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Hi @J-P,
Can you upload an image, so our helpful members have a better idea of the issue you're dealing with? They'd then be much better placed to offer useful advice.
You can certainly use landscape screws to fix the warped timber back in place. However, given these are 75mm thick sleepers, I presume you're going to struggle to return them to the correct shape. Depending on the direction in which the timber has warped, you might be able to push it back into place and fix it off. If there is substantial warping, then I'd recommend you consider replacing the timber and adequately securing it so this issue doesn't arise again.
I'll be looking forward to those images and assisting further. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
would batten screws not work? I have a big box of them (100mm). Also do you know why they would have used nails instead of screws on first place?
Large 16G batten screws would work @J-P, but I'm not sure if 100mm would be long enough to go through the 75mm sleeper whilst providing enough length to secure the sleeper to the post adequately. I'd suggest something along the lines of Zenith 14G x 150mm Galvanised Type 17 Batten Bugle Head Timber Screws would be more appropriate.
I couldn't say why they chose nails instead of screws, but nails would have worked in most situations. Unfortunately, your sleeper has decided to bow upwards and pull the nails out.
Mitchell
Hi @J-P
Just wondering how you got on with this - did you have a win? 😁
The ability of wet sleepers to warp is simply astounding - especially if they're not 'controlled' when first installed.
A neighbour tossed a large pile of old treated sleepers onto his nature strip the other day and I asked if I could have them. "Certainly!" he said.
Just looked at them now more closely. I should have looked more closely at them when they were on the nature strip.
Here's a couple (2.4m).
Now you need to trust me here - both ends, are held down on a flat surface with a heavy weight...
At the other end...
A Thursday afternoon experiment.
Expected outcome = A permanently flat and reusable sleeper.
Method = Clamp one end and cut two long wide kerfs mid-length, in the direction of the warp...
And deep...
Then clamp the other end - slowly...
Ideally the twisting moment will bring the ends together - as the sleeper flattens...
It did...
Clamping was very easy now - and the other end now flat....
Release the clamp.
And the wretched thing springs back to the original ridiculous angle...
Conclusion = A complete and utter waste of time - but fun. 😁
However, I wonder if glue in the cuts would assist, once allowed to dry?
Hi again @J-P
I was thinking earlier about your specific problem. To me, it needs to come down very slowly - before you screw it into place. One thought on achieving (possibly) this, is positioning pre-drilled thick angle iron into place and then passing a large bolt through them.
Tighten daily - just a couple of turns.
Regularly wetting the sleeper may help? Once down - screw into position or screw a thick steel plate at the back.
This is all theory of course. 😁
In the meantime, I'm no longer losing sleep over my sleepers. 😁
