What to do with railway sleepers?

katiel

We've just rescued 11 railway sleepers that were about to go in the skip when the in-laws had their garden re-landscaped. Question is - what do we do with them now?
They were being junked because they were too slippery when wet to use as a path. They also still give off a slight whiff of creosote. And we've got as many raised beds as we can fit. Given all that - any ideas anyone?

Joly_Roger

I used them as edging around a square lawn in our front garden and as steps to replace the rather steep concrete steps we had before.

I also used a few to make informal benches, but I had to be careful to choose the ones which don't ooze creosote / tar for this purpose. As skin contact with creosote is very dangerous.


I don't have any problem with mine being slippery, I guess that placing them in open / sunny situations makes the difference.

If you've really no use for them, either freecycle them or sell them on gumtree/ ebay.
I had too many and sold some of mine on gumtree. Got about £10 for each one.

laaljocky

They make great raised beds. We made two with railway sleepers and were best raised beds ever.

jennyjelly

You could make a raised pond - make a square with the sleepers and line it with pond liner, it would look lovely when the plants grow.

I'm so jealous as I'm dying to do this myself!

Mankysteve

If unseeing them as steps or walking surface borrow a router and cut channels in it. Also set them slightly off level so they drain.

Orange_King

Wish I had them as I've just started putting in a raised bed and they'd fit the job perfectly.

LJM

i was very fortunate a few years ago to be given some i used them to make a raised bed and they are great

katiel

Thank you for your thoughts so far everyone. Great ideas. Routing to make them less slippery sounds like a plan (if hard work!). Maybe we could use them to lift some of the flower beds - the veg beds are already raised. Could use them to raise the level of the pond, but it's round at the moment, so will have to think about that one. Must do something as the in-laws will be asking what we did with them!

morg_monster

My mum used some to make a sculpture type thing by up-ending a couple at different heights in her border... Looks great but think you need to have a pretty big garden to get away with that kind of thing. Could use it to climb some plants up?

Optimisticpair

Apart from said uses how about as risers for steps and the only other thing I can think of is for fencing raised bed style but chainsawed and positioned ends upwards.

Oddly where I live it isn't unusual to find one used inside a house ie being used as a beam or sawn into three and made into a matching mantelpiece and fire surround.

Joly_Roger

That's interesting. I'm all for the usage of reclaimed materials. Making-do with what's out there, rather than creating demand for manufacturing new materials.

There are a few hundred exmaples of railways sleeper projects on this website:

http://www.kilgraney.com/Customers%20ideas,%20photos%20and%20projects.htm

This one is brilliant: http://www.kilgraney.com/Mr%20&%20Mrs%20Abbott%27s%20garden%20project%20with%20railway%20sleepers.htm


& this one is incredible - plaudits to the owners! http://www.kilgraney.com/Howard%20&%20Tracey%20Walsh%27s%20Mediterranean%20garden%20with%20railway%20sleepers.htm