Wooden path over old concrete path

Prefect_1998 · 14-01-2021 5:04pm #1

afternoon,

i have an old path in the garden i would like to cover over with a nice walkway type thing made from sleepers.

the concrete is old and i think covering up rather than taking out would be a handy project for this summer to smarten it up.

i have 2 questions

would laying sleepers directly on path be a terrible idea and screwing them together after they are levelled

or do you put something down on the concrete as a base ?

any feedback would be great

rje66 · 14-01-2021 6:18pm

My only concern would be them getting slippy. Cant see any issues with them directly onto concrete.

The Continental Op · 14-01-2021 6:22pm

The problem I see is edging off the grass. If you raise the path you end up with a pain in the neck strip along the edge of it that will need strimming. Its not going to look like the second attached picture without a massive amount of work.

beauf · 14-01-2021 6:40pm

rje66 wrote: »

My only concern would be them getting slippy. Cant see any issues with them directly onto concrete.

I think the same.

You could dig it out and put in stepping stones.

Nothing has the utility of a concrete path. But if you don't like it thats different.

Purgative · 14-01-2021 6:41pm

So you're going to lay the sleepers on the concrete , shape them and tie them together?

How do you bring the level of the grass up 3" or 4"? New top soil and turf?

Prefect_1998 · 14-01-2021 8:42pm

Purgative wrote: »

So you're going to lay the sleepers on the concrete , shape them and tie them together?

How do you bring the level of the grass up 3" or 4"? New top soil and turf?

I was going to have the path higher than the grass, so you step into it..

Purgative · 14-01-2021 8:52pm

danielle_door wrote: »

I was going to have the path higher than the grass, so you step into it..

Fair enough, so you'll run into the problem mentioned by The Continental, its going to need a strim at every mow.

CJhaughey · 14-01-2021 10:11pm

Its going to be very difficult to cut all those sleepers, they are hard and toxic.
Can you use a chainsaw?
You may need to budget for a lot of chain sharpening/replacement during the build.

When they get wet they will be as bad as ice to walk on and to make it worse there will be lots of small level changes to trip on.

I don't see the attraction myself, a properly done concrete path would be far easier to walk on.
Easier to pour and maintain and won't bring toxic chemicals into your backyard.

http://www.woodguide.org/files/2014/07/EU-railway-sleepers.pdf

guitarhappy · 14-01-2021 10:30pm

CJhaughey wrote: »

Its going to be very difficult to cut all those sleepers, they are hard and toxic.
Can you use a chainsaw?
You may need to budget for a lot of chain sharpening/replacement during the build.

When they get wet they will be as bad as ice to walk on and to make it worse there will be lots of small level changes to trip on.

I don't see the attraction myself, a properly done concrete path would be far easier to walk on.
Easier to pour and maintain and won't bring toxic chemicals into your backyard.

http://www.woodguide.org/files/2014/07/EU-railway-sleepers.pdf

That was an insightful answer.
If you're committed to wood, maybe something like white cedar plank.

iamtony · 14-01-2021 10:36pm

I dont think the sleepers would be a great idea. I would suggest decking planks or ikea do a click together type wooden tile thing that might suit.

policarp · 15-01-2021 1:52am

We have sleepers in our back garden.
They're nice but they exude tar.
They are fine for beds but in hot summertime
tar sticks to your shoes ,clothes and hands.

Lumen · 15-01-2021 7:22am

"sleepers" covers several possible products. Only genuine recycled railway sleepers are tarry.

I've used untreated oak sleepers for retaining walls and they are great.

I think it's a nice idea though obviously needs careful execution.

dathi · 15-01-2021 11:23am

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Simulation-Of-Wood-Grain-Wooden-Board-Concrete-Stone-Mould-Garden-Stepping-Stone/184378514794?hash=item2aedd0dd6a:g:XgIAAOSwMrJc1HZt

something like that and make them out of concrete

seamus · 15-01-2021 11:35am

As Lumen says, planning and execution here are key. To avoid the strimming issue you could so what most of your example pictures do, and have a loose stone buffer between the walkway and the grass. This will let you run the mower along the edges of the grass without the need to strim.

If you were feeling adventurous, you could plant dwarf hedges in that buffer zone to make the drop from the walkway to the garden less obvious. Some flowering hedges like lavender and primrose would look really bright and classy in the summer. If you have kids or dogs though, that could break your heart as they get wrecked and end up looking shabby.

listermint · 15-01-2021 2:25pm

Not a fan OP. Sleepers specifically are dangerous as fk when they get wet. And they will get wet and messy let's not forget our climate.

There's a reason these things are coated in wire mesh across all the national walks. They are lethal.

Why not renew the concrete. You could even stamp it.

Alternatively put down some 16mm decorative stone.

I think the wood idea is a bad one.

Lumen · 15-01-2021 4:40pm

listermint wrote: »

Not a fan OP. Sleepers specifically are dangerous as fk when they get wet. And they will get wet and messy let's not forget our climate.

There's a reason these things are coated in wire mesh across all the national walks. They are lethal.

They're coated in mesh because morons.

I have limestone flags and old sleeper steps around my house. The limestone is way more slippery than the sleepers.

edit: I take it back. I just checked the 3 year old sleepers and they have a fine coating of algae on them which makes them a bit slippy. Maybe the 20+ year old steps are so gnarly that the rot makes them grippy. :pac:

Prefect_1998 · 15-01-2021 11:07pm

Thanks for all the advice,

I have a raised bed and some other areas built in sleeper style wood they sell in diy places, don't have any original ones.

Wanted to tidy up the path with something I would be comfortable with and the sleeper style wood is handy, cut the raised bed with a chop saw.

I have a deck at back door an it's lethal, will be take up when evenings get longer

charlesanto · 15-01-2021 11:40pm

Add sleepers as kerbing along side the existing path, thus matching your raised beds. Fill with decorative stone.
On the lawn side, consider adding a mowing strip, red bricks or the like. ...

Kerbing
Mowing strip

listermint · 16-01-2021 9:42am

Lumen wrote: »

They're coated in mesh because morons.

I have limestone flags and old sleeper steps around my house. The limestone is way more slippery than the sleepers.

edit: I take it back. I just checked the 3 year old sleepers and they have a fine coating of algae on them which makes them a bit slippy. Maybe the 20+ year old steps are so gnarly that the rot makes them grippy. :pac:

Not they are lethal. Used to do hill walk and hill running without mesh on them you'd have absolutely seriously injuries daily ask any mountain rescue person.

They pick up algae easily in days. Sure I've upright fence posts outside that are covered in it.

No chance I'd use them as my sole path in the back garden.

J.R. · 16-01-2021 5:48pm

You could make the path from composite decking - maintenance free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSTkJftkOd0

CJhaughey · 16-01-2021 6:03pm

J.R. wrote: »

You could make the path from composite decking - maintenance free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSTkJftkOd0

You'd want a mortgage for composite stuff, and some of it actually still rots because its made with wood fibres!

Prefect_1998 · 20-01-2021 12:48am

Thanks for all the input, I now have no idea how to tidy it up

CJhaughey · 20-01-2021 9:36am

danielle_door wrote: »

Thanks for all the input, I now have no idea how to tidy it up

Have a look over on Pavingexpert.com you may get some good ideas from that site.
What exactly is the issue with the current concrete? If its just old then digging alongside it and using a french drain with some planting might make it smarter?

Wooden path over old concrete path

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