Protecting Sleepers from Rot in Winter

You may have made the most of our Dry Summer here in the UK in 2022 and remodeled your Outdoor Space using Garden Sleepers.

Railway Sleepers for Garden Design have become more popular and are being used by Innovative Home and Business Owners for all types of applications.

An interesting shaped garden, this one! We gave it a new lease of life with new turf, curved borders, and a lovely little area for a fire pit, with circular paving slabs and raised wooden sleeper beds. #landscapedesigners #gardentransformations pic.twitter.com/u8wYO2RgMu

— George-Stone Gardens (@GS_Gardens) April 9, 2022

 Railway Sleepers can be used for

• Retaining Walls

• Raised Beds

• Garden Furniture

• Wall Construction

• Gate Posts

• Garden Steps

• Decking

Railway Sleepers are easy to work with,versatile and can help you achieve the look you desire, whether Rustic or Modern.

Wooden Sleepers come in several sizes and types, the most popular being;

• Soft wood Sleepers

• Reclaimed Railway Sleepers

• Treated Wood Timber Sleepers

• Looking for a Rustic Feel in the Garden

• Oak Sleepers

Softwood Sleepers

The good news is most New soft wood sleepers are already Pressure Treated and treated with Tanalith E.

Wood Sleepers which have been treated have added protection against decay and rot.

This process is designed to protect wooden sleepers and inject chemicals into the Sleeper using Pressure.

Can Treated New Railway Sleepers be used without further Treatment?

They can and often are.

The Tanalith E Preservative will protect the Sleeper, but over time, you may want to top up Treatment, or you may have painted your Sleeper with Preservative.

New Manufactured Sleepers tend to change colour when left untreated, this is perfectly normal, and the Silvery Grey colour changes can add to its characteristics and match the Changing Seasons in your Garden.

Treating Railway Sleepers

If you are using Reclaimed Railway Sleepers, they will likely have been treated with Creosote. As long as they are above the Surface and not in contact with excess moisture, they will probably last many years.

If you wish to add additional Treatment, clear oil with Sun Protection will protect the wood, which may also turn the timber a Deep Black.

You should also be aware Creosote is classed as a Toxic Material and is no longer on sale to the General Public.

Before adding further Treatment, it is recommended to check this will not cause more problems or a Toxic Reaction.

New Railway Sleepers can be treated with a suitable wood preservative or oil.

This will help prevent rot and stop fungal growth and mould over time.

As New Sleepers tend to be already protected, clear oil such as Decking Oil without UV Filters tends to be a popular choice.

This offers additional protection, allowing them to age naturally and change colours.

You should always treat sawn ends, and if wood rot has already set in after years of bad weather, Treatment may slow down the process but regretfully is unlikely to stop it.

Conclusion

Whatever your Installation, be it a Sleeper Wall or Raised Bed, always think about the Ground Drainage and Clean your Installation at regular intervals during the Seasons.

This will be key to your Timber Applications Long Life and ensure our Wet Winters here in the UK will not speed up any Rot Process.