{"product_id":"green-treated-softwood-railway-sleepers-2-4m-200x100mm","title":"Green Treated Softwood Railway Sleepers, 2.4m x 200mm x 100mm, UC3 Pressure Treated","description":"\u003cp\u003eRailway sleepers are the quickest way to build something solid in a garden. One sleeper is long, heavy and straight enough to form the side of a raised bed, a step or a low retaining wall on its own, with no frame behind it. These are new softwood sleepers, 2.4m long with a 200mm x 100mm section, sawn from a spruce and pine mix and green pressure treated against rot and decay. They are sold individually and graded for landscaping use. Homeowners, garden designers, landscapers and schools use them for raised vegetable beds, border edging and garden steps. They cost much less than oak or other hardwood sleepers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy it works\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBig section, simple building\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 200mm x 100mm section is wide enough to stand on edge as a bed wall or lie flat as a step tread. Two sleepers stacked on edge give a raised bed 400mm deep, which suits most vegetables and saves bending. The 2.4m length cuts cleanly into common bed sizes such as 2.4m x 1.2m, using one sleeper cut in half for the ends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003ePressure treated for outdoor use\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach sleeper is green pressure treated to UC3, which protects the timber against rot and decay outdoors. The supplier gives an expected lifespan of 8 to 10 years. UC3 is the use class for outdoor timber that is not buried, so the sleepers last longest where they can drain and dry. Lay them on a gravel or compacted base rather than straight onto wet soil, and re-treat any cut ends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eRough sawn, natural timber\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finish is rough sawn, so the sleepers look rustic rather than planed. As with any large timber, every sleeper is different. Colour variation, splits, wane and knots are normal and expected. They do not affect the use of the sleeper in landscaping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA softwood alternative to hardwood\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoftwood sleepers are lighter and far cheaper than oak, so they suit larger projects or tighter budgets. Each one still weighs around 25 to 30kg, so plan for two people when lifting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it's used\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRaised vegetable beds and allotment beds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLawn and border edging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLow sleeper retaining walls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGarden steps and terraces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePond surrounds and water features\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecking edges and seating\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSpecification\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetail\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProduct\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoftwood railway sleeper\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSize\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2.4m x 200mm x 100mm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTimber\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoftwood, spruce \/ pine mix, sustainably sourced\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTreatment\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUC3 green pressure treated\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFinish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRough sawn\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLandscaping use\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eExpected lifespan (supplier stated)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8 to 10 years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApprox. 25 to 30kg each\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSold as\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSingle sleepers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eChoosing the right option\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis listing is one size: 2.4m x 200mm x 100mm in green treated softwood. The choice is how many you need.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a raised bed, count the perimeter in sleeper lengths and multiply by the number of layers. A 2.4m x 1.2m bed two sleepers high needs four sleepers for the long sides and two for the ends, cut in half, so six in total. For edging, divide the run length by 2.4m and round up. For steps, allow one sleeper per tread, plus a riser sleeper where the step is deep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf the sleepers will sit in standing water or be buried for most of their height, choose a ground contact timber or a hardwood instead. These UC3 sleepers suit above-ground and well-drained work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eInstallation, use \u0026amp; care\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrepare a level, free-draining base of compacted gravel or sand. Lay the first course and check it with a spirit level. Fix stacked courses together with long timber screws or steel straps, staggering the joints. Use stakes inside the bed to stop tall walls bowing. Brush preservative onto every cut end. Once a year, check fixings and the base for movement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAre these old railway sleepers?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. They are new softwood timber cut to sleeper size and pressure treated, not reclaimed sleepers from a railway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow vegetables in a bed made from them?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, they are commonly used for raised vegetable beds. Many growers line the inside faces with a membrane to keep the soil off the timber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow long will they last?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe supplier states 8 to 10 years. Life depends on drainage, so a dry, gravel base helps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill every sleeper look the same?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. Colour, knots, splits and wane vary between sleepers and are expected in this grade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOrdering \u0026amp; delivery\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSleepers are sold individually and priced per sleeper. A minimum order of 5 sleepers applies, shown when you add to basket. Sleepers are heavy, bulky items, so delivery charges and lead times are shown at checkout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Industrial Supplies Co","offers":[{"title":"2.4m x 200mm x 100mm","offer_id":63296621019523,"sku":"SSHF-178080-01","price":44.9,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0621\/3002\/8778\/files\/green-treated-railway-sleepers-stacked-gravel-9bcbf956-270e-48d3-8d68-a9e12eb4407a.jpg?v=1794663970","url":"https:\/\/industrialsuppliesco.co.uk\/products\/green-treated-softwood-railway-sleepers-2-4m-200x100mm","provider":"industrialsuppliesco.co.uk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}