Railway sleepers are becoming increasingly more prevalent as more people start landscaping their gardens preparing for the summer.
Many people are moving into new homes and have been left with a very simple and dull garden. Others are finding that their existing garden is becoming very tedious.
This is why landscapers are diverting to sleepers when developing and constructing a new unique garden project. Whether it be for structural or decorative reasons.
Decoration
Flower beds
If your garden is ready for a makeover then adding railways sleepers to your garden will certainly add a unique feeling that you wouldn't get from regular timber. The reason why sleepers are so good for your home is due to their low cost and longevity as once installed can last for decades.
As spring draws near it is time to start thinking about planting and growing your own vegetables. To do this you will require a vegetable patch or a bed that will protect and hold your Veg until they are ready to be picked later in the year. Sleepers make for great bed walls proving a strong and sturdy structure that you don't always get from timber. Timber is much thinner and can rot easily which doesn't happen as easily in sleepers.
Sleepers can come in many different conditions depending on how long and how much they have been used. Many will have been used for decades at which point rot may have taken over. But by using a mix of older and newer sleepers you will have a strong base that will add a rustic feel to your garden which you wouldn't get from regular pre-made sleepers.
As previously mentioned the longevity of the sleeper is crucial for why they are so suitable for growing. They need to last all year round in different weather conditions while holding a considerable amount of soil. Therefore it's important you check your sleepers for rot as these will likely get weaker throughout the year so we recommend scanning all your sleepers before purchasing to make sure they are suitable for your project.
Although the cost of sleepers looks considerably more than the cost of timber. Sleepers are 3 times thicker than standard timber and around 80mm longer than the standard length of timber. Therefore for the price, you are getting more out of the sleepers making them better value for money.
Garden Edging
There are many different ways you can style your garden edging these days, with multiple options for all budgets and preferences. Although there are many alternatives to choose from, we have the perfect one for you in railway sleepers. To make sleepers fit your garden they need to be taken care of which enables them to keep your garden in shape.
Sleepers are a great way to edge your garden as they are so simple to install, simply dig a small trench at the side of your grass or path at a depth that suits your garden and place the sleeper in. Make sure that you pack plenty of soil around your sleeper if you aren't using concrete or sand.
Concrete and any other material are not crucial when installing sleepers s simply packing them around the soil will hold them firmly in place for years to come. However, if you were wanting to have a raised edge a much smaller trench would be dug at we would then recommend either using sand or concrete to hold them in place as they would be more prone to movement.
Structural
Furniture
Now it’s too early in the year to spend time sitting out in your garden. Going off the last couple of years the coldest days are still yet to come and as we have seen previously snow is a high possibility. Although that's no excuse for why you shouldn't start planning for your garden now.
Garden furniture has been modernised massively and has become very popular over lockdown as people wanted to spend more time outdoors. However, we believe that the more simple wooden furniture adds a much more stylish feel to your garden than modern furniture.
You may wonder why we are talking about furniture. Well, sleepers can make really good garden furniture, their rustic look is perfect for your garden and if you already have sleepers installed elsewhere it will allow your furniture to complement the rest of your garden.
Having a bench made from sleepers will help bring out your creative adventurous style and give you chance to start on a small project ready for those hot summer days. However, one warning which applies is that the reclaimed sleepers are likely to be covered in some sort of creosote which is harmful to human skin. So this is something that needs to be taken into account before using sleepers anywhere in your garden especially if you have younger children who could touch them.
Garden Steps
Another great use of sleepers is that they will add depth and style to your garden something you won't get from other materials. One way to do this is by creating staircases out of sleepers having your garden on different levels doesn't have to be a big project just a small step up will make a major impact. This is great when adding some layers to your home especially if you're looking into re-landscaping.
They are simple and effective in what they do as are considerably cheaper than stone and also much easier to install similar to other ways you can use sleepers and shows their popularity in this sector. They are also environmentally friendly. Although not all sleepers are classed as environmentally friendly any that have been green-treated are perfect for your garden projects.
When installing sleepers as steps it’s important to make sure they are installed correctly or they could become unstable. Due to their weight and density, they will likely rock if not secured. Therefore we recommend using concrete or sand similar to when installing them as edging to secure them in place. Once in place, they will last for decades to come without much need for regular treatment.
The spring is the perfect time to begin planning and putting into place your ideas for the perfect garden ready for the summer of 2022. We have discussed ways we can use sleepers for decoration to add something quirky to your garden. We have also mentioned how easy it is to use them for smaller structural projects around your garden allowing you to create some depth.
Throughout the year we will be posting blogs that will help improve your garden and suggest some of the trends that you should follow. There is so much you can change from minor decoration to larger-scale projects we have advice for you for more information check out some of last year's blogs.
