How Do I Stop My Artificial Grass from Smelling of Dog Urine?

Does your artificial lawn smell bad? Does it impact the quality of time you spend in your garden with your family and friends? Are you looking for solutions to eliminate the smell of dog urine from artificial grass?

Bad smells are one of the common issues homeowners are worried about when they think about installing artificial grass, especially if the household has pets. This is why we’ve created a comprehensive guide to deal with bad smells when using artificial grass.

From practical solutions to deal with the immediate smell to exploring the reasons why your lawn might be prone to unpleasant smells to offering a comprehensive guide on turf maintenance! Read on and explore how you can become the proud owner of a prettier, healthier artificial garden or lawn!

Eliminating Dog Urine Smell Emanating From Artificial Grass: 5 Effective Methods

When your artificial lawn or garden suffers from bad odour, the issue can range from a mild inconvenience to a major issue that impacts you and your family’s ability to relax, host events, or enjoy the outdoors. It is imperative you handle it as quickly as possible as bad odour, especially from organic sources like dog pee only gets worse with time!

Thankfully, there are practical and reliable methods of cleaning dog urine from artificial grass, and in this section, we’ll go over 5 key methods:

• Wash the Turf with a High-Pressure Hose

One of the first and easiest steps you take when your artificial turf smells of unpleasant odours is to try to power wash it with warm water using a high-pressure hose. This step doesn’t always work, especially if the smell of dog urine has taken root, but it is easy, cheap, and doesn’t require any specialised tools or chemicals, which makes it a great first step to identify the severity of the situation.

• Gently Rub the Artificial Grass with Diluted White Vinegar

Diluted white vinegar can eliminate and neutralise the trace amounts of chemicals that give pet urine its distinct smell. Gently brushing and washing the specified spot with diluted white vinegar and carefully rinsing it with water is an effective strategy to deal with the smell of dog urine.

Be careful, however, as highly concentrated white vinegar can be dangerous to fake grass, and in rare circumstances, it might even result in bleaching and discolouration.  Make sure the vinegar is properly diluted before applying it to the artificial turf.

• Apply a Deodoriser

There are specifically made artificial grass cleaners and deodorisers that are specifically designed to deal with stubborn smells, pet urine, and other common impurities faced regularly when maintaining an artificial turf.

Make sure you purchase a high-quality deodoriser that doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, follow the use instructions carefully and make sure you apply the spray bottle tentatively to not harm the turf, and

• Use Pet-friendly Infills

If you are designing an artificial turf for a property with many pets and need to constantly worry about pet urine odor, it is worth investing in pet-friendly infills. These infills are specifically designed to allow pet urine drainage without attracting any long-term smells. They can be a blessing for cat and dog owners who want to ensure their property’s fake grass remains low maintenance.

• Hire a Specialised Cleaner

If bad smells still persist, you might need to consider hiring a specialist cleaner. A specialist cleaner is capable of analysing and inspecting the turf, the landfill, and the subbase identifying which layers are retaining bad odours and promptly proposing solutions. It is perfect for households who want a quick fix to bad odours.

Why Is Your Artificial Grass Prone to Bad Smells?

Poor drainage is the primary reason bad smells linger on artificial turf. Whether it is pet urine, rainwater, or a spilt drink, poor drainage traps the liquid in the turf, introducing a highly unpleasant smell and letting the chemicals fester, which is a considerable health risk.

There are multiple reasons why your artificial grass installation might suffer from poor drainage. If you want a permanent solution to the smell of dog urine or any other unpleasant smell, you must identify the reasons and act to fix them:

Low-quality Infills and subbase

One of the primary responsibilities of an artificial turf’s infills and subbase is facilitating water drainage. High-quality infills and subbase feature pockets of space that allow liquids to flow while maintaining the integrity and durability of the artificial grass installation. Finding the right infills and subbases for your artificial lawn is critical,

Weed Membranes

Weed membranes are an excellent way to prevent weed growth on artificial lawns. If you live in a humid environment prone to weed growth, they could be necessary. Sadly, they aren’t without their downsides, including reduced drainage capacity.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t install weed membranes. On the contrary, high-quality weed membranes are still vital for an artificial grass installation. However, before installation, you need to ensure the weed membrane offers reliable drainage.

Low-grade Artificial Grass

Last but certainly not least, the quality of the artificial grass is an important part of the equation when analyzing drainage. The blades of low-grade artificial grass tend to lump together and become sticky, especially as time passes. This makes it substantially harder for liquids to drain through, resulting in an awful smell.

Bad Installation

Ultimately, while the quality of the individual components that make an artificial lawn greatly matters, the quality of the installation has an equal impact on drainage and durability. To minimise pet urine odour, you need to be careful during installation, following best practices, carefully inspecting the turf, and testing its drainage capabilities.

Maintaining Artificial Grass: Comprehensive Guide

Though bad smells, especially from animal waste, are one of the biggest signs your lawn needs maintenance, that doesn’t mean those are the only instances you should maintain your artificial turf!

Maintaining your artificial lawn is a process that needs to be performed regularly. This ensures that your lawn looks immaculate, feels great, and lasts long. Here, we’ll go over a comprehensive step-by-step guide to regular maintenance:

Create and Adhere to a Consistent bi-weekly or monthly schedule:

You must adhere to a consistent schedule when trying to maintain your artificial lawn. While taking the time to do a thorough job is important, the consistency of the cleaning matters just as much if not more.

Through a consistent bi-weekly or monthly cleaning schedule, you’ll be able to keep a constant eye on the state of the artificial lawn. Are there any outdoor surfaces that require immediate attention? You can clean it and prevent long-lasting damage to the turf. Has there been unexpected weed growth in a specific area of the turf? You can preemptively stop the breakout. These are just two examples of how routine inspections ensure a clean, durable, and healthy artificial lawn!

Ensure You Have All the necessary tools:

Cleaning is both time-consuming and physically exhausting. This is doubly true for lawns and gardens, which are located outside, often cover large areas, and are subject to Britain’s famous variable weather conditions.

One key way to make sure the process goes along smoothly is by ensuring you have all the necessary cleaning tools at hand. This includes common household items like a brush, a rake, and a hose, and it also includes specific cleaning solutions that you plan to use to eliminate undesirable smells. Whether this is baking soda, an enzymatic cleaner, or uric acid, make sure the solution is prepared and at hand before starting the cleanup.

Take a systemic step-by-step approach to cleaning:

Cleaning an artificial turf is largely a simple, methodical step-by-step process that property owners only need to learn once.

• You should start by carefully surveying the lawn. Are there any solid wastes, debris, or otherwise visible litter? You should start by clearing these out. This will help you clear out larger objects, allowing you to perform a more thorough and seamless cleaning process.
• Next, you need to check the health of the artificial turf and ensure it offers adequate drainage. Are there any wet patches? Perhaps a smelly turf? Are there any areas where the grass has clumped together? These are signs
• After that, you should check out the sources of bad smells and apply effective solutions, be they home remedies like uric acid or specially-designed cleaning agents. Apply the solutions slowly and carefully.
• Lastly, make sure you completely rinse the area with warm water to wash away any traces of the cleaning agent. While cleaning agents are fine to use, prolonged exposure, without rinsing, can damage the turf.

After rinsing the turf, simply allow it time to dry up and then inspect it again. Your lawn or garden should look clean, the affected area should smell nice, and your artificial grass should remain immaculate for years to come!

How to join artificial grass?

Joining multiple rolls is one of the key tasks of installing artificial grass. This is essential to create larger, more vibrant lawns and gardens that truly fit your property. So, how to join artificial grass? This article will go over everything you need to know! 

Why is proper joining of artificial grass important? 

• Flexibility: Joining multiple patches of artificial grass allows you to create larger and more flexible gardens and lawns with dedicated grilling areas, children’s playgrounds, and more. The possibilities are limitless! 
• Improved Aesthetics: Ensuring your artificial turfs have been properly joined will help you create an immaculate, aesthetically pleasing artificial lawn that can act as a perfect garden for your property. 
• Durable Installation: The approach to joinings will have a substantial impact on the quality of an artificial turf installation. The use of low-quality joint tape might result in poor drainage. The excessive use of glue might result in lasting damage to the artificial grass.  

5 Steps to properly join artificial grass

With all these advantages, the obvious question becomes, “How to join artificial grass?” Thankfully, with the right tools and proper guidance, the process is simple: 

#1 Prepare the necessary tools 

Joining artificial grass takes time and preparation. Before you start, you must ensure you have all the necessary equipment. The equipment you need includes joining tape, a tape measure, fixing pins/nails, a sharp knife or a blade, a high-quality glue or adhesive, potentially a trowel, gloves, and a roller. 

Joining artificial grass is a time-sensitive task, so lacking the necessary tools will not only delay the task but also impact the quality of the turf and increase the likelihood that traces of the joining will stay visible. 

#2 Prepare the ground and lay down the turf

After preparing all the necessary tools, it is time to lay the groundwork for the seaming. This starts by cleaning up the area where you plan to lay down the turf. This is highly important if you want your artificial garden to look even, professional, and trim. 

• If older/natural turf is in place, it needs to be removed before work starts. The ground also needs to be clean and dry, and any debris or waste needs to be carefully cleared up before work starts. 
• You must then proceed to even the ground with a roller or a vibrating plate. At this stage, if notice any weeds or invasive plants, you need to root them out and potentially use a weed killer. 
• Carefully lay down around ~3 inches of limestone. Make sure the limestone is compact and evenly laid down. The limestone needs to be topped with a firm yet slim layer of fine stone. Both together act as a subbase for the artificial lawn. 
• Carefully lay down the artificial grass. Make sure the separate patches of artificial grass are parallel to each other and have a space of about 5~ inches between them. 

These steps are similar to installing regular artificial grass, but nonetheless, they are necessary if you are looking to ensure your lawn looks realistic, stylish, and seamless after the joining process.

#3 Prepare and cut the joins

During this step, you want to make sure the turf pieces fully resemble each other and are ready for the joining process. 

Start by folding each turf piece for about 2 or 3 inches so the seams of the artificial grass are fully visible. Now, grab the blade or the sharp knife we mentioned in the tools section and make a small cut alongside the length of each turf you want to join. 

The gap between each turf needs to be about 5 inches, and you must ensure the finishes of the seams of each turf fully match the one next to it. This is how you guarantee there are no visible traces of the joining once the process is done. 

#4 Apply joining tape or adhesive or both 

Now, it is time to join the turfs together. There are a few methods of joining artificial grass, with the most common being tape or adhesive. Both methods are incredibly popular and have their advantages and disadvantages. We’ll go over how a property owner can install artificial grass using both methods! 

Tape 

When using tape to join an artificial turf, a high-quality jointing tape with a strong bond is necessary. There are specially made joining tapes that are designed for turf installation. These tapes are usually green, water resistant, and offer excellent drainage. 

 After you buy the appropriate tape, you need to carefully lay it down between the artificial turfs and then slowly unfold the turfs from both sides. Make sure each turf is an equal distance away from the middle of the tape, and when unfolding the artificial grass, do it slowly and meticulously. Carefully lay down the turf making sure it is even without any pockets of air. Gently massage the joint section until it properly settles and there are no visible traces of the joining!

Adhesive 

Adhesives are equally viable when joining artificial lawns. First, you need to prepare a high-quality glue that’s not harmful to artificial grass. Ideally, this glue is green and is capable of providing a long-lasting finish. 

Applying the adhesive is a rather simple process. You just need a mastic gun. Slowly apply the adhesive to a base in a 2 or 3-inch wide pattern along the length of each turf and then unfold the the turf and slowly pressure it into the adhesive. Make sure you don’t apply too much adhesive as that might leak and permanently damage the artificial grass! 

Both

Alternatively, you can apply both a joint tape and an adhesive when you install artificial grass. The process is identical to what’s been outlined above, but after you finish placing the jointing tape on each edge of the turf, you apply a layer of adhesive. This makes At Timberstore, we offer both high-quality joining tape and adhesive, specifically made for artificial grass!

#5 Give the turf time to rest and solidify  

After applying adhesives, the artificial grass requires some time to dry and settle. During this period, you mustn’t walk on the turf nor apply any kind of unexpected pressure to it. This might make the pieces of the artificial grass move before they’re properly glued together, which can irrevocably harm the installation.

How to clean indian sandstone paving slabs?

Indian sandstone slabs are durable, captivating, and aesthetically pleasing whether installed in a patio or a garden. It is one of the premier choices when homeowners look to create pathways, renovate their homes, or upgrade their property’s curb appeal. 

Key to a gorgeous patio and garden, however, is ensuring the sandstone slabs are properly maintained and regularly cleaned. This minimises weed growth and green discolouration, helps your home look well-kept and inviting, and reduces the need for repairs and renovations. But, how to go about cleaning Indian sandstone paving slabs, exactly? This article will be an A-to-Z step-by-step guide to cleaning and maintaining your sandstone slabs! 

Preparing to Clean Indian Sandstone Slabs

Understand What the Cleaning Process Will Entail 

Though cleaning Indian sandstone is broadly the same, each home and property has unique needs and different requirements. Does your patio suffer from stubborn stains? Is there a lot of surface debris? Do you need to prevent weed growth? The answer to these questions will be different from one household to another, necessitating different cleaning approaches. 

So, before you start, carefully inspect the condition of your sandstone paving slabs and take note of what state they are in – only then will you have an accurate grasp of how to proceed. 

Tools You Need 

After inspection, it is time to prepare all the necessary tools and equipment during the cleaning process. Thankfully, most of the tools you’ll need are common household items. They include a brush, preferably with hard bristles, a bucket to prepare the cleaning solution, and a pressure washer or a hose to clean the slabs. 

Preparing the Space Before Cleaning

Before you start cleaning Indian sandstone slabs, you need to prepare the space so you can carry out your tasks without any inconvenience or impediment. 

Whether you are cleaning your patio or garden, make sure to declutter the space with no objects lying about like outdoor furniture, platforms, and toys. These will slow down the cleaning process and leave blindspots behind. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Indian Sandstone

• Prepare the cleaning mixture: Start by preparing the cleaning mixture. Whether it is a bleach solution or soapy water, it must be ready and easily accessible before the cleaning process begins. Make sure you have an adequate amount of the solution so the cleaning process doesn’t slow down midway through! 
• Spread the mixture over the slabs: Spread the mixture over the slabs. Make sure they are all properly covered. If you’ve followed the previous steps, the space should be clear, and applying the cleaning mixture is straightforward from there. 
• Scrub the slabs: Put elbow grease in and start carefully scrubbing the slabs with a stiff brush. Make sure you pay particular attention to the corners and the edges of each slab. Don’t stop until the gleam of the natural stone shines through! 
• Rinse the slabs with warm water: After you’ve put the stiff brush to work, it is time to rinse the slabs with clean water. Make sure there’s no sign of the cleaning solution. Improper rinsing will not only mislead you about the state of your slabs, but it can even lead to discolouration and permanent damage if you are not careful. 
• Inspect the state of the slabs: After the slabs have been properly rinsed, it is time for one final checkup. Are there any spots you missed? Any stains you didn’t properly take care of? Whether it is through a stiff broom or warm water, complete the finishing touches!
• Apply any additional solutions or treatments: Is your patio suffering from green discoloration? Weed is killing your garden? These issues need to be addressed individually. Cleaning with soapy water isn’t enough. At Timberstore, for example, aside from providing excellent Indian sandstone paving slabs, we also provide granite and membranes that prevent and minimise weed growth!

Cleaning Indian Sandstone FAQ

What’s the Best Way to Clean Indian Sandstone Paving Slabs? 

The best way to clean Indian sandstone slabs largely depends on the conditions of your home. If your patio is in relatively good condition, and the only concerns are debris and impurities, then simply washing and wiping the slabs with soapy water is enough to restore their looks. If, on the other hand, there’s weed overgrowth, tough stains, and other significant problems, power washing, scrubbing with a household bleach mixture, and applying anti-weed treatment might all be steps you need to take to properly clean sandstone paving slabs! Check out this article if you want a detailed, step-by-step guide to the process. 

Is It Okay to Powerwash Indian Sandstone? 

Indian sandstone is completely natural and has undergone little processing, making it slightly more susceptible to damage from a high-pressure washer. This doesn’t mean you can’t use a power washer, however! As long as you make sure to keep the pressure under 2,000 PSI, you should be able to safely and efficiently clean your sandstone slabs with a power washer!

How to Make Indian Sandstone Slabs Look Good? 

Indian sandstone offers natural beauty and is an excellent complement to gardens and patios. To keep the slabs in excellent condition always looking good, regular maintenance is key. This includes regular washing and cleaning, checkups to identify and fix any signs of damage/cracks, and more. 

Is a Bleach Cleaning Solution Suitable for Indian Sandstone? 

Bleach is a powerful chemical that can clear out stubborn smudges and impurities including moss and algae, wine stains, and more. If properly and carefully used, they are a powerful cleaning agent that can be used to breathe new life into your Indian sandstone paving slabs and restore their conditions. Bleach also has anti-bacterial properties and can help with weed control. In summary, if properly used, bleach is a suitable and powerful cleaning agent that can help you clean your Indian sandstone patio and garden!

Why is sandstone used for Paving Slabs? 6 reasons you should consider sandstone paving for your home

Due to their natural beauty, allure, and elegance, natural Indian sandstone paving slabs are en vogue in recent years, widely used in construction from patios to gardens and commercial spaces. 

But beyond their aesthetics, sandstone paving slabs are also incredibly practical, and in this article, we’ll go over 6 reasons why you should consider them for your new construction, renovation, or extension! 

#1 Sandstone paving slabs are durable

Formed due to natural processes that have taken millions of years, sandstone is fundamentally durable and has great resistance to weathering and deterioration. It can withstand both low and high temperatures, UV rays, rain, humidity, and more. 

These qualities make sandstone paving slabs a natural choice for outdoor spaces in the UK. With sandstone, you don’t need to worry about discolouration, fissures, and cracks, making them a low-maintenance, durable option that’s worth investing in. 

#2 Sandstones offer a lot of diversity 

Getting their characteristics from the topography and geography of the regions they are sourced from, sandstone paving slabs are made from a diverse range of natural stones, largely native to India. This means that homeowners have many styles and designs to choose from. 

From gorgeous, Raj Green natural Indian sandstone paving slabs to Kandla grey slabs, there are virtually limitless colours, designs, and aesthetics, and with Timberstore, you can find the natural Indian sandstone slabs that best fit your home! 

#3 Sandstones are flexible 

Whether it is an outdoor space in a busy commercial area, it is a path through a traditional garden, or it is the porch of a modern home with a minimalist design, both in its aesthetics and its installation, sandstone offers enough flexibility to be a perfect choice for all these scenarios. 

Thanks to its natural beauty, durability, and safety, sandstone can be your go-to option whenever you need paving slabs that both adorn your property and help create functional spaces that you, your family, your guests, and/or your customers can use. 

#4 Sandstones are safe and reliable

Sandstone has many qualities that make it incredibly safe and reliable for use as a paving slab. 

• Sandstone has natural anti-slip properties: made from sand grains, quartz, and cementing material pressurised over epochs, sandstone has natural anti-slip properties that make it perfect for gardens and pathways. 
• Sandstone can withstand a lot of weight: With a strength of more than 12.9 MPa, sandstone is more than capable of withstanding heavy weights. In common domestic and commercial settings, you never need to worry about natural stone paving slabs cracking under pressure. 
• Sandstone doesn’t lend itself to fracturing easily: due to its formation, unlike many other common paving materials, sandstone isn’t prone to fracturing or slitting. It continues to be safe to walk, run, and play on for years after its installation. 

These are why sandstone is a favourite of families with kids and pets helping create a safe environment. 

#5 Sandstones are environmentally friendly 

Abundant, durable, recyclable, sandstone paving slabs are one of the foremost environmentally friendly construction materials in the world. Compared to other materials, it is a natural stone that’s mined and refined using low-impact, energy-efficient methods that produce little negative side effects, both on the geography of the regions they’re mined from and on global temperatures. 

If you are looking to reduce your CO2 footprint and minimise the impact of your new dream home on the environment, sandstones are worth considering. 

#6 Sandstone slabs are affordable

Despite their durability, their flexibility, and their environmental friendliness, sandstone paving slabs remain surprisingly affordable. Thanks to their abundance in nature and careful sourcing by our team at Timberstore, you can get your hands on a variety of sandstone paving slabs at excellent prices. 

If you are afraid your renovation project is going over budget, if you want to keep costs low, and if you want to do both without compromising on quality, Indian sandstone paving slabs are for you! 

How to Fit Wooden Gravel Boards?

Constructing a robust wooden fence that can provide adequate privacy, withstand the elements, and fit the aesthetics of your property is easier than many homeowners imagine. You need the proper materials and the right approach, and within a weekend, you can have an excellent fence. 

This guide will teach you all about timber gravel boards: What are they, why are they a key element of building a proper fence, and how can you integrate them with your fence panels and posts? This article will answer these questions and more! 

What Are Gravel Boards? 

Gravel boards, usually made from timber, concrete, or steel, are robust boards that fit under the fence. They are designed to insulate the fence from the ground and provide structural support. A gravel board makes the fence more resilient against weather and against physical impact from common objects like soccer balls. 

Why Are Wooden Gravel Boards Necessary to Build a Robust Fence? 

• Prevent premature rot: Wooden gravel boards prevent direct contact between the ground and the fence panels. This protects the latter from ground moisture, fungi, and rot, making the fence last longer. 
• Strengthen the foundation of the fence: Secured using wooden blocks, metal clips, or galvanised screws, gravel boards act as a foundation for the entire structure, bringing it together, strengthening it, and making it less susceptible to wind, rain, and physical impact. 
• Reduce maintenance costs: A pressure-treated timber gravel board isn’t only durable and low-maintenance itself, but it also helps protect the fence installation as a whole, reducing maintenance costs and preventing the need to replace the panels and posts. 
• Make the fence look better: Though aesthetics is a matter of preference, gravel boards are generally considered to make fences look better. They fill out any gaps in the ground, they give the structure a unique texture, and they accentuate and complement fence panels well! If you want a garden fence that looks unique, gravel boards are the way to go! 

3 Ways to Fit Timber Gravel Boards

The gravel board installation process is simple, which is part of the reason why it is so popular. Homeowners looking to fit gravel boards into their fence have multiple options in how they go about it: 

1. Fence Post Metal Clips 

Metal clips or cleats are an excellent way to fasten gravel boards directly to the fence posts. You need cleats, nails, a measure tape and spirit level, and that’s it. 

You start by measuring and marking the exact place on the posts where you need to install the cleats, then you fix the cleats to the posts using nails, and finally, you slot in the gravel board into the cleats on each side. Make sure the installation is straight with a spirit level and voila! 

1. Slot-in Fence Posts 

Gravel boards directly slot into slotted fence posts with minimal effort. You just need to make sure the dimensions of the posts and the gravel boards match. Here, a reliable building supply store that can arrange both the timber gravel boards and the fence posts for you helps tremendously.

1. Fixed Directly to the Fence Posts 

Fixing the gravel boards directly to the fence posts is also an option. It is affordable, it is easy to do, and it can be your go-to method for a variety of fence types and designs. Here, you need durable fence posts made from high-quality timber with the proper width and height for your gravel boards.

At Timberstore, we offer pressure-treated timber fence posts that are perfect for fitting gravel boards. Check them out! 

How to Install Concrete Gravel Boards?

Having beautiful and reliable fencing is essential to modern homes and gardens, and part of this is finding the right gravel boards to bolster and improve your fence. 

This article goes over everything homeowners need to know about concrete gravel boards. Wondered what are their pros and cons? If you can use concrete fence posts alongside them? How do they match with a fence panel? You’ll find the answer here! 

Pros and Cons of a Concrete Gravel Board

To understand why concrete gravel boards are increasingly popular with homeowners, you merely need to look at their advantages. When used in conjunction with concrete fence posts and fence panels, they create incredibly sturdy and reliable fencing: 

The Pros of Gravel Boards

• Strong foundation that ensures your fence can withstand rain storms and gales.
• Concrete has immunity against insects and other animals that can damage and eat away at wooden fence boards. 
• A concrete gravel board easily slots into place making the installation straightforward.   

The Cons of Gravel Boards

• Heavy and unwieldy. You might need assistance when carrying and fitting gravel boards. 

Step-by-Step Installation Process

After you’ve planted your corner posts and intermediate posts to the correct depth, secured them with a concrete mix and installed the fence panels, it is time to fit gravel boards and complete your fence: 

• Tools and Items You Need Before Starting 

Before you start, there are some tools and items you need. Making sure you have these on hand will make the fence installation faster and smoother: A drill, a hammer, screws or nails, grave board clips or cleats, and a spirit level.

• Preparing the Gravel Boards

Before installing them, you need to make sure the gravel boards are uniform in size and compatible with your fence posts. Carefully measure the distance between fence posts and width and see how your gravel boards compare. If they’re too long, you’ll need to cut them with a circular saw. 

• Slotting In the Gravel Boards

After you’ve prepared the boards, it is time to install the clips/cleats. Use a tape measure and denote the correct position to install the clips with a pencil, use a drill to create holes in the fence posts, and secure the clips with nails/screws. 

After the clips are successfully installed, if all your measurements are correct, fitting gravel boards is only a matter of slotting them in. You can even forgo using clips by digging holes and fastening the gravel board directly into the concrete fence posts, though this approach is more fraught and requires experience. 

• Adding the Finishing Touches to the Fence

You should now be a proud owner of a strong, functional fence. The only thing that’s left is some finishing touches like installing the fence post caps and painting the fence to ensure it matches the aesthetics and design of your home/garden.

Concrete Fence Posts and Boards FAQ

How Do You Attach Concrete Gravel Boards?

Attaching gravel boards to your fence is a relatively simple process. If you have slotted posts, the process is as simple as slotting in the gravel boards after cutting them and ensuring they fit the dimensions of your posts. If you have traditional fence posts, you need to use gravel board clips. Secure the clips on each fence post with drills and screws and then slot the gravel boards in.

Should Concrete Gravel Boards Touch the Ground?

There are no adverse side effects to the gravel boards touching the ground as they are naturally resistant to moisture and rotting, so it is ultimately a matter of preference. If you want complete privacy with no gaps in your fence, the boards should touch the ground.
If there are gaps between the fence panels and you don’t want the gravel boards to appear out of place, you can leave gaps between a grave board and the ground.

How to Erect a Fence with Concrete Posts and Gravel Boards? Step-by-step Guide

Fencing is a valuable addition to any garden: It offers privacy, protection, and increases the curb appeal of the property. Constructing robust, stylish fencing that matches and complements the building is a dream of every property owner. 

Sadly, many don’t know how to approach the project. What fence posts to use? What are the differences between corner and end posts? How to slot in a fence panel? There are hundreds of questions homeowners have with few resources available to get them started. 

This blog post will be different! It’s your complete guide to designing and constructing fencing with concrete posts and gravel boards from A to Z. From their advantages to how to erect the fencing, it has everything you need to know!

Why Choose Concrete Fence Posts and Gravel Boards?

Both concrete fence posts and gravel boards are increasingly used in home and garden fencing because they provide several advantages when compared to traditional timber.

Benefits of a Concrete Fence Post

• Durability: Concrete fence posts are highly durable and resistant to severe weather conditions, holding the entire fence together extremely well, making the construction durable and long-lasting.
• Cost: Concrete posts are highly affordable and can help homeowners design and construct the fence of their dreams with a minimal budget.
• Ease of Installation: Installing concrete fence posts is simple. The posts are easy to handle and the fence panels simply slot in, making the process an excellent DIY project!

Benefits of a Gravel Board

• Resistance to Moisture: Gravel boards provide a solid base for your fence that protects it from direct contact with the ground. This prevents moisture damage, provides resistance to fungi, and ensures the fence panels are secure.
• Increased Privacy: gravel boards, especially alongside concrete posts, ensure there are no gaps or cracks in the fencing, providing privacy in your homes and gardens.

Steps to Erect a Fence with Concrete Posts and Gravel Boards

1. Dig Holes for the Concrete Fence Posts

After designing the fencing and identifying and pinpointing where the posts and panels will be installed, securing the fence posts is the first order of business. This starts with digging post holes, which ideally will be at least 2 feet deep and 3 times the width of the concrete posts. 

The final design, height, and reliability of the fence will depend on the width, depth and location of these post holes, so you need to be very careful about their placement. 

2. Install Concrete Fence Posts 

After all the holes are ready, it is time to carefully position the concrete fence posts and firmly place them in the ground, making sure that they are straight. You then need to fill the hole with a concrete/cement mix you’ve prepared beforehand. After the cement solidifies in about a day, you’ll be ready to move on to placing the concrete gravel boards and fence panels.

Important: When using post mix, you need to act quick, as it begins to set after only 5-10 minutes but achieves full strength after approximately 24h.

Not all concrete fence posts are identical. You must choose the right post type when placing them. Corner posts are for the corners of your fence/home; They help change the direction of your fencing run. Intermediate posts join fence panels together. End posts are where the fence ends – these posts can only accommodate panels from a single side!

3. Slotting in the Gravel Board

Installing concrete gravel boards is relatively simple. You start by ensuring the boards properly fit between the posts. As long as all the measurements have been done correctly, this shouldn’t be an issue. After that, you simply slot them in, and using spirit level ensure they are aligned correctly before putting the fence panels on top.

4. Installing the Fence Panels

Last but not least, it is time to install the fence panels. If all the measurements in the previous steps have been done correctly, panels should simply slot in on top of the gravel boards without any issues. For extra protection, you can consider installing anti-theft brackets on the sides of the panels. And that’s it!

How to Install Composite Fencing?

Seriously considering home renovations? Finally deciding to create the outdoor space of your dreams? Want to enjoy your garden at your leisure? A fence is something you definitely need to consider, and when it comes to high-quality, durable, and stylish fences, composite fencing is at the top of the list. British homeowners are adopting it at increasing rates.

This blog post answers what makes composite fencing so attractive and how you can install it in your home! It is a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to improve their garden and increase the curb appeal of their home!

Why Choose Composite Fencing?

If you are looking to build a new fence for your home or garden, composite fencing panels are an excellent choice. They have a number of key advantages that homeowners will appreciate:

• made from a unique mix of wood and plastic, composite fencing has the best qualities of both materials – the durability and anti-mould properties of plastic and the aesthetics and robustness of wood!
• Composite fencing panels provide excellent privacy and allow you to fully enjoy your time outdoors without concerns about your privacy being invaded.
• Due to their geometric shapes and robust construction, composite panels are easy to install!
• Though made from plastic, composite fences are incredibly environmentally friendly as they’re made from recycled plastic and wooden fabrics.

Installing Composite Fencing: Step-by-step Guide

As long as you take a methodological, careful approach, installing composite fencing should be a smooth experience. It can even make for a fun DIY project you can complete over a weekend while unwinding. However, you may need the help of one additional person to move around the fence panels and fence posts.

Here’s your step-by-step guide on precisely how to go about it:

1. Plan the Composite Fence Project

No two fencing projects are the same. You can’t follow a blueprint designed for a home with a different layout and structure. This is why it is key to properly plan the fencing project so it turns out exactly how you want it. Asking vital questions like “What’s the desired height of the fencing posts from the ground level?” “What colour and style do the fence panels need to be to complement my garden?” and “What layout I can choose to maximise privacy and comfort?” will help you actualise a realistic fencing plan.

1. Prepare the Tools You Need

There are a variety of tools you need to properly install composite fencing. You need a spirit level to make sure the ground is properly levelled. You need a tape measure, a ruler, a steel square, and a pencil and paper to have accurate measurements. You need a borer or a hole digger to install the fence posts. You need a saw and a drill to install the fence panels. Last but not least, you need liquid screed or ready-mixed concrete to secure the fence in place.

3. Clearing the Ground and Mapping the Fence Lines

Now that you have your tools and have decided on the fence posts and panels, it is time to clear the ground for work and create distinct fence lines. Carefully staking out the fence lines is not only critical to ensure the fence isn’t uneven, but it also helps you stay well within your property lines and clearly outline the corners of the fence.

4. Mount the Fence Posts and Fix Them with Concrete

This is the step that determines the durability, reliability, and integrity of your composite fence; its importance can’t be overstated.

Start by digging holes that can comfortably fit the posts to a depth of about 17 inches or so, which is the frost line in most of the UK. Though, if the posts are especially long, you might need to dig deeper. Then carefully and slowly put the fence posts inside the holes and add the concrete mixture to it. The mixture will completely solidify in 24 to 48 hours, after which the posts will be completely secured to their locations and you can proceed to the next step.

5. Install the Fence Panels

It is time to install the panels, which is a relatively simple task when you’re dealing with composite panels. You start by attaching the brackets to the posts, usually with a drill. You then slot the panel into a fencing rail and slot it between two posts. The process after that is only a matter of repeating the same steps until all the panels are installed.

6. Finalise the Fence

You can finally add the finishing touches to your fence. Here, some steps are standard: like placing the top rail and attaching the post caps, for example. Other steps are optional and you can take them depending on your preferences and requirements, like painting the fences, for example.

Composite Fencing FAQ

Is Composite Fencing Easy to Install?

Composite panels easily slot into the posts; installing them is easy. The process does take a few days as you need to deal with concrete but building composite fencing is still an excellent DIY project!

What to Put Under Artificial Grass? Complete Guide to Artificial Grass Installation

Artificial lawns are increasingly popular in the UK. And when you compare them to real lawns, where you constantly need to maintain them, trim them, prevent weeds, and more, it is no secret why homeowners prefer artificial turf.

There’s one key thing homeowners should know, however: If you want all the benefits of artificial lawns, from needing little maintenance to looking immaculate for years, the artificial grass installation needs to be properly handled. The choice of infill, base, and membrane will decide whether your artificial lawn can properly withstand rain, is equipped to deal with children and pets playing on it, and can combat weed growth. In this blog post, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to get the synthetic turf of your dreams!

Guide to Synthetic Turf Sub-bases

The sub-base is the layer that goes under artificial grass. It is usually composed of crushed rocks of various types. While not visually visible, the sub-base is a very important layer that impacts the lawn’s drainage, evenness, cohesiveness, and durability.

A subpar base for fake grass will result in pooling water during rain, an uneven surface that will cause tripping, and will slowly cause wrinkles to appear and permanently damage the lawn’s aesthetics. So, it is very important to learn about the most common sub-bases, their advantages and drawbacks:

Granite Base

Crushed granite, often referred to as “decomposed” granite, is the most common sub-base for artificial lawns. It is an all-rounder choice that does the job well: It is a solid base that is resilient and durable while providing adequate drainage. If you are wondering what kind of base to use when installing artificial grass, you can’t go wrong with crushed granite. It is not without its downsides, however, the biggest being that it doesn’t make for the best weed barrier. So, it is usually coupled with a weed membrane during installation.

Gravel Base

Gravel is another common sub-base for artificial grass. When compared to crushed granite, gravel is larger, more durable, and provides better drainage. However, it also comes with significant downsides: It is prone to sinking, resulting in uneven and unappealing artificial turf.

Aggregate Base for Artificial Grass

An aggregate base, as its name suggests, is composed of an aggregate of crushed rocks, asphalt, and concrete. It can’t be directly compared to gravel and granite since the quality and characteristics of the aggregate wildly differ depending on its composition. Aggregate bases commonly installed in artificial lawns are largely propriety brews whose inventors purport various benefits, most of which can’t be independently verified.

Guide to Artificial Turf Infills

Not only what goes under artificial grass but what goes over it also matters. Infills are various materials, largely made from silica, that go between the artificial fibres of fake grass, and they serve multiple purposes: infills make the turf look more natural, provide stability, and prevent it from wrinkling and moving. The choice of infill for artificial grass is crucial, and in this section, we’ll guide you through the most common infills.

Silica Sand

Silica sand, also known as quartz sand, is the most common type of artificial turf infill due to its cost and versatility. it stabilises the artificial lawn, prevents it from wrinkling and rippling, and has anti-weed properties. Coupled with its affordability, it is a favourite among homeowners. It has several downsides: it makes cleaning the artificial turf harder, it might trap bad odours, and it can be messy, especially if you have pets and kids regularly running around and playing on the lawn.

Coated Sand

Sand coated with a synthetic polymer layer is also popular as an infill for fake grass. It was largely developed as a way to address the downsides of silica sand. It doesn’t trap bad odours, it is easy to clean, and it is more stable. It hasn’t replaced silica sand since it is substantially more expensive, and many of the brands offering coated sand infills are small, local, and untested.

Crumb Rubber

crushed rubber recycled primarily from tyres is turned into crumb rubber and has been used as an infill in artificial grass lawns for decades. Prized for its durability and softness, which provides a cushion when stepping on, moving through, or playing in an artificial lawn, crumb rubber is the infill of choice in stadiums and sports arenas. It is rarely used in households.

Proprietary Infills

Though mostly silica-based, there are many hybrid infills for artificial grass, largely with proprietary compositions that are not entirely public. These infills have been largely designed to address the shortcomings of pure silica sand, with varying degrees of success. Since the quality of proprietary infills is so disparate, it largely depends on the client to evaluate their quality.

Guide to Artificial Lawn Backing Systems and Landscaping Fabrics

The sub-base and the infill are the two most important layers of an artificial lawn, but they’re not the only ones that matter. There are multiple other layers that you might or might not need to understand and install:

Need for a Weed Membrane

Though an artificial grass lawn is far more resistant to weeds than natural ones, it is not entirely weed-free, especially if certain infills and sub-bases are used, which are susceptible to and facilitate weed growth. This is why installing a weed membrane is recommended. Geotextiles that permit air and water while blocking weed growth, the membranes are generally installed below the sub-base layer. They serve additional functions like improving drainage and preventing sinking.

Importance of a Quality Artificial Grass Backing System

The backing system refers to the synthetic fibre that holds the strands of artificial grass together. The backing system influences the quality of the drainage system, the durability of the artificial grass, and the ability of the lawn to handle various infills.

Many homeowners pay attention to the quality and realism of the grass, but they don’t check how well they’re all held together with a backing system, which is quite the oversight. At Timberstore, we recognize how important is the backing system, so not only do we provide excellent artificial grass in Buckinghamshire, but we make sure they’re fitted with a durable and reliable backing system!

How to Clean Artificial Grass: The Ultimate Guide

Artificial grass is famous for how little maintenance it needs, and when compared to real grass, that’s certainly true – an artificial lawn can easily last more than a decade if properly taken care of.

That’s right! From cleaning up debris, preventing weeds, and preparing for rainfall, you still need to perform tasks to ensure your fake grass stays in the best shape and continues to make your lawn appear immaculate for years to come.

What’s more, cleaning artificial grass is simple! And this blog post is your ultimate guide on how to go about it!

Challenges When Cleaning an Artificial Lawn

When trying to maintain artificial grass and keep it clean, there are a few common challenges you’ll face. It is important to identify these challenges and devise methods to handle each one – this is precisely what this section is for:

Clearing Debris

Leaves, fur, and dirt: Your artificial turf will regularly gather debris. If not properly and regularly disposed of, some types of debris, like leaves, might rot and disintegrate and permanently damage the artificial grass.

When you clean fake grass, however, you need to be careful since it is delicate, especially if it has a sand infill. A power brush, a soft rake, or a leaf blower is enough to clear out most dust and debris. If the debris is particularly stubborn, like chewing gum, a knife can be used. Though, you need to be careful.

Clean Drinks and Spillages

Drinks and spillages are problems for artificial grass on two counts: They stain the fake grass and give it a foul odour. To make sure neither is permanent, you need to quickly clean the artificial grass after a spillage happens.

Thankfully, the cleaning process is not complicated. Simply rinsing the fake grass is enough in most circumstances. You should be careful and avoid using harsh chemicals or cleaning agents, however, as you run the risk of discolouring the artificial grass.

Preventing Weed Growth

Unlike natural grass, weed growth isn’t common in an artificial lawn. It is one of the primary reasons homeowners prefer it over a natural lawn. Nevertheless, there are still times when weed might appear on your turf, and it is important to learn how to deal with it:

• Temporary solution: Most artificial lawns don’t have a natural soil infill, which severely limits the growth of weeds, so carefully plucking them will be enough to put an end to them. A water-based weed killer can also be used, though you need to ensure it doesn’t include any chemicals that can damage the fake grass.
• Permanent solution: In most instances, installing an anti-weed membrane is enough to entirely prevent the growth and spread of weeds in your artificial turf. Membranes are affordable and the installation process is simple, so it is worth considering if weed is a constant worry!

Handling Snow and Ice

Because snow and ice damage natural grass, there’s a common misconception the same holds for fake grass. This isn’t true at all. Whether snow accumulates or icicles form, it won’t cause damage to artificial grass.

Not only is it possible, but the recommended way to handle snow is by giving them time to naturally thaw. As long as your artificial lawn has a proper drainage system, the ice should completely clear by itself and you’ll be left with your artificial grass looking as excellent as it has always been.

If you want to use the lawn for an outing or an event, and you can’t wait for the snow to naturally thaw by itself. You can rely on a plastic snow shovel to clear the lawn. Traditional shovels are far too harsh on artificial grass and can’t be used.

Tips To Keep the Artificial Grass Cleaner

Though cleaning artificial grass might sound complicated at first glance, there are a few tips that can immensely help homeowners in maintaining their turf. Here, we’ve compiled the most useful ones:

Keep a Consistent Schedule

A great way to ensure you keep your synthetic turf clean is by creating and sticking to a cleaning schedule. The content, timing, and frequency of the cleaning jobs don’t matter as much as making sure you clean the artificial grass in your lawn regularly. Fake grass requires little maintenance, but you must perform the small amount of maintenance it does require. 

Ideally, however, the thoroughness and frequency of the cleaning will reflect your needs, the type of artificial lawn you have, and your availability. Here are a few useful questions you can ask yourself before designing a cleaning schedule: How often do you use your lawn? Do you eat, drink, or BBQ on your lawn often? Do you own pets or children?

A Proper Drainage System

Even if water pooling and poor drainage are more of a problem for real lawns, they still can happen in synthetic turfs, especially in wet climates like the United Kingdom. Making certain your fake grass has proper drainage not only ensures its durability and longevity but also makes cleaning and maintaining the garden much easier.

Three key tasks guarantee proper drainage:

1. A properly graded property: by grading your property, ascertaining whether it has any low-lying areas, and addressing them, you make it much harder for water to pool in specific spots.
2. Correctly installed artificial grass: a lot of drainage problems in artificial lawns trace back their sources to improper installation. Ideally, an artificial grass lawn should have a drainage base that allows rainwater, melted snow, etc. to pass through. If this base is missing, your lawn will have a much higher chance of experiencing water pooling and other drainage issues.
3. The sub-base: Your choice of sub-base is also important. Some sub-bases are much better at letting water through than others. At Timberstore, for example, not only do we offer artificial grass in West Sussex, but we also have high-quality permeable granite dust on offer to make sure our clients can design an ideal lawn with our artificial grass.

Choose an Approach Best Suited for Your Artificial Lawn

A constant theme throughout this article has been how much your artificial lawn is impacted by your choice of membrane, infill, crushed fines, and sub-base. These largely determine the property of your lawn, and you can’t afford to not take them into account when you clean artificial grass.

If your lawn has a drainage base and a rock sub-base, you’re far more free to use water to clean stains. If your lawn has a layer of sand, which is commonly used and improves the stability of the synthetic grass, then you have to be extra careful when you use a leaf blower. If the lawn includes some sort of soil, you might need to frequently use a weed killer to prevent weeds from growing. These are just a few examples of the countless ways the components of your synthetic lawn influence how you approach the cleaning process.

Use the Right Tools To Clean Fake Grass

If you want to clean fake grass, you need to use the proper tools for the job: It makes the job easier and faster while minimising the risk of damage to the artificial grass. 

Thankfully, most of the tools you need to clean artificial grass are common and are largely identical to the ones you need to take care of real lawns: a rake, a groomer, a broom, a garden hose, and deionizers or enzyme cleaners.

How to Cut Oak Sleepers? A Professional Guide

Whether it is decking, garden pathways, outdoor furniture, or its many other uses, oak hardwood sleepers are both incredibly versatile and popular. If used judiciously, it can entirely transform your house and garden.

But regardless of what you want to do with the railway sleepers, you need to cut and shape them, which is a fairly complex process prone to errors. In this professional guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about cutting and preparing railway sleepers, the tools you need, and tips that can make the process easier while ensuring your safety!

Tools You Can Use to Cut Oak Sleepers?

Before you start cutting the oak, you need to select the tools for the job. The saw is the most important one. There are multiple types of saws that can be used for the process, but each has its strengths and drawbacks.

• Hand Saw

The most affordable, hand saws are relatively easy to handle and can be used by both beginners and professionals alike. However, due to how hard and durable is oak, cutting through multiple railway sleepers with a hand saw is a relatively physically exhausting task.

If you want to create intricate designs with larger quantities of garden sleepers, hand saws are probably not the best approach. Going with power tools will make your job easier and less exhausting.

• Chainsaw

Chainsaws are incredibly powerful and can easily cut through railway sleepers, regardless of shape or size. They are often used in industrial locations that need to handle large quantities of railway sleepers.

Chainsaws have multiple downsides: They are unwieldy and expensive and can be dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced person. Chainsaws also don’t give you as fine a control over the final shape of the cut oak as the other tools on our list.

• Circular Saw

Circular saws are the middle ground between hand saws and chainsaws. They allow you to cut sleepers easily while giving you fine control over the angle and manner of the cut. This makes the circular saw the most popular tool for the job.

They are not without their downsides, however. The blades of most circular saws aren’t large enough to cut through garden sleepers in one go, so they might be a bit awkward to handle.

Tips When Cutting Oak Railway Sleepers?

Now that you’ve chosen the right tool for the job, it is time to start cutting railway sleepers. There are some handy tips and tricks you can use to make sure the process goes smoothly and safely.

• Wear Protective Gear

Cutting railway sleepers can be incredibly dangerous, especially if you are working with a chainsaw or a reciprocating saw. You need protective gear before you start. These include work gloves, ear defenders, and a dust mask. There are other bits of equipment you might consider depending on the situation – for example, if you are kneeling while cutting, you might want to get protective knee pads.

• Plan Ahead

Whether you’re creating furniture or a garden path out of the railway sleepers, the measurements need to be precise. But once you start cutting the sleepers, you can’t go back. This is why you should always prepare and carefully indicate the locations of your cuts before you start. Using a square-angle ruler would make the job easier.

• Make Sure Your Tools Are Up to the Task

Whether you’ve chosen a hand saw or a chainsaw, make sure they’re up for the task before you start. A dull saw will not only make the job of cutting railway sleepers harder, but it is also a hazard.

Cutting Railway Sleepers FAQ

Can You Cut Oak Garden Sleepers with a Hand Saw?

Yes, you can cut oak garden sleepers with a hand saw, though it can be quite strenuous physically if you’re not accustomed to it. If you need to cut a large number of oak garden sleepers, you might consider alternative tools.

What Is the Best Tool to Cut Oak Railway Sleepers?

You can use a chainsaw, a hand saw, a circular saw, or a reciprocating saw to cut railway sleepers. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages, but a circular saw is probably the best.

How Long Will Oak Sleepers Last in the Ground?

Pillars, paths, or furniture: railway sleepers have endless uses. But whether it is garden sleepers or raised beds, it is very important it is reliable, durable, and can withstand the weather. This is why the choice of material is very important: Should you buy hardwood or softwood sleepers?

One material is synonymous with durability, however: oak. An oak hardwood sleeper can last substantially longer than its softwood counterparts — if you care about durability, they’re the obvious choice! In this article, we’ll go over the precise reasons why oak railway sleepers are so durable, what potential downsides they have, and ways you can overcome those downsides!

What Makes Oak Last So Long?

Many homeowners have heard that oak is durable, but they don’t know what that means in practice. There are a few key qualities that oak has and softwood timber sleepers don’t have which makes the former be more durable and last much longer!

• Resistance to Pests and Fungi

Fungi and pests are some of the biggest natural enemies of wood. Whether it is garden sleepers or railway sleepers, once pests and fungi can make a home for themselves, they will slowly erode the wood from the inside, rendering it unusable in months in certain circumstances. Oak has a natural resistance to both pests and fungi, which helps it last substantially longer vis-a-vis other types of wood. This natural resistance is why oak is a favourite in wet climates like Britain!

• Able to Withstand Heavy Weights

Thanks to its natural resistance to warping and its very robust structure, oak can withstand surprisingly heavy weights, which not only makes it last longer but also improves its utility. If you want to use the sleepers as pillars or retaining walls, oak is a natural choice!

• Requires Little Maintenance

Compared to softwood sleepers, oak requires far less hands-on maintenance, both during summer and winter. While helping with its longevity, this also makes oak sleepers a more practical choice for many!

What Factors Can Reduce Hardwood Oak Sleepers’ Longevity and How Can You Address Them?

While oak railway sleepers are incredibly durable and can last for a very long time, they’re not perfect. There are still things that harm oak and reduce its durability, and thankfully, there are ways to address them.

• Constant Moisture

Constant moisture is an enemy of all types of wood, and this sadly includes oak. Whether it is through rain or wet ground, constant exposure to moisture will slowly erode oak garden sleepers’ structural integrity.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to combat this – the most popular being wood preservatives. By semi-regularly applying wood preservatives to your oak and pressure-treated timber sleepers, you can limit the impact of moisture.

• True Oak

There are hundreds of species of oak, and while it is true some oak species make for excellent railway and garden sleepers and can last a very long time, this is far less true for other species. If you’re not familiar with timber sleepers, it can be hard to identify true oak.

The only solution here is to make sure you’re purchasing oak from trusted sources. At Timberstore, for example, all of our oak sleepers are carefully sourced and tested to ensure their quality and longevity.

Oak Sleepers FAQ

Will Oak Railway Sleepers Rot in the Ground?

Oak sleepers are naturally resistant to rot and can last a long time despite direct contact with the ground. Nevertheless, every kind of wood is susceptible to rot to some degree, and contact with the ground speeds up the process. So, if it is possible, it is preferable to find a design or method to prevent them from coming in direct contact with the ground.

How Do Softwood Sleepers Compare to Oak Hardwood Sleepers?

Softwood sleepers are usually less durable than oak: they can withstand less weight and are more susceptible to pests, fungi, and rot. softwood timber sleepers are often pressure-treated to increase their durability and longevity.