How to treat hardwood sleepers for making a kids sandpit?

[bazz235]

I bought some hardwood sleepers to make my kids sandpit. But as I've been looking into painting it, it appears the sleepers from Bunnings are treated with CCA and shouldn't be used.

I hired a van to get them home so if possible, I'd like to use them. Is there any paint or treatment that can be used to make them safe?

[DC15]

Hi @MitchellMc ,

I'm looking to paint the H4 Sienna sleepers so that they would last longer. To bypass the 28 day period for it to age, can I use Cabots Timber Prep to remove any stains and then paint it in a day or 2.

If Cabots timber prep isn't suitable for this, could you advise alternate options?

Thanks!

[MitchellMc]

Hi @DC15,

Just so you know, those sleepers are adequately treated to go into the soil and last for many, many years. With above-ground use as a sandpit, they should be good for around 20 years. However, if you want to paint them, you certainly can. The 28 days is more for them to expel any sap they have in them as pine can tend to bleed sap through painted coatings, especially lighter colours.

Cleaning them with Timber Prep will strip some of their colouring out of them but won't really help with the sap issue. After using the Timber Prep it would be worth using an oil-based primer such as Dulux 1L White Prepcoat 1Step Oil Based Primer Sealer And Undercoat as that will give you the best chance of blocking this sap staining.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[DC15]

Thanks @MitchellMc !

Apologies, I'm new to this space and am unsure of the best way to go about this. Since Timber Prep would strip of the colouring and won't help with the sap issue, is waiting 28 days the best way to go about painting them.

I'm planning to use these sleepers to build garden beds for flowering plants. Since they'll be in contact with soil, was wondering if giving it a coat of paint would these sleepers last longer.

[JacobZ]

Hi @DC15,

You'll notice I've responded to your post Looking for front yard landscaping guidance where I've offered guidance on this topic.

Have a read and let me know what you think.

Jacob

[DC15]

Thanks @JacobZ