Wooden railway sleepers are highly popular with DIY enthusiasts and people who are looking to get creative with their home and garden makeovers. You can get a lot out of one simple railways sleeper and it can help transform a property – especially in the garden, where there is plenty of scope for creative ideas to make a space beautiful, unique and inviting.

There are many different types of sleepers you can purchase: new untreated railway sleepers, eco-friendly treated sleepers, and reclaimed railways sleepers. Reclaimed railways sleepers are those that have been previously used, usually on railways tracks and lines. They might have been sourced from anywhere in the UK, making them a great option if you are keen to recycle and reuse.

It isn’t just their environmental credentials that make sleepers great, though. The reasons why people choose reclaimed sleepers in particular vary from the aesthetics, to the strength and integrity that they offer. If you want quality wood for a project in your garden, then reclaimed sleepers could be just the answer you are looking for.

Some reasons why you should consider reclaimed railway sleepers for your next garden or home improvement project

Here are some of the top reasons to consider reusing railways sleepers in your garden:

• A vintage, rustic aesthetic. Used wood gets weather, which means it adds character. There will of course be some imperfections, but these can add even more charm if this is what you are looking for. Equally, if you would like the reshape them and get rid of some of these blemishes, you can do so, cutting sleepers down to size or modifying them in another way. This can also help to reveal the wooden layers beneath, showing up the beautiful grain of the wood.
• Good value for money. You can get reclaimed railway sleepers for a very generous price, helping to make your project more affordable. New sleepers might cost more, and they simply won’t be able to offer the same degree of charm. You can get a more beautiful, more characterful wood product for a lower price – what is not to love?
• Highly customisable. You can choose to have treated or untreated railways sleepers depending on your preferences and where you intend to use them. Many untreated timber sleepers have been left this way for many years due to the fact that they are robust and simply don’t require any kind of treatment. This gives them even more character and means they can be used in areas that might be wet, such as water features. Treated sleepers will often be made of oak and, despite treatment, will still retain a lovely natural appearance. They might work well for use around borders, or to make paths or edging for flower beds.
• Good for the environment. Don’t forget that these sleepers have previously been used on railways, potentially for many years. They are a great choice for the environment, reusing wood that would otherwise have been discarded and preventing the need to cut down more trees.