Used railway sleepers

These are the best sleepers for your garden if you are looking for rustic character. Our reclaimed sleepers are all hardwood, most often oak. They will last a very long time and with no further treatment.

However, there are some very important considerations about where you should use reclaimed railway sleepers

The problems arise with what treatments the railway sleepers have had in the past. They have all had a creosote treatment (sometimes repeat treatments) in their life. Creosote is now frowned upon as it is a carcinogen. This is one of the European belt and braces recommendations. The risk is there but is very low.

The implications of this is that these sleepers can be used, but not inside and not anywhere where frequent skin contact will be made. The creosote is sometimes applied in a tar mix. This can also sometimes seep out of the sleepers in hot weather.

It is absolutely fine to use reclaimed sleepers to create paths, steps, raised borders, bridges and retaining walls.

If you are creating a children’s play area or sandpit, then you must use the new railway sleepers. They have been pressure treated with a non-toxic treatment that will let them last for a very long time (up to 25 years). They are made of softwood and so are much easier to carry, handle and cut. They are however not as strong as used sleepers so are not as suitable for heavy load bridges.

The Tannilith used to treat these sleepers has a green colour, but we sometimes have ones that have had a brown dye added. Over time both these colours will fade to a lighter pine colour. You can paint or stain the new railway sleepers to any colour that you want.