[mrs bouquet]

I have some in my garden, which stand on end, and are used to retain the hill-side.  They have gone a lovely silvery colour, but I remember DH used to coat them with something to repel the rain and frosts each year, the trouble is I have forgotten what he used.  I would like to retain the lovely colour of them -  Would it have been Linseed Oil - If not what shall I use,  thanks, regards  Mrs Bouquet

[arh]

If they are the  old "real" sleepers that were pressure treated with bitumen, I suspect that it would have been creosote, but alas, creosote isn't what it used to be. (What is?). That's what Gramps used on his. Beautiful smell .

[mrs bouquet]

No these aren't the bitumen treated ones, they are just natural wood Mrs B

[New shoot]

It may be teak oil.  They sell it in garden centres for use on garden furniture.  It makes wood go a deep golden brown.

[snowdrops]

Or Danish oil like you use on Wooden worktops maybe? More likely linseed or teak though I'd have thought

[cc]

They still sell real creosote. You have to have a license to apply it and store it. It's only recently (4 or 5 years ago) that building merchants asked for a license. Some are still not paying attention to the law. All farmers and small holders can or automatically have a license.

[texas]

i was thinking of using railway sleepers as a retaining wall. does anyone have any pics how they would look in this or similar use?

[johnjsdb]

I use Cuprinol Clearwood treatment, I got mine from Screwfix, product number is 9915F
http://www.screwfix.com/p/cuprinol-5-star-complete-wood-treatment-clear-5ltr/9915f#product_additional_details_container