3 Ideas for Using Railway Sleepers in the Garden

There are so many great ways to use railway sleepers in your garden and the results are not only visually pleasing, but can also be very cost effective. Their natural colours and long, wide structures make them the perfect feature material for landscaping as well as building garden furniture.

We stock a huge range of sleepers, in a variety of colours and sizes so we are sure to have exactly what you need for your project.

Our softwood sleepers are either spruce or pine and our hardwood variety is usually oak. Both are perfectly suited for your garden or any exterior design project.

Here are three of our favourite garden uses for railway sleepers to help inspire your next landscaping project…

Edging your Garden

Sleepers are perfect for garden edging because they are robust, durable, and extremely versatile. You can easily use sleepers to form a naturally beautiful border around your grass, patio or flower beds, with minimal effort.

To successfully edge your garden, start by planning where you wish to place your sleepers. You can do this using various spray paints or a simple garden hose to outline the area. You then need to decide how high you would like them and finally calculate how many sleepers you will need.

Garden Furniture

Due to their durability and naturally rustic look, sleepers make the perfect material for building many standard pieces of garden furniture. A garden bench is a great project to start with or if you are feeling a little more adventurous, you could have a go at building a floating bench.  This is a popular garden trend that is sure to impress your friends and family.

For any kind of garden furniture, we recommend you use our hardwood sleepers, which are the most durable. We do not recommend using reclaimed sleepers because they have been treated with creosote, which can be harmful to human skin.  

Raised Flower Beds & Walls

Using sleepers to create raised flower beds will add a new and interesting dimension to your garden. You could try mixing old, weathered sleepers with new sleepers to create some new colours and textures in your garden design.

You can also use sleepers to create a raised decking or use them for garden steps.  Laying the sleepers either vertical or horizontal you can attractively fence off a patio, BBQ or pond or add levels to a sloping garden.

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