Yes, you can lay railway sleepers directly on soil - but it's not always the best choice. For light garden features like paths or decorative borders, direct laying can work well if you prepare the ground properly.
If you plan on placing your railway sleeper onto a solid surface such as a patio or concrete, they can be put directly on top, but if you're going to place them on soil, they need to be slightly sunken into the ground.
One of the most popular options is to use steel rod pins or long landscaping screws. Alternatively, you can use metal plates and corner braces to build a strong, square finish for your garden sleepers.
The gravel acts as a drainage layer, allowing water to flow away from the sleepers and into the ground below. It acts as a natural conduit, guiding the water away from the vulnerable wooden sleepers. This prevents moisture build-up and helps to keep the sleepers dry and structurally sound.
Softwood sleepers may last less than 5 years if they are not treated. Softwood sleepers come from pine and it is known that they are less resistant to decay. They need to be treated and maintained and then you can expect them to last for up to 20 years. Hardwood sleepers have been known to last up to 100 years.
Yes, you can lay railway sleepers directly on soil - but it's not always the best choice. For light garden features like paths or decorative borders, direct laying can work well if you prepare the ground properly. But for anything structural or permanent, you'll want proper foundations.
When placed in the ground, sleepers are in constant contact with soil, which holds moisture. Without proper protection, this dampness can lead to the wood rotting, especially in areas with heavy rainfall. The UK's unpredictable weather doesn't help either!
Considering the type of soil
If you have well-draining soil, a layer of gravel or crushed stone can be an excellent option. Garden design with sleepers and gravel offers various benefits. Gravel allows for proper drainage, preventing water from pooling and potentially causing damage to the sleeper structure.
You can put your gravel directly onto the firm soil, though this isn't recommended as it won't be a stable base for your gravel driveway. If you are planning to forgo the driveway sub-base, we do suggest using a weed membrane underneath the gravel to keep it clean.
Each of these sleepers needs to be treated as if it's a fence post and concrete separately into a hole at least 1/3 of the total heigh of the sleeper being installed, i.e. 1500mm sleeper would need to be buried 500mm into the ground.
Fill around the sleeper with soil or sand to secure it in place before moving onto laying the next one. To fix railway sleepers to the ground, use spikes or screws designed for outdoor use to ensure they remain stable over time.
There are many ways to cut sleepers, but we recommend using a circular saw for accuracy, precision and speed.
The use of gravel or sand to secure sleepers is a popular alternative to concrete. Whether you're using sleepers to form new edging around your landscape or are building a raised planting bed, gravel and sand foundations are certainly worth considering.
But as a general rule if you are only going to have one or two sleepers in height there isn't much preparation needed. You can place sleepers straight on the ground if you wish, but you will need to clear any vegetation or grass and make sure that the ground is levelled out before laying them.
Proper Installation. One of the best ways to prevent wood rot is to start with proper installation. Ensure that your sleepers are raised slightly off the ground to promote air circulation and prevent moisture accumulation. Using gravel or concrete as a base can also help in keeping the sleepers dry.
If you are planning on planting small trees, plants and shrubs, lining the bed is not necessary.
Don't place pea gravel directly on top of soil.
This can displace your gravel as well as ruin its uniform look. Before applying any pea gravel, place a layer of landscaping fabric onto the soil. This will prevent any weeds or plants from shooting up through your pea gravel.
Before installing your gravel driveway grid, ensure you have a smooth and solid base for it to be put onto. We suggest compacting MOT type 1 or similar to a depth of at least 100mm. However you can lay the gravel stabilisation grid directly onto soil, grass or any other permeable surface.
Gravel Can Sink Into Soil
Gravel doesn't decay like organic mulch, but it can still sink into the dirt-- and sink deep. This also produces rocky soil if you want to grow plants in the area later on. This can be prevented with, yet again, landscape fabric.
When fixing railway sleepers together, use steel landscaping screws as they are strong, won't corrode if they come into contact with timber treatment, and are available up to 250mm in length. With a hexagonal head they can be put in place using a power drill.
Overlap the sleepers at the ends and then join them using a steel rod pin or landscaping screw. The alternative is to use metal corner plates and braces. These are quicker, easier, and form a strong bond that'll hold your structure in position without the need to overlap the ends.
If the ground is soft or uneven, we think the best option would be to concrete them into place. If the ground is firm, a wooden stake driven into each sleeper and attached to the sleep should hold them securely in place. Make sure to dig for the sleepers and the stakes when digging the shapes.
As a rule, hardwood oak sleepers tend to last the longest naturally with an expected lifespan of around 100 years. An untreated softwood will last for between three and five years if it sits on the ground, whilst treated softwoods can last between 20 and 30 years if they are maintained correctly.
Railway Sleeper Retaining Walls, Terraces & Steps
With these kinds of projects, you're definitely going to be needing to use concrete, because once they're in place they're going to be taking a great deal more strain and undergoing much heavier usage than the planters and edging.
You can use DPM on the rear of the timber, and pea gravel backfill directly behind sleepers. The pea gravel will allow a free draining area behind the wall. You could also add a length of land drain wrapped in geotextile membrane, to keep fine particles of soil out of pipe.