to get real railway sleepers now. As well they can no longer be used where they are near people strictly speaking. This means builders can no longer use them for features like above

seamus

@Some_randomer maybe try contacting the Dry Stone Walling association; https://www.dswai.ie/

At the very least they might be able to give you some names of people who can call out and give you a quote.

More recently I've seen this practice of houses having stone walls held together with what looks like chicken wire. I've been assuming that it's just temporary and they pour in concrete or something, but one I pass regularly has been there for at least a year. Looks awful.

Lumen

@seamus wrote

More recently I've seen this practice of houses having stone walls held together with what looks like chicken wire. I've been assuming that it's just temporary and they pour in concrete or something, but one I pass regularly has been there for at least a year. Looks awful.

Gabion baskets? They're quite fashionable, and for good reason. They have a significantly lower environmental impact as there's no mortar, they're cheap, and they can be used to create impressively tall retaining walls.

Not suitable for this project though. I don't think a dry stone wall would work either, not with that stone. Picking the stones is critical for dry stone walling. I haven't done any myself for decades.

Bit of a weird decision to just buy a load of stone and then think of what to do with it. 😀