Thread: how to preserve old sleeper?

Um...throw it out and buy some treated pine sleepers?

Much, much cheaper and less effort than trying to keep an old, already rotting sleeper in some sort of good condition......

40 x 40 cm doesn't sound like a sleeper, that sound more like a piece of bridge timber.

It's pretty hard to just what you mean by "rot". maybe posting some pics of it would help.

If you are just going to paint it I would get some treated pine since it will probably last longer than something that has already started to rot.

Originally Posted by BobL

40 x 40 cm doesn't sound like a sleeper, that sound more like a piece of bridge timber..

That's what I was thinking..... if that's the cross section.... how did you move it??

You could try a Borate product like boracol, or "timbersaver" or good old sump oil
look at the marbons website

Originally Posted by Da bunny lover

You could try a Borate product like boracol, or "timbersaver" or good old sump oil
look at the marbons website

Sorry ment to say mabons, but looks like the site is gone....timbersaver anyway is a borate product that will stop decay, and prevent termites

Originally Posted by Da bunny lover

You could try a Borate product like boracol, or "timbersaver" or good old sump oil
look at the marbons website

Sump oil is not a good choice for a "outdoor garden feature bench" We did this years ago on a sunken pergola - ie lined the pit with sump oil painted sleepers with the intention to use them as seats. problem was that sump oil continued to ooze out of them so no one could sit on them for about 2 years and no one with light coloured clothing could ever really sit on them.

Besides, sump oil is carcinogenic.

How about useing a wire brush to remove the soft stuff and leaving it au naturale. At 40 x 40 it will outlast the grandchildren and a naturally weathering piece will always look good compared to flaking paint or oozing oil stains, and it costs nothing.

Aquanow,

clean off all the weathered timber, otherwise it is a waste of time applying any wood preservative, as it will not get past the weathered exterior, and not effectively seal the timber.

I would clean the surface off with a power plane, then use the wire brush on an angle grinder to give the timber some contrast, and character, THEN COAT WITH A COMMERCIAL WOOD REPRESENTATIVE.

Set on a couple of blocks to keep it off the ground , and you will have a nice garden bench that will last for years.

Jeff

If the timber is really that size and old, and only a little of the surface is "rotting", why not just clean it up and let it be......it;s lasted this long and should surely last a lot longer yet.

Thank you all for your replies and advice.

yes, was thinking along the line of plane it down and see how far I could go, then brush it clean before applying something on it (not to stop the rot, but to give it a cleaner surface to sit on) so may be COMMERCIAL WOOD REPRESENTATIVE will give this result, any particular brand that's not too expensive? was thinking to pick up earls wood hardener from Bunn****

reason why I ask is because I once saw this nice old wood seats in one of the cloth shop in the city, and it looks so bloody fantastic.

and may be something to this effect?

Generally, if it's a really good wood preservative, you'll be paying top dollar for it.

I've used the Earls stuff...lets just say that after that one use, the 3/4 full bottle ended up in the trash. It looked pretty much like a PVA derivative, and as far as 'deeply penetrating' goes, yes, it was, if you definition of deep is measured with a micrometer.

If you must, buy some West or Botecote epoxy to consolodate it, and then put a coat of paint over it to protect the epoxy from UV. That'll cost about $60-$80 for the two products, plus maybe another $30-50 for a good respirator and particulate filter (you shouldn't really be breathing in rotting timber dust, not the healthiest stuff), not to mention the time required to do the timber up...or you could buy a couple of treated pine sleepers for about $40 and be done with it.....

I'd be inclined to make a more appealing place to sit and hold this wonderful wood as a vertical interest in the garden. Unless I miss my guess, there are enough chip marks to indicate that the timber was dressed with an adze.

If your intention is to redress the surface, what result would you find appealing? Probably the most brutal surfacing tool in the markeplace is a chainsaw accessory called a Log Wizard.

After looking closer at these images, if they are of the timber you have, I don't believe that they are railway sleepers. They are in too good condition and appear to be of a far better quality than those used for track sleepers. As said previously, they are far more likely to be from a road bridge. If this is so, then to use them in the manner you are suggesting would be sacriledge. They would be far better put to a better use after resawing and dressing.

If you are fair dinkum with the images and the proposed use, I would gladly buy you sufficient used railway sleepers and then some, in return for taking the ones shown off your hands. 'Course depends where you live; "Australia" is a big place!