Old Sleepers (possibly)

[Parm]

ive been asked by my brother to help him build a retaining wall around his garden. It's been suggested that he uses old sleepers (wast my idea). We've both done some sums and estimate that he will need around 200 sleepers if he built the wall three units high.

Does anyone know of a good (cheap) source of sleepers

Or suggest some alternatives for a small non critical retaining wall

 

[Paul.]

There is a setup called uk sleepers in salcey forest hartwell. same yard as kg smith the air products dealer. Prices not a clue, but someone i know just bought some from there and he is as tight as they come so must be reasonable

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Parm might be worth finding somewhere that does them and negotiating a special price due to the amount you are after. From what I remeber its almost the same price buying brand new as used.

 

[Parm]

Another product I've just found on the net is hollow concrete blocks that interlock together

 

[brightspark]

last I heard they were 12 quid each. if u can get them

 

[pedrobedro]

A place I worked had sleepers for the scrap bays. They were dropped into RSJ holders planted upright in concrete to make slotted fence posts kind of thing. Nobody sells them cheap they are about £14 each.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

There was a post on the Arbtalk forum about imported new sleepers, sawn from Turkey Oak, that were coming from France at a cheap price.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Down here, were they are upgrading the railway line, we have seen a glut of them u for sale.
Prices range from;
£5 for something what is more rot than wood.
To
£25 for as new.
Some even have the metal work on.

I would google or look in you local free ad papers.

 

[brightspark]

the only funny on selling them due to contamination of oils and creosote now

 

[pedrobedro]

You could use hollow concrete blocks built up dry then knock a piece of rebar down to lock them in place and fill with concrete slurry.

 

[colnerov]

What about Armco? Comes in 4mtr lengths, is 300mm high about the same as three sleepers, galvanised. Paint it or have something else like a low hedge in front to disguise it.

 

[cocker]

ive been asked by my brother to help him build a retaining wall around his garden. It's been suggested that he uses old sleepers (wast my idea). We've both done some sums and estimate that he will need around 200 sleepers if he built the wall three units high.

Does anyone know of a good (cheap) source of sleepers

Or suggest some alternatives for a small non critical retaining wall

I've used hessian sacks filled with concrete then layed like blocks ..
You can do as many as you feel like when you like .

 

[Robotstar5]

Prices vary depending on what they're made of in our local woodyard

 

[the snooper]

Prices vary depending on what they're made of in our local woodyard

wood

 

[Robotstar5]

wood

Thought I would get a smart answer from someone

 

[the snooper]

Thought I would get a smart answer from someone

it would have been rude not to

 

[brightspark]

I had thought it but passed on it

 

[addjunkie]

I did one a few weeks ago in dry sand stone, as n dry stone wall. Cheaper than sleepers. 23 m on wall from 12 inches high to 3 foot 6 high, used about 6 tone of stone plus some old croncrete i was trying to hide in the back.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

All wooden sleepers are made from "Did-Grow"

 

[Kent]

Gabions fill them with rough natural stone - just saying no great skill and cheap - while being very good at the job at hand and cheap to do