Can you sand a timber sleeper using an orbital sander?

[kprasann1979]

I'm building an outdoor seating bench using 50mm by 200mm sleeper timbers. I would like to have a nice and smooth finish, is it ok to sand them using an orbital sander? Google search tells me varied opinions citing it's poisonous and not to sand vs some people saying it's ok to sand with mask on. Either ways, appreciate any advice on achieving smooth finish, thank you.

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @kprasann1979. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about sanding sleepers.

Sleepers treated with CCA should only be cut to length wearing appropriate PPE gear and used in retaining walls. Any benches, play equipment or items you'll come in contact with regularly need to be constructed from non-CCA treated timber.

If you're planning on sanding sleepers smooth, I'd advise not using any that are treated with CCA. H4 Sienna MicroPro Sleepers would be an option, provided you wear a dust mask, as they don't have an arsenic-based treatment. A non-treated hardwood would also be safe to use for your project. If you want a smooth finish and are painting the seating, you could consider using H3-treated LOSP pre-primed timber. Have a read through this article on How to choose the right timber for the job, as I trust you'll find it helpful.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[kprasann1979]

Thank you Mitchell, the product I bought from Bunnings is "

200 x 50mm 3m Treated Pine Sleeper H4"

The details page of the product says it can be used for DIY furniture and treatment says it's CCA, now your reply worries me so Bunnings is wrong in that advice and CCA must be avoided ? Thank you.

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[MitchellMc]

Hi @kprasann1979,

I'll need to follow this up, and confirm the suitability of this product for garden furniture. 

Many thanks for your patience.

Mitchell

[MitchellMc]

Hi @kprasann1979,

I've confirmed that CCA-treated timber can not be used to construct furniture. I've passed your feedback on to our team so they can adjust the product details on the website.

I apologise for the inconvenience. Please let me know if I can assist in returning the sleepers and selecting a more suitable product.

Mitchell

[Jewelleryrescue]

• Too answer your  question an orbital sand will work but will take you a longer time. Depending on the roughness of the timber I would use an electric planner, and or  a belt sander finishing with an orbital sander.  You  can buy 5 meter rolls of  sandpaper at bunnings for orbitals of different grades and you just  cut them to length I just bought some spare.  If sand paperover hangs side of orbital it is ok. In fact i fold the loose egde up 90 degrees and it is useful to sand into corners. I am about to  do similar project on mine I will use foam cushion covered with water proof material basically upholster it I am olde so my older bones like it. lol  Do they still use the arsenic-based treatment?  Best to use  safer wood too avoid  problems right from the start,  If you  bought the wood from Bunnings you can get a refund on unused materials.  Side noteThis  is a huge advantage shopping a bunnings you can over buy your required materials for a project with out going crazy and any unused materials can be returned saving money too the next project.  Slightly over buying  is great a there is nothing worse than running out of materials to finish the job.  eg I am tiling at the moment well  what if  i ran out of glue 3/4 through job its a pain having go get more.   I would  paint over CCA if in doubt as we have kids and pets around too. I would stain paint  block the timber as  undercoat.  Any timber you use will need some sort of out door protection.  Paint or  clear finish I wouldnt use any high  quality varnish out doors as it has in the past failed(peel) eventually and you will have to scrap and re sand it back to redo varnish a hellishing task (I have seen this at high end properties).  I swear by bunnings sikkens cetol timber fininsh its a stain or cetol 7 is clear and UV stable it goes in as an timber oil soaks in but looks like and acts a varnish but in 10 years time no peeling simply re apply sikkens with brush etc and the timber is protected again soaking in like and oil finishes.  Yes  more expensive but worth it long term possibly easier maintinance.

[kprasann1979]

Thank you for the tips

[kprasann1979]

Thank you Mitchell, have put the sleepers aside for now, too bad I realised after cutting them all at various angles , so doubt if I can return to Bunnings. Will check in-store for any alternate options as the bench I was about to make based on a YouTube channel called Rouge Engineer is really good and drives me to DIY esp when I have all the tools with me. Appreciate your inputs and clarification.

[kprasann1979]

Am going ahead with H4 Sienna MicroPro Sleepers  as you mentioned, thank you much 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @kprasann1979,

We'll be refunding those sleepers for you, and it's not an issue that you've cut them. Let me reach out via private message to get some details from you and next time you're in-store, I'll get the team to return them for you. No need to bring the cut pieces back, either.

Mitchell