What are garden sleepers?
Original garden sleepers were in fact railway sleepers, used to support railway tracks. However, while you can still source original examples, they are likely to come from a period when they would have been treated with creosote.
What are garden sleepers made from?
Today’s timber garden sleepers are available in softwood and hardwood options:
Hardwood timber garden sleepers – at Witham Timber, our hardwood timber sleepers are crafted from quality oak, making them much heavier than their softwood counterparts. Durable and rot resistant, the sleepers are supplied in one size, 100x200x2400mm.
Softwood timber garden sleepers – our softwood is sourced from sustainable forests and all our sleepers are pressure treated for durability. Lighter in weight and easier to cut and drill than hardwood sleepers, the softwood sleepers are offered as softwood brown or softwood green options.
How to use garden sleepers
Witham Timber’s garden sleepers are ideal for a host of roles in the garden. Here are some of our favourites!
Raised beds – probably the most common use for garden sleepers is in the construction of raised beds. Not only perfect for flowers, sleepers also make lovely herb gardens and even vegetable patches. Adjusting their height also makes them accessible to anyone with mobility challenges.
Border edging – add the perfect finishing touch to a bed or border as well as a rustic feel to the garden, with sleepers. Cut them into shorter lengths and invert them vertically for a traditional edge or lay them in vertical lengths for sleek, straight lines.
Planters – ideal for creating bespoke planters to suit your exact requirements, sleepers can be cut to size and screwed together to create planters of any size. Simply line and plant. Alternatively, we offer a choice of planters that are all crafted from quality timber, to save you a job!
Retaining walls – break away from the usual brick or stone retaining wall and try garden sleepers for a great-looking alternative. Whether you use them vertically or horizontally they can be used to create magnificent shapes and organic lines to add interest.
Pathways – a really rustic alternative to stepping stones traversing a lawned area, garden sleepers can be used to create pathways round a garden. Let your imagination go wild, creating straight or winding walkways to suit the space. More cost effective than paving slabs, sleepers need to be bedded down and set in soil or sand.
Tips for using timber garden sleepers
- Always use gloves when handling sleepers to avoid splinters.
- Consider adding interest by mitring the ends of sleepers to create unusual shapes.
- If using sleepers to create walkways, be aware that they become slippery when wet – how to stop decking being slippery has some good advice that can be applied to sleepers.
- With softwood garden sleepers, always remember to treat any exposed ends that you have sawn, to protect the sleeper. Protek products can be used on softwood and there is a wide range of products available so always do some research first, Protek wood treatments – everything you need to know is a great start.
Whether you want to try your hand at a winding path through your shrubs, or a retaining wall round your rockery, our garden sleepers are just the ticket! For any help or advice, our team can be contacted by telephone on 01205 359188 or via email at sales@withamtimber.co.uk