[Parsnip]

We want to to do some raised beds at the top of the garden for hebs and salad stuff and want to use some railway sleepers .

I've mooched about on the internet and they seem to be going for aboyt £20.00 each, but most seem new. Does any one know of any where where we could find some used one's a bit cheaper than that?

[SG6]

If you mean locating real wooden railway sleepers that have been used on a rail line then remember that they will have had huge amounts of preservative poured on them over the years.

If this leaches out into your soil it will not do the plants any good.

[celjaci]

Why railway sleepers?
I've built several raised beds ( one 2ft 6in high ) with 6 x 2 treated timber fixed to 3x3 corner posts with coach screws . Very sturdy, long lasting and not that expensive, a local timber yard now has 6 x 2 planed as well as rough sawn so no splinters. Might be worth phoning a few timber stockists.

[sunshineband]

We want to to do some raised beds at the top of the garden for hebs and salad stuff and want to use some railway sleepers .

I've mooched about on the internet and they seem to be going for aboyt £20.00 each, but most seem new. Does any one know of any where where we could find some used one's a bit cheaper than that?

We used railway sleepers at school a couple of years ago to make some raised growing areas for the little children and they are brilliant becuase the children can sit on the edges. They are bolted with coach bolts to avoid any accidents over the years.
We got them from a builder located in Oxford, so not a cheap area (IMHO) and they were £12.50 each. Probably worth scouting round on the 'net before paerting with any cash. We used new ones because there is the issue or preservatives already mentined but sometimes they leak huge quantities of pitch or tarry stuff  not good to sit on and it smells too 
They look good and are not bright orange or anything 

[Parsnip]

We want to to do some raised beds at the top of the garden for hebs and salad stuff and want to use some railway sleepers .

I've mooched about on the internet and they seem to be going for aboyt £20.00 each, but most seem new. Does any one know of any where where we could find some used one's a bit cheaper than that?

We used railway sleepers at school a couple of years ago to make some raised growing areas for the little children and they are brilliant becuase the children can sit on the edges. They are bolted with coach bolts to avoid any accidents over the years.
We got them from a builder located in Oxford, so not a cheap area (IMHO) and they were £12.50 each. Probably worth scouting round on the 'net before paerting with any cash. We used new ones because there is the issue or preservatives already mentined but sometimes they leak huge quantities of pitch or tarry stuff  not good to sit on and it smells too 
They look good and are not bright orange or anything 

mmm I ask might about. We don't want to just nail bits of wood together it's to make a reclaimed area workable and attractive at the same time...and to grow some sunflowers in cos i'm in some competion to grow them..

thanks SSB

[Rangerkris]

£20 for tanalised treated sleepers is about the going rate i would say i can get them £18 at cost price.

[Bombers]

These look interesting Snippy... I was thinkiing of using something similar for a greenhouse base. Dunno if this is a bit too far away from you though?

[Parsnip]

These look interesting Snippy... I was thinkiing of using something similar for a greenhouse base. Dunno if this is a bit too far away from you though?

Thanks Bombers.  I reckon I need to get friendly with my new lottie neighbour. He has made raised beds from some,  he got them free from where his wife works..

[sunshineband]

Brilliant -- barter for all your worth Snip!!

[Gwiz]

£20 for tanalised treated sleepers is about the going rate i would say i can get them £18 at cost price.

£34 here in the local garden rip off centre.
They can stay there and rot for that sort of money.........

[Dymoduds]

Hi Parsnip,
we have recently made some raised beds from old roofing timbers, they were perfect, very large and heavy, just needed to pull out the nails.  We scrounged them from some builders who were knocking down some old cottages near where my parents live, I remember we swopped them for a case of beer that cost £10.00!!  Any one knocking down around you?  With the warmer weather coming they will need refreshments!!
Sara x

[8doubles]

I try to avoid putting green tanalised timber (inclucing decking) in the garden because the preservative in it  is copper,chrome, arsenic (CCA)which leaches out into the soil. Most sawn timber from the builders merchants is treated even if colourless . I`m not sure if the clear treatments are CCA so they are not used near the veg to be on the safe side.

CCA info here http://files.recycleworks.co.uk/files/Wood%20preservatives.pdf

[alwayshopeful]

You could try your local council.  My other half works for the LC mostly on school grounds and our local primary school were planning on getting rid of their raised beds, which are made from railway sleepers.  The OH was gonna get the seruptisiously (yes I know thats probabaly not how you spell it  ), dropped off at our house as they were just gonna be chucked  .

Anyway, it turns out the school changed their minds and are now keeping them 

[Rangerkris]

I try to avoid putting green tanalised timber (inclucing decking) in the garden because the preservative in it  is copper,chrome, arsenic (CCA)which leaches out into the soil. Most sawn timber from the builders merchants is treated even if colourless . I`m not sure if the clear treatments are CCA so they are not used near the veg to be on the safe side.

CCA info here http://files.recycleworks.co.uk/files/Wood%20preservatives.pdf

Looing at the document that was 1996 i think you will find alot has changed since then. they have newer safer ways of treating the timbers now that make them ok to use.

[sunshineband]

That's a relief as I have made my beds out of treated planks