New Tropical Hardwood railway sleepers
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Overview
Grade: New tropical hardwood (unused) railway sleepers. Extremely durable industrial timbers that are mainly square cut, with occasional rounded or waney edges, cracks or imperfections. They are normally up to 2 years old, and still in the process of seasoning or drying out.
Colour: Various shades of light to medium reddy brown & silver grey on the outside depending on sunlight & location of the railway sleepers, with various stunning shades of red, pink or yellow on the inside, when cut or planed. See pictures above for examples of different shades and colours.
Weight: Can be very heavy to lift. These 2.6m x 250mm x 135mm size railway sleepers weigh about 110-120 kilos. Bear this in mind when you are planning your project. How do I plan to carry the new railway sleepers into position? (e.g. into the back of a garden). Consider using a trolley, wheelbarrow or similar. At the very least you'll need two very, very strong people. How to Lift Railway Sleepers.
Treatment: These are untreated tropical hardwood. These railway sleepers were intended to be installed on the British railways without any form of treatment, and expected to last for more than 50 years, being such a uniquely dense & tight grained timber. They are unbeatable for long term projects.
Description: These superb untreated tropical hardwood railway sleepers were destined for the railways, but were unused for a variety of reasons. Sometimes because the pre-drilling was inaccurate, or the overall size a few mm out, or maybe a fractional crack that was outside of Network Rail's strict parameters. They are mainly square edged & freshly cut in the last 24 months or so. As they season or dry out they may slightly shrink by a few mm or so. This is naturally dependent on temperature & humidity and can naturally cause the timber to develop thin cracks. Tropical hardwood railway sleepers can have knots, blemishes, or insect holes and can be slightly bowed or warped along the length.
Cutting: These are very hard railway sleepers. You'll need a circular saw / chainsaw / powered saw to cut these timbers. Start off with a new or sharpened blade, and be prepared to re-sharpen. As with any project it makes sense to try and limit the amount of cuts you need to do. Try and plan a design around the size available. For more practical ideas on cutting try Railway Sleeper Cutting.
Attaching / Fixing: Timberlok Screws will not screw through these new tropical hardwood railway sleepers without a pilot hole, even if the drill is powerful, so we recommend first pre-drilling the railway sleepers with a 6mm pilot hole, otherwise the screws may get stuck or snap. Drill into the railway sleeper about a cm at a time, and then withdraw the wood drill, so as to clear the wood shavings from the hole, and then drill a bit further. If you don't do this, the drill may overheat, smoke, and eventually bend, snap or go blunt. Railway Sleeper Fixings.
Sizes: IMPORTANT. All sizes are approximate. Historically, railway sleepers never had to be exact in length or width for their purpose on the railwaytrack, and so the sawmills were fairly ‘give or take’ in the timbers they produced. That means that although these railway sleepers are described as approximately 2600mm in length, or 250mm in width, or 135mm in depth, they may in fact be slightly longer or shorter, and likewise with some variations in width and thickness. As it happens, most landscaping projects have an element of flexibility or tolerance in them and can cope with this. If your project needs exact accuracy in length, width or depth, then you may need to cut the railway sleeper to your precise specifications yourself, or think of using a different size or type of railway sleeper.
Our Comment
These are probably the most durable railway sleepers in the world, with an astonishing life-span, and a massive opportunity for those who are thinking in the long term. These unused tropical hardwood railway sleepers are suitable for all outside landscaping projects including steps, walls, raised beds, decking, ponds, river banks etc.. as well as internal furniture, lintels, woodturning etc.. Indeed, any project where you want extremely long lasting railway sleepers without any chemical treatment. They are a serious weight, so plan for strong help and wheels etc..! These tight-grained tropical hardwoods are beautiful if you cut or plane them, exposing various gorgeous shades of pink, red or yellow. Alternatively you can just enjoy the natural years of silver grey weathering. These tropical hardwood railway sleepers were originally imported into the UK for Network Rail, but did not meet their stringent criteria, or were incorrectly pre-drilled. They originate from approved, responsibly managed forests ensuring healthy and resilient timber for the future, and conserving the well-being of workers, the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the maintenance of the environment.
PROJECT INSPIRATION!
You may know exactly what you are going to build with your railway sleepers. The great wall of China. The Taj Mahal. A perfect plan written in stone after hours of sleepless nights and youtube visits. However you may be more uncertain and in need of moral and practical support, especially if your nearest and dearest is sowing seeds of doubt, as they question your undeniable abilities to landscape the garden. In this case you need inspiration. A boost to your self esteem that will replace uncertainty with optimism. A visit to our projects section! Thousands of projects and photos that will fill you with confidence and excitement, and cement the guaranteed adoration of your once doubting loved one as you triumphantly complete your railway sleeper masterpiece. VISIT NOW!!
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