What are the best sleepers to use for a retaining wall?

Timber sleepers are a popular choice for garden landscaping projects. They’re traditional, natural-looking materials, best suited to retaining walls and many other outdoor applications (steps, decking, garden furniture, raised beds, etc).

How deep should a sleeper be for a retaining wall?

Everyone I have spoken with over the years has a different method of working out the depth of the post holes. The theory I work on is – half the height of the wall plus 100mm. For example if your wall is going to be 800mm high, the holes for your posts should be 500mm deep.

Can I build a retaining wall with sleepers?

Railway Sleepers are an ideal material for creating retaining walls and garden dividers, providing a quick and simple alternative to rendered concrete or brick walls, and popular in both traditional and modern garden landscaping for their architectural and long-lasting qualities.

Can you lay sleepers on soil?

Can you lay railway sleepers on soil? Yes you can. If you’re only creating a structure that’s one or two sleepers in height you don’t necessarily need foundations, which means you can lay your railway sleepers onto the soil.

What do you put behind a sleeper retaining wall?

You can use DPM on the rear of the timber, and pea gravel backfill directly behind sleepers. The pea gravel will allow a free draining area behind the wall. You could also add a length of land drain wrapped in geotextile membrane, to keep fine particles of soil out of pipe.

How do you anchor sleepers to the ground?

Cut your sleepers to your required length, which could be random for a rustic look. Then mix up some lean mortar, such as 6:1, to be used as a concrete base and haunching. Place at least a 50mm bed of concrete in the bottom of the trench and start inserting the sleepers, haunching them up as you go.

How do you secure a sleeper?

The best way to secure sleepers is with appropriate timber screw. The type of wood you choose to work with will dictate the type of fixing that needs to be used. Softwoods can be fixed with a choice of steel or zinc screws.

What is the easiest retaining wall to build?

What is the easiest retaining wall to build? Short walls under three feet high and constructed of concrete blocks or masonry blocks are the easiest type of wall for DIYers to build. They are ideal landscape solutions for a front yard or raised flower bed.

How do you fit a sleeper for a retaining wall?

Constructing a retaining wall out of upright sleepers is pretty straightforward. Simply dig a trench, lower the sleepers in vertically side by side, and then backfill with a dry concrete mix, that you can ram down around the railway sleepers untill the wall is rigid.

Do sleepers need foundations?

Yes you can. If you’re only creating a structure that’s one or two sleepers in height you don’t necessarily need foundations, which means you can lay your railway sleepers onto the soil. Though you’ll want to make sure you use some kind of waterproof membrane so that sleepers don’t soak up water from the soil.

Can you rest sleepers on soil?

Can I lay sleepers on soil?

How do you stop a sleeper from moving?

Using wooden stakes to secure your sleepers is another popular method for adding stability. Sink around 60% of the stake supports into the ground, setting with cement if preferred then simply drive your fixings through the sleepers and into the supports.

How much does it cost to build a retaining wall NZ?

“We regularly build retaining walls anywhere from 0.5 metres to 4 metres high.”

Height of retaining wall in metres	0.9m	1.8m
Price to build retaining wall per lineal metre	$309+GST	$698+GST

What is the least expensive way to build a retaining wall?

The cheapest type of retaining wall is poured concrete. Prices start at $4.30 per square foot for poured concrete, $5.65 for interlocking concrete block, $6.15 for pressure-treated pine, and about $11 for stone. Installation or supplies, such as drainage stone or filter fabric, are not included.

How do you secure a sleeper to the ground?

What is the cheapest type of retaining wall in NZ?

The most common type of retaining wall in New Zealand is the timber pole wall, constructed with round treated pine posts and rails. This is often the cheapest option for low walls, up to 1.5 – 2 metres high and are often built by homeowners or weekend DIY warriors.

Do I need consent for a retaining wall?

A building consent is not required for the construction or alteration of any retaining wall that retains not more than 1.5 metres depth of ground and does not support any surcharge or any load additional to the load of that ground (for example, the load of vehicles on a road).

Can you build a retaining wall with treated pine sleepers?

This step-by-step guide will help you to build a simple retaining wall using treated pine sleepers. It also includes a set of steps using a flexible design that can be used in many different environments. Choose the right timber for the job.

How do you secure a sleeper end to a wall?

For a continuous, longer wall the sleeper end should be in the centre of the post. Check level is correct and use 100mm construction screws to secure. There should be a screw added at top and bottom of sleeper face at each post. At wall ends sleeper end should be flush with post and additional screws may be added for extra strength.

What class of timber is best for retaining walls?

It’s critical that timber retaining walls be constructed from timber that is suitable for ground contact. Timber has a number of classes and for most retaining jobs it’s the H or Hazard class that’s most important.

How can the Bunnings workshop help with your home improvement projects?

The Bunnings Workshop community can help with your home improvement projects. Retaining walls not only help ensure soil doesn’t wash away down a slope. They can also become a landscape asset, providing terracing for sloping gardens and lawns or creating level pathways.