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I am in the process of redesigning my back yard. My goal is to make really strong and sturdy wooden edging which won't warp. I had some edging in this home when I moved in and if the timber was 2cm thick that's probably being too kind and the stakes were short, small and pretty pathetic. It warped and completely dislodged within 12 months.
I have now manually edged my lawn to the shape I want it(see attached pictures) and my plan is to use 50mm thick treated pine sleepers for the edging and possibly some timber posts cut to 500mm in length for the stakes to solidly hold the sleepers upright in the ground and for a long time.
I will need to join sleepers together at 90 degree angles as i turn corners and also join sleepers in straight lines as some of my lengths are over 4M long.
Could I ask for some advice on:
1) the best material to use when joining 2 sleepers together in a straight line and at 90 degree angles(I was thinking a timber post could be used but there may be something better to achieve this?)
2) which timber screws would you recommend for this project?
3) any other advice you have for me would be most welcome as I am handy but have never done this before.
Thank you.
I foolishly made an outside workbench by lashing five 2.4m wet sleepers together many years ago and attaching two welded leg frames at the end.
As they dried with each successive hot Aussie summer - the whole thing warped to the point the bench rocked on two diagonal legs. Eventually it took around 50mm of packing under one leg to keep it from rocking.
Disgusted, to tame this I welded threaded rod onto two large concrete bolts and with a piece of steel plate slowly turned the nuts such that the leg "returned to earth." A lotta creaking from the sleepers resisting the counter-force, but in the end I won. 😁
Hi @lfckop5
I wouldn't recommend painting the sleepers as the chemical treatment on them will slowly come out and push the paint right off. Since timber is a natural product the warping comes from the fibres inside the timber when they dry off they shrink and pull the other fibres with them causing them to warp.
If your timber piece happens to be close to a heavy moisture area it would naturally hold back the warping as the water keeps the fibres from drying out. I suggest measuring the depth of the timber pieces you'll be screwing together, just keep in mind that the Zenith Treated Pine Screws do come in shorter lengths.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Hi @lfckop5
My recommendation is to use a builders line to make sure your posts are all lined up. To keep the posts in position, I suggest nailing in some timber offcuts to brace them into position. Just make sure that the timber braces are firm enough to keep them in place but easy enough for you to hammer off. Please remember that you will have time to adjust and line up the posts as the cement settles in.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
That is another excellent method to hold the posts in place. Let me tag @lfckop5 to make them aware of your suggestion. Having the post floating in the middle of the cement foot will definitely make the post last longer.
Thank you for sharing such a great suggestion.
Eric
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