Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Feb 27, 2011 3:22 pm Hi. I am looking to replace an old redgum sleeper retaining wall which looks like it has been there about 100 years! I am thinking of using treated pine H4 sleepers with timber posts as well. It is for a carport, along the back of it and down one side. Both walls will be about 5.8 metres long with the height varying from 400mm to 600mm. My question is how far should the posts be spaced given the wall is quite low? Also I was considering waterproofing the sleepers with a paint on product I have seen at Bunnings just for extra protection against rot. Is this necessary given they are rated H4 or am I wasting my time and money. Thanks. Re: Simple retaining wall question 2Feb 27, 2011 4:23 pm We had a similar height wall built by the builder with the pots at 1.8m centres. I think for anything buried in the ground the more preservative the better. Regards The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Simple retaining wall question 3Feb 27, 2011 10:20 pm 2.4mt center (maybe even 3.0mt) would be OK if you put an extra upright post in the center of each length to stop warping. Bituminous paint on anything that will be in direct contact with the ground will help and use plastic sheeting behind the sleepers. Depending on the age of the wall it may be time to re do the drainage behind it, the better the drainage the longer the wall will last. Usually the ratings for timber are for general exposure, bot for buried in the ground which is effectively what happens to the bottom sleeper of a retaining wall. Make sure your new posts are coated for the part that goes in the ground too and make sure they are in at least as deep as the y are out of the ground. (I.e 600 high means at least 600mm of post under the ground) Re: Simple retaining wall question 4Mar 05, 2011 10:20 am Thanks for the tips. When you cut the sleepers is it necessary to reseal them with something to protect the "treatment" of the treated pine? Above post mentions a bituminous paint. Would this be satisfactory to use on the cut ends? Thanks. Re: Simple retaining wall question 5Mar 07, 2011 11:07 am Yes, you can buy it from bunnings for about $35 per 2L (I got some from the paint section - it is supposed to cover 8-10m2) Re: Simple retaining wall question 6Mar 07, 2011 12:53 pm You could use the bituminous paint, but you might see it. I'd only use the paint for the sections of post in ground and get the treatment for any ends you cut. The treatment works like an envelope and doesn't penetrate the timber. Re: Simple retaining wall question 7Mar 19, 2011 1:35 am My $0.02 if it's not too late ................... I'm not sure how long your treated pine sleepers will last if they are in direct contact with the ground and you don't apply additional treatment like bitumen paint on them. As soon as I get an answer I'll let you know, but here's some guidance I can give you ............ Boy-child was just born when we moved into this house and he's now 22 years old. I'm thinking that I put the retaining wall up the year after we moved in, say 20-21 years ago. At this stage I'm unable to tell you how long they are going to last as they are still in great condition !!! HTH, P_D. . Block settled 07 June 2011 Our little piece of the Interwebs on HomeOne....... viewtopic.php?f=31&t=48577&start=0 Re: Simple retaining wall question 8Mar 21, 2011 11:38 am So long as they are H4 specified sleepers they will be fine below ground level as they are treated to be used against earth/soil/ H3 are above ground only. Thank you again Simeon.. I will call my certifier for that. Have a good day 4 1330 Thanks for the insights, that makes perfect sense, and yeah, I will be leaning on the experience of the excavator operator entirely. 6 11072 Hi All, I engaged a tradie to install concrete retaining wall 600-800mm high over 32 meters in Victoria. Sleepers are 200*75*2000 mm installed over 17 steel posts. I… 0 3725 |