When you’re thinking about building something in your garden, the most important feature of the building materials needs to be durability. The materials are going to be exposed to a variety of environmental factors, such as damp, decomposition, heat and more. When you consider these factors, railway sleepers are able to stand up to the challenges these present fairly well.

When you compare railway sleepers to a number of alternatives, there are plenty of areas where they are able to win out in terms of value. Because railway sleepers are generally reclaimed wood, the cost of the wood is relatively cheap in comparison to other wood products. They also are quite thick, which means that their longevity will also be significant.

For those who are interested in preserving our environment (hopefully everybody), using reclaimed anything has the clear advantage of recycling used products. Even if they are perhaps a bit too worn out for their initial purpose, using them in a garden, where wear and tear is expected, is still acceptable.

Railway sleepers tend to conform to a standard shape and size, which 8ft 6″ long, 10″ in width, and 5″ in thickness. This size and shape ensures a high level of durability in the face of natural elements, and a level of stability that is important for garden structures.

There are a number of uses for railway sleepers in our gardens. Just about every common structure in gardens can incorporate these materials on their design, such as flower bed bordering, garden pathways, furniture, patios, verandas and decking.

Sleepers are regularly used for all of the above purposes, but they are arguably best suited for flower beds. As they are strong and thick, they are quite capable of being used to create raised flower beds or beds set into the ground.