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Railway sleeper raised beds

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  • #1

    Railway sleeper raised beds

    Hi,

    We have some railway sleepers to use for raised beds. Does anyone have experience of using these? I was planning on using them 1 sleeper high, putting them on grass, having dug it first. Does this sound like a good plan?

    Do the sleepers need to be nailed together or will they hold their own weight? I am going to fill them with soil.

    Thanks in advance,

    Jo
    Tags: railway sleepers, raised beds
  • #2
    The only thing I have against railway sleepers is their width. 4' wide raised beds, and sleeps which are 12" wide are going to take 2' per bed - so for each pair of beds you have lost the width of an additional bed.

    But they are heavy, and hold the soil back, of course, and will take a long LONG time to rot away!

    Watch out if they have been treated - you might want to put a barrier between Sleepers and Soil so the chemicals don't leach into the soil where you are growing your food ...
    K's Garden blog the story of the creation of our garden

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    • #3
      JoJo,

      I argued for the use of some treated timber on another thread but if these are old used sleepers I would be a little careful. In the old days they were soaked for ages in creosote and this could leech into your soil.

      I am sure some more knowledgeable person will give you further advice.

      Colin
      Potty by name Potty by nature.

      By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


      We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

      Aesop 620BC-560BC

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      • #4
        I have a bed made up of 4, but I have them flat so that they can be walked on. That way I don't lose any space, as all 4 sides is a pathway. Works well, but as has already been mentioned, there is the possibility of chemicals leeching into the soil.

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