07511 298 688
Sleeper & Planters
Sleepers prrovide an excellent, long last and attractive soloution for planters and garden boxes
There are 3 main 'styles' I install sleepers in. These being planter boxes, tiered beds and 'walling'.
Whichever style is chosen the sleepers will be a minimum of 200mm x 100mm cross section. In general softwood timber is used, but Oak is also a popular option. Reclaimed sleepers can be used, but are usually impregnated with various oils or creosote which will weep from the sleepers during the summer months. This can lead to serious staining of clothes and skin.
All timber, unless otherwise stated, is treated with Tanilth E, to ensure longevity.
From a google AI overview;
'Tanalith E is a popular, water-based wood preservative used in industrial pressure treatment to protect timber from rot, fungi, and insects, making it durable for outdoor uses like decking, fencing, and construction by penetrating deep into the wood with copper and azole fungicides, resulting in long-lasting, often greenish-tinted, "Tanalised" timber. This treatment process involves vacuum and pressure to ensure deep chemical absorption, enhancing wood's resistance to decay and weathering for various applications, including in-ground contact.'
Planter Boxes
Sturdy and long lasting
Planter boxes are an effective way of decorating or covering an unsightly features or areas.
Using sleepers allows large areas to be covered with relatively little material. The larger wood not only affords extra life to the structure but also changes with weather over time giving a natural organic look to the timber.
Generally finished off as either a 'planting' pot or a 'low maintenance bed'. The planting pot would be topped off with a good grade top soil, to allow planting. The low maintenance bed is finished with a layer of matting and 30mm - 50mm of decorative stone, allowing plant pots to be put on top if so desired. In both cases any internal posts and walls are also treated for protection against soil contact.
Tiered sleeper beds are generally used when there is a steep sloped area that the customer wants to cover. Splitting the slope into more manageable tiers give a larger, flatter more usable area.
Generally finished off as either a 'planting' pot or a 'low maintenance bed'. The planting pot would be topped off with a good grade top soil, to allow planting. The low maintenance bed is finished with a layer of matting and 30mm - 50mm of decorative stone, allowing plant pots to be put on top if so desired. In both cases any internal posts and walls are also treated for protection against soil contact.
Different design would be used dependent on the application and sometime for part of a larger landscaping project.
Excellent solution for steep, hard to use slopes
Tiered Sleeper Beds
Sleeper walls are great for covering large unsightly area or gaps in permiter fencing or hedging. Also great for covering boundrie fencing that you may not be allowed to remove.
Sometime used to light retention of soil (NOT a retaining wall) where there is minimal footfall or forming the base of something else.
Examples shown show slight retention of garden soil, well away from the pavement and driveway. Also shown is a small wall built to shield part of a perimeter fence not belonging to the customer. The venitian style fence above the sleepers was left with wider gaps to allow more sunlight through for the grass. In both cases any internal posts and walls are also treated for proctection against soil contact / weather.