sleepers for pond edging

andrewf75

Hi all,

I've got a couple of sleepers (not proper ones, the cheap softwood ones from garden centres) which I want to use as an edge round a gravel area and bordering a pond. Very much like this pic I found online.

http://www.earthdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Pond-with-railway-sleeper-edging.jpg

My question is do I need to fix them a) together and b) into the ground?

And how do I do that?

Would be great if anyone could give me some tips.

Thanks!

peter_the_piper

Make the picture smaller so people can see what you are referring to. Mine just about fell off the edge of the lappy.:rotfl:

andrewf75

Sorry having some technical issues doing that! Hope its better now

wellused

If it was me I would fix them into position by seating them on a few blobs of cement mortar.

no1catman

I had landscaping down a few years ago that included about two dozen sleepers - they used long galvanised screws.


Looking at the picture, if the wood is 'treated' it will contaminate the pond, if it is not 'treated' - the water will soak into the timber.
I'd have the pond liner over the sleepers, to raise the water level, with a waterfall flowing into it at the high end, covering over the liner with rocks and pebbles.


HTHs Good luck

andrewf75

hmm, the idea is that they won't touch the water. The liner will sort of tuck under them same as in the picture. I'm not sure what they are treated with but this should be OK surely? Note these are not genuine sleepers - I know these do contaminate water.

no1catman

After a bit of heavy rainfall the water level will over flow the liner. It won't immediately soak through the other side of the liner, as that is already waterlogged with the rain. Hence, the water level will rise - and soak into the would.


My pond has paving slabs all around on top of the liner, in the winter with heavy rain the pond can overflow and I can have about two inches of water on the patio in places as it rises to the house.

andrewf75

no1catman wrote: »

After a bit of heavy rainfall the water level will over flow the liner. It won't immediately soak through the other side of the liner, as that is already waterlogged with the rain. Hence, the water level will rise - and soak into the would.


My pond has paving slabs all around on top of the liner, in the winter with heavy rain the pond can overflow and I can have about two inches of water on the patio in places as it rises to the house.

Thanks

So what would you suggest? I'm not expecting the wood to last forever, I know it will rot eventually.

I could put paving slabs around on top of the liner and then mortar the sleeper on top of that?

I_have_spoken

AFAIK, the EU has banned wood preservatives (like creosote) which are harmful to fish etc. - which is why the wood stills rots eventually, of course.

I'd expect the wood in the pic to be secure by drilling some holes then hammering in galvanized pins.

Davesnave

I'd probably join the timbers on the underside/where it doesn't show with a couple of these, or similar:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Galvanised-Jointing-Flat-Plate-59x175mm/p/152830

They could be fixed with galvanised nails or stainless steel screws.

Galvanised coach bolts could be used if a joint was formed at the junction of the wood, but the thickness is just too much for that. I might, however, drive a long coach bolt into the underside at each end and set it in a concrete pad to increase rigidity.

Davesnave

I_have_spoken wrote: »

AFAIK, the EU has banned wood preservatives (like creosote) which are harmful to fish etc. - which is why the wood stills rots eventually, of course.

Alternative treatments with a 15 year guarantee are available on stock fencing, and farmers can still source real creosote.