Types of Railway Sleepers

Railway sleepers were introduced as a building material fit for decking, cladding, or fencing in the late 1900s. Today, cheap railway sleepers are seen as a viable alternative to build garden extensions like patios, decks, beams and many other building projects.

Here's a fact: the market selling railway sleepers is huge. With four major sleeper options to choose from – timber, steel, concrete and composites, which one is the best option for your requirements? Consider the following advantages and disadvantages and then you can make up your mind.

Wooden or Timber Railway Sleepers

Perhaps the most ideal, most versatile and the most common choice, Timber sleepers are ideal building materials because they are naturally strong. Good insulators, suitable for any kind of building areas, not easily damaged given the proper care and the cheapest and most affordable railway sleeper to date, timber railway sleepers can be successfully paired with teal, sal, cedar and many more.

On the negative side, wooden sleepers can be infested resulting in premature rotting. They may also catch fire and are subject to a change in colour or texture over time, due to several conditions like constant foot traffic and the changing seasons.

Steel Sleepers

Solid, tactile, tough and strong, railway sleepers produced in steel come with the advantage of strength and resistance to infestation and decay. However, steel is susceptible to rusting over time, especially when constantly exposed to damp environments. Unlike wood, steel is not that versatile and might be expensive if you require a customised cut to fit your building project.

Concrete Railway Sleepers

First used in France in the early 1900s, these sleepers became more popular during the 1950s. Concrete sleepers are made up of cast concrete slabs shaped using internally reinforced steel wires. Concrete is a very good sleeper material because it has a longer service life, is virtually resilient to environmental deterioration, is resistant to fire and is efficiently strong.

Due to the high quality of concrete railway sleepers, they also come with an expensive price tag. They cannot be manufactured easily because they require a skilled workforce and special equipment to produce, so they are limited in the market.

Composite Railway Sleepers

Manufactured from various raw materials like plastics, rubber tyres and waste fibreglass, composite railway sleepers are an ideal choice if you want a synthetic material with the versatility of wood and the durability of concrete. Composite provides many advantages because you can customise it just like wood and is as durable as concrete railway sleepers, sometimes even more so. The only concern that you might find with composite railway sleepers is that they come at a price.

If you're looking for quality, affordable and versatile railway sleepers we advise that you consider wooden railway sleepers as your best choice. Contact us for more information on our railway sleeper products.