The most common tools include: Circular Saw: Ideal for cutting straight lines and achieving accurate cuts in timber. Ensure you use a circular saw blade with the correct rating for the material. Reciprocating Saw: This power tool is perfect for more intricate cuts or if you're cutting sleepers already fixed in place.
You can use a chainsaw, a hand saw, a circular saw, or a reciprocating saw to cut railway sleepers. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages, but a circular saw is probably the best.
A circular saw is the most widely used method for cutting sleepers at home. The most accurate method for cutting larger sleeper quantities, you will find in most instances that the blade is not deep enough to cut through the depth in one pass. Instead, the sleeper will need to be rotated and cut in sections.
For the first 100 years railway sleepers were normally made from Wood. Most countries tended to use whatever timber they had lots of. So the UK used Pine, France used Oak, Germany often used Beech, Australia used Jarrah, Africa used Azobe & other tropical hardwoods, and Russia used Pine.
a sliding compound mitre saw is the only way to go. A chainsaw would not give you the accurate cut you need.
Wood Preserver
However, to help nourish and protect the timber from decay it is a good idea to apply a wood preservative. Wood preservative treatments provide garden sleepers with protective properties that help prevent rot, mould and fungal growth, as well as help to form a defence against the elements.
To allow railway sleepers to turn grey or silver over time, whilst protecting them from the elements, we recommend using a clear wood oil or decking oil which doesn't contain any UV filters.
Suitable for outdoor steps, retaining walls, and other landscaping projects. These sleepers should not to be used inside buildings, in children's play areas or in areas where people may sit on them or come into contact with them frequently. Weight: Approx 170 lb (80 kilos).
Saal wood is the best wood. It does not get affected by termites for long period of time that is why Saal wood is used in making railway sleepers, railway coaches, buildings and furniture.
To put all that into context, you can expect an untreated softwood sleeper that's placed directly on the ground to last around three to five years. Add a preservative treatment and your softwood sleeper could last up to 30 years.
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!
Let the sleepers dry completely after cleaning before applying any wood preservative. Choose a wood preservative that offers protection against rot and insect damage. Barrettine and Ronseal are good options. Apply the wood preservative using a brush or roller, ensuring all sides are covered for full protection.
A circular saw is the best method for cutting railway sleepers, although a hand saw can be used for softwood sleepers. However a circular saw blade may not completely cut through the thickness of a sleeper in one pass - cut through one side, then turn the sleeper over and recut to finish the job.
Makita 5402NA 16-5/16" Circular Saw
need something to cut through railroad ties like butter? Look no further. The strong motor and carbide tipped blade combination work like magic.
Clear Wood Oil or Decking Oil: These products are ideal for those who want their sleepers to age naturally to a grey or silver colour while still being protected from the elements. A clear oil will nourish the wood, making it supple and water-resistant, which helps protect it from water and frost damage.
Railway sleepers may be made of hardwoods or softwoods, these being used for different purposes and under different conditions. Hardwood railway sleepers are made chiefly from oak, beech, and hornbeam; softwood railway sleepers from Scots pine, maritime pine (Pines pinaster), and larch.
To fix railway sleepers to the ground, use spikes or screws designed for outdoor use to ensure they remain stable over time. For raised beds or structures requiring multiple layers of sleepers, stack them securely and fasten each layer together with landscaping screws.
Using creosote preservative, the traditional design life for hardwood timber sleepers may be estimated at 30 years, while softwood timber sleepers have much shorter design life; prestressed concrete sleepers can be designed for a life cycle of 60 years [6].
Avoid High-Pressure Jet Washing: Although tempting, high-pressure washing can strip away protective layers and lead the sleepers vulnerable to weathering and pests.
Yes. But only for the purposes outlined in the regulations. Old railway sleepers treated with creosote can be used in parks, gardens, and outdoor recreational and leisure facilities but only if there is no risk of frequent skin contact.
Clean any excess creosote from the exterior of the wood using a volatile solvent such as odourless white spirits or turpentine. This is the hard work stage – you will spend a long time with many different rags wiping. Keep going until you can remove no more.