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Old 11-02-2003, 09:47 PM
Chris_Harrop
 
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Default Using sleepers as steps?

I would use woordstone sleepers - the kind that Marshalls make -
www.marshalls.co.uk/gardens

The look just like railway sleepers but don't give you splinters ! as well
as not going slimey in winter.

Hope it helps

Chris

"Chris" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a fairly shallow grassy slope in the garden that I would like
to turn into steps using railway sleepers.

Can I just dig out a flat platform and plonk the sleepers on to the
earth or do they need to be pegged or bedded in somehow?

Any and all advice gratefully accepted.

Chris
www.MagnoTherapyUK.com

Independent Distributor - Ecoflow Ltd
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or your money back!

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Old 13-02-2003, 04:41 PM
Simon Avery
 
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Default Using sleepers as steps?

(Chris) wrote:

Hello Chris

C I have a fairly shallow grassy slope in the garden that I
C would like to turn into steps using railway sleepers.

C Can I just dig out a flat platform and plonk the sleepers on
C to the earth or do they need to be pegged or bedded in
C somehow?

Sometimes, yes. But if used a lot they might drop - and you might need
rammed hardcore or even concrete bases - but that's in extreme cases
(commercial traffic).

If you can bury the ends it helps a lot too.

That said, are you sure sleepers are the best thing?

They get slippery when wet, and if in shady areas can get positively
lethal. Also, many sleepers weep oil when warm (softwoods especially),
and if it's near the house you'll soon be tramping black footprints on
your carpets.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

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Old 21-02-2003, 11:32 AM
JennyC
 
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Default Using sleepers as steps?

That said, are you sure sleepers are the best thing?
They get slippery when wet, and if in shady areas can get

positively
lethal. Also, many sleepers weep oil when warm (softwoods

especially),
and if it's near the house you'll soon be tramping black footprints

on
your carpets.



"Chris" wrote
Hmmmmm, I hadn't considered any of that. Time for a rethink.
Many thanks.
Chris



You can wrap chicken wire around the sleepers to make them safe. Not
elegant but it does work. I treid yacht anti-slip once but that was
not a huge success.

You need to rough up the surface in some way as they are an accident
waiting to happen in the damp British climate - I know, I had some in
a shady garden once...........:~((

Jenny
(top posting corrected)




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Old 08-05-2003, 10:20 PM
crom
 
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Default Using sleepers as steps?

Chris,
Dunno whether you're still deciding (if not this might help someone
else) but I've just built a patio out of these things and I can quite
confidently say, you really don't have to think about screwing them
down - they won't move!

Having said that, if your steps aren't going to be the full 8.5 feet
of sleepers then you may have to stake them or put some sort of
concrete foundation.

You might also want to get some weed-proof cloth. I can't remember the
name but we put this underneath the wood to discourage weed growth in
the cracks.

Another hint: invite some friends over to lift the sleepers. We had 20
to lift up a sloping garden and it took us hours and knackered our
wheelbarrow - these things are heavy!!!

We got our sleepers from www.railway-sleepers.com/. A very nice chap
called Richard delivered them at short notice and exactly when he said
he would! Great service (and no I'm not connected with him in any way
etc etc).

Good luck,
Ben

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