Recycled plastic sleepers

[lizzie]

I need to do a bit of retaining around the boundary and garden only low less than 1m generally.  I was considering sleepers as for various reasons gabions not suitable. The areas of retaining will not be in the main garden but are at the sides so not generally visible.

 

I have chanced upon an eco product - recycled plastic made into 'sleepers' .......and all manner of other garden stuff.

 

I've sent for some samples but wonder if anyone has any experience of them.

https://www.kedel.co.uk/recycled-plastic-lumber-mixed-plastic/recycled-mixed-plastic-beams-sleepers-160-x-80.html

[ryder72]

Check the samples and look at them in person. If they are anything like the recycled decking samples I received I wouldnt touch them with anyones bargepole.

 

Why not use reclaimed railway sleepers. High quality hardwood treated sleepers will cost about half of this stuff and looks the business.

[lizzie]

12 minutes ago, ryder72 said:

Check the samples and look at them in person. If they are anything like the recycled decking samples I received I wouldnt touch them with anyones bargepole.

 

Why not use reclaimed railway sleepers. High quality hardwood treated sleepers will cost about half of this stuff and looks the business.

I chanced on these while googling, my normal self has an aversion to plastic but thought maybe worth a look. Our original thought was new sleepers rather than reclaimed as I don't want any chemicals leaching out and I'm not sure if reclaimed have creosote or such like in them. My friends reclaimed ones were awful they stank.

 

Do you know of a good source of reclaimed ones that are chemically clean?  Reclaimed would be my preference I like to reuse where I can.

[ryder72]

I did some research on these recently. Reclaimed railway sleepers will have been treated with creosote/tar but thats what makes them durable. They can stink on hot days but its not a hug problem apparently. 

 

New sleepers wont have creosote or tar but I have seen oak sleepers in my neighbours garden rotting away in less then 7 years.

 

There is no legislation against used of reclaimed sleepers provided they arent used indoors, in childrens play area, food prep areas or for benches.

[lizzie]

@ryder72 thank you. That is as I thought hence looking at new and know they don't last as well. Sadly I cannot have the chemicals  in proximity to me I have severe allergies and a lung condition, that is part of the reason for building a healthy clean house.  Back to the drawing board!

[Guest Alphonsox]

3 minutes ago, ryder72 said:

New sleepers wont have creosote or tar but I have seen oak sleepers in my neighbours garden rotting away in less then 7 years.
 

 

You can get treated, new, hardwood sleepersif you search around.

[ryder72]

Yes these are the treated one I have seen. They have turned to mush in a house across the road build in 2012.

[lizzie]

Plastic looking better by the minute here guys LOL

 

[Jeremy Harris]

I have to say the idea of using low grade plastic waste to make a product like this does seem to be a very good idea.  Low grade plastic waste is hard to do anything with at the moment, as it contains a mix of different types of plastic.  I know of one process that breaks all these mixed polymers back down to monomers, like ethylene, and these monomers can then be re-processed back into high grade polymers (plastics).  It's a new process though, and expensive, so something simple like just making large, non-structural, plastic "logs" seems a good idea.

 

The only downside I can think of is UV stability.  Many plastics break down under UV exposure, and fade or crack.  As these are made from a mix of plastics, some of which may be UV stable, some of which may not, there may be the possibility of degradation after a few years in the sun.

[lizzie]

as always @JSHarris your comments are very useful. thanks 

[PeterW]

They are produced by a process using foamed plastic extrusion, where about 30% is virgin PVC and the rest is a mix of thermosetting and thermoplastic re-grind. The new plastic forms the “glue” around them. 

 

We discussed this a while back but that’s about blocks I believe...?

 

Nothing wrong with them per se but they can be variable in quality and consistency based on the type of regrind used. 

[ryder72]

5 minutes ago, JSHarris said:

I have to say the idea of using low grade plastic waste to make a product like this does seem to be a very good idea.  Low grade plastic waste is hard to do anything with at the moment, as it contains a mix of different types of plastic.  I know of one process that breaks all these mixed polymers back down to monomers, like ethylene, and these monomers can then be re-processed back into high grade polymers (plastics).  It's a new process though, and expensive, so something simple like just making large, non-structural, plastic "logs" seems a good idea.

 

The only downside I can think of is UV stability.  Many plastics break down under UV exposure, and fade or crack.  As these are made from a mix of plastics, some of which may be UV stable, some of which may not, there may be the possibility of degradation after a few years in the sun.

Sadly Jeremy the aesthetics of a lot of these recycled plastics is pretty awful, particularly if they are visible.

 

But I do agree and would support the use where its invisible.

[Guest Alphonsox]

As  another option you could use wood effect concrete sleepers.

http://www.stonemarket.co.uk/product-timberstone-replica-garden-sleepers

https://www.marshalls.co.uk/homeowners/view-woodstone-sleepers

[lizzie]

3 minutes ago, Alphonsox said:

As  another option you could use wood effect concrete sleepers.

http://www.stonemarket.co.uk/product-timberstone-replica-garden-sleepers

https://www.marshalls.co.uk/homeowners/view-woodstone-sleepers

Wow head like a sieve these days...why didnt I think of those. I used to have some set into the ground here and there as a random pathway into my woodland at the last house. They were brilliant!

Off for a look tomorrow. Thank you.

[MikeSharp01]

My friends and I use these all the time. They are now used on real railways as well as the miniature and narrow gauge stuff I get up to. The oldest ones are now well over 10 years and although the colour has faded they take everything thrown at them by way of weather but are a disaster if you drop burning coals on them as they burn wonderfully.

Edited February 8, 2018 by MikeSharp01

[AdamSee]

I've got a fair bit of experience with this material. They add carbon to the mix to give it greater UV stability, as long as you stick with the black it wont fade, the brown does at around the 8 year mark. I've seen 20 year old black slabs that look pretty good still. The material is made to look like wood by giving it a wood grain surface texture, I'm pretty sure this is done by injecting a tepid plastic mix in to a low temperature mould, which as it hits the outside surface cools rapidly and drags making fine streaks. Which is fine except the bit near the injection spout stays hot and so you get a really smooth piece which you don't really want on show as it just looks naff and will often be mixed in to your order. If you can, make sure you get the supplier to cut it, not only is the stuff dam heavy but its a nightmare to cut, its highly abrasive and wrecks any fast moving blade through the heat generated, abit of WD40 or wax as lubricant can help. Overall it doesn't look half bad outside after a year once its got a bit of green growing on it. The recycled plastic I use is made from used hay bale wrap, which the manufacture collects and washes, shreds and extrudes. 

 

Ahh FYI, never lay it in a way where your going to see a exposed cut end. I've found metal splinters and large clumps of hay in it still.

[lizzie]

Interesting info.

 

I have some samples from a company called Kedel.  There is a sleeper colour that looks like silver weathered wood that might look quite nice. Not had any black samples, I didnt like their brown.