Sleeper wall and steps
Discussion
Hi everyone. I’ve started a project in the garden of a sleeper wall and steps. Approximately 10m wide x 600m high and steps in the middle.
I’m going to lay the base layer flat on damp course membrane with 12mm studding 1 metre into the ground (through pilot holes) straight into the trench I’ve dug. I wanted to get type one scalpings but delivery looks anything up to two weeks,
My question is, will this be sufficient? I have some sand and cement knocking about but wasn’t sure if this would be counter productive with build up of moisture/damp.
Any advice and tips would be very much appreciated.
Christian
I’m going to lay the base layer flat on damp course membrane with 12mm studding 1 metre into the ground (through pilot holes) straight into the trench I’ve dug. I wanted to get type one scalpings but delivery looks anything up to two weeks,
My question is, will this be sufficient? I have some sand and cement knocking about but wasn’t sure if this would be counter productive with build up of moisture/damp.
Any advice and tips would be very much appreciated.
Christian
I've never built a timber retaining wall however, personally, I would omit the DPC and just lay it directly onto the ground because it will want to act as a slip plane and, further, it is unlikely to offer any meaningful resistance to moisture given your sleeper will be below ground anyway and may concievably prevent moisture from penetrating into the ground paradoxically causing the timber to become wetter than might otherwise be the case.
Secondly, I would use 22mm x 900mm road form pins and hammer them into slightly underside pilot holes, say, 900mm centres.
Some form of drainage may be advisable along the back of the timber wall.
Other views available!
Secondly, I would use 22mm x 900mm road form pins and hammer them into slightly underside pilot holes, say, 900mm centres.
Some form of drainage may be advisable along the back of the timber wall.
Other views available!
biggiles said:
12mm rebar pins really are quite spindly- go up to 16mm at least.
(And a long slightly-undersized masonry bit on a drill makes the ground holes pretty easy).
How will you do the end-to-end joins?
I’ll be staggering the end to end joints on the corner part where the steps start. (And a long slightly-undersized masonry bit on a drill makes the ground holes pretty easy).
How will you do the end-to-end joins?
My friend has some of those 18mm x 1m road pins so I’m using those.
And thanks for the previous advice. Sacking off the DPM and ordered some Type 1 to collect from Wickes
Quick question, when building the steps. Do the return pieces run the whole depth of the steps? Or do you cut them the length of that tread?
For example if I’m building 6 sleeper high wall and my depth is 1200mm. do I have each piece at 1200mm, then build the steps on the inside of each piece, or do I stagger them reducing the size by 200mm (depth of step) each time?
For example if I’m building 6 sleeper high wall and my depth is 1200mm. do I have each piece at 1200mm, then build the steps on the inside of each piece, or do I stagger them reducing the size by 200mm (depth of step) each time?
We’ve just had a thought, 200mm deep steps seems a bit shallow? I’ve dug my two trenches for the steps with the thought that my run would’ve been 200mm but now we are thinking 300mm (width of sleeper plus 100mm gravel).
With my total rise being 600mm, am I right in thinking my trenches now have to be 1800mm deep? Seeing as the steps are 100mm high x 300mm deep? Or am I going mad. It just seems a very long run of steps for not a vast height?
With my total rise being 600mm, am I right in thinking my trenches now have to be 1800mm deep? Seeing as the steps are 100mm high x 300mm deep? Or am I going mad. It just seems a very long run of steps for not a vast height?
200mm does feel very shallow - even the stairs in the house are 260mm/10" going & that's not excessive (the rise is about 200mm). This was the first Google hit:
https://garden-design-courses.co.uk/outdoor-steps/
Which seems to indicate 300mm going & 200mm rise is about the limit.
https://garden-design-courses.co.uk/outdoor-steps/
Which seems to indicate 300mm going & 200mm rise is about the limit.
Small update. Starting to fix them into position now (last long sleeper on the top needs cutting down to stagger corner)
Trying to do bits when I can as I’m still working nights full time, wife working from home and baby at home!
Thinking of putting some concrete into the trench on the left and at the back of the wall to make it a bit more sturdy.
Trying to do bits when I can as I’m still working nights full time, wife working from home and baby at home!
Thinking of putting some concrete into the trench on the left and at the back of the wall to make it a bit more sturdy.
Did similar up from our patio, though not sleepers, just 'stout' wood we had lying around from our renovation/rebuild.
Step depth is 300 mm (size of paving slab)
'Treated' back of wood with some cold apply bitumen stuff had lying around after referring shed roof.
Pavings laid on blue circle 'slab layer' premix stuff.
Seem OK for the past 2.5 yrs, though must finish last step this year.
Step depth is 300 mm (size of paving slab)
'Treated' back of wood with some cold apply bitumen stuff had lying around after referring shed roof.
Pavings laid on blue circle 'slab layer' premix stuff.
Seem OK for the past 2.5 yrs, though must finish last step this year.
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