Sleepers...how do you install yours

[Kingdom34]

Hi All

Looking for some advice. I want to create a Sleeper border to my garden. Sleepers ive purchased are 2.4m by 20cm by 10cm.
I'm thinking dig down 10cm, level, place some concrete and sharp sand down into the trench and level off the sleepers on their side ie 10cm showing above the grass and 10cm in the trench.
Then between the side fencing and the sleeper I will place top soil.
I'm looking for some inspiration on this front so any pictures most welcome (of your garden layout of course).
Does anyone have any experience of installing sleepers? Angle brackets, mending plates etc a must or would the concrete be enough? I've seen people drill holes into the underside of the sleeper and install metal rods to then go into the ground.

Any experiences or guidance welcome

Many Thanks

 

[One More Solo]

I've laid mine on sharp sand and fixed them to stakes behind. You could add some concrete to the mix but the weight of these will stop them shifting.

 

[divuk83]

Not a border, but a raised bed I did recently with sleepers (same dimensions as yours). It's just sat on a bed of compacted soil/gravel. It weights a ton, even when empty, now it's filled it's not going anywhere.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/30731469/

I think for borders I would want to tether it in place, if you have concrete below that shouldn't be too hard to fix it to that. Rebar or even some bolts sunk into the ground would work well. Or you could drill thunder bolts through the sleepers into the concrete and cap them with dowels to hide them?

Dave

 

[Molep]

I've got some bits from here: https://www.indooroutdoors.co.uk/collections/railway-sleeper-accessories which I think should do the job for a 30cm ish high retaining wall.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

I have a sleeper boarder.

Mine are done with stakes at the joins and screwed to the wall at the end with L brackets. I just put them on compact soil, there not structural in any way so no need to go crazy.

 

[Maccapacca]

Dug out the lawn just to a turf depth. Laid sleepers where I wanted then hammered engineering stakes in behind then used 6 inch screws through the back. Job done.

 

[JRJ]

As above 2x2 tanalised stakes behind, couple of small L brackets to any walls.

 

[Kingdom34]

I've got some bits from here: https://www.indooroutdoors.co.uk/collections/railway-sleeper-accessories which I think should do the job for a 30cm ish high retaining wall.

I have a sleeper boarder.

Mine are done with stakes at the joins and screwed to the wall at the end with L brackets. I just put them on compact soil, there not structural in any way so no need to go crazy.

Any links to the stakes youre talking about?

 

[Kingdom34]

I've got some bits from here: https://www.indooroutdoors.co.uk/collections/railway-sleeper-accessories which I think should do the job for a 30cm ish high retaining wall.

Thank you. Tad pricey those parts compared to Screwfix or Wickes.

But thank you. I think I may purchase so brackets to connect the sleepers then galvanised stakes to support them. Perhaps I wont go near concrete as that should be enough really.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

I used wooden ones from Homebase.

 

[Paul11]

i just bought the metal spikes (but from ebay, much cheaper) and going to attempt to complete my install next week

 

[Kingdom34]

i just bought the metal spikes (but from ebay, much cheaper) and going to attempt to complete my install next week

Any links?

 

[Paul11]

Any links?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Railway-S...794508?hash=item3f7bf8110c:g:vo4AAOSw2GlXHh6c

 

[Kingdom34]

Many Thanks

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Alternative to brackets is to just use TimberLOK screws (or equivalents), with a decent impact driver they will go through the sleepers like butter.

 

[Kingdom34]

Alternative to brackets is to just use TimberLOK screws (or equivalents), with a decent impact driver they will go through the sleepers like butter.

Only trouble is I'm placing them on their side so 10cm deep and 10cm above the grass level, how would you connect the sleepers side by side here? Brackets are the only way
1 sleeper high by the way

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Screw through at an angle. I did the below a couple of years back and still rock solid now:-

 

[Kingdom34]

Screw through at an angle. I did the below a couple of years back and still rock solid now:-

Now that is nice, that's exactly how id want them except one high and not two. I take it you've screwed in at an angle on the top sleeper into the one below? Any close ups?

I'm going to dig down 10cm then have the other 10cm above the turf, so il use a string line level to make sure that I'm level.

Just not a DIYer so a little apprehensive.

Are your sleepers cemented in place?

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Don't think I have any close ups (if I remember I will grab something later). As for cementing, no I just levelled the area, threw down the weed sheet then placed the sleepers on top.

Despite the sleepers looking square and straight they weren't perfectly (may have also been down to some unevenness on the ground), however when screwing them together the screws pulled everything tight and straight.

 

[Kingdom34]

Don't think I have any close ups (if I remember I will grab something later). As for cementing, no I just levelled the area, threw down the weed sheet then placed the sleepers on top.

Despite the sleepers looking square and straight they weren't perfectly (may have also been down to some unevenness on the ground), however when screwing them together the screws pulled everything tight and straight.

Thank you.
Makes sense, that's what il be doing, levelling off the sides of the garden, down 10cm then placing the sleepers on sharp sand, perhaps cement as well and keeping them level.
WHat I meant with the scres is, are they countersunk then at an angle as I'm sure they would be due to kids being around