Railway Sleeprs

Morning all

I'm building a part raised pond - 9' x 6' - hole is dug to 4' & I'm planning
on raising the dges by another 20" or so using railway sleepers. I think new
ones will be better, cleaner & easier to use, but does anyone have any
thoughts on securing them to the ground.

Will a frame of sleepers secured with heavy duty brackets be strong enough
to hold the additional 20" of water?

Cheers

David Sim wrote:
Morning all

I'm building a part raised pond - 9' x 6' - hole is dug to 4' & I'm planning
on raising the dges by another 20" or so using railway sleepers. I think new
ones will be better, cleaner & easier to use, but does anyone have any
thoughts on securing them to the ground.

Will a frame of sleepers secured with heavy duty brackets be strong enough
to hold the additional 20" of water?

The sleepers own weight will be more than enough. The water's weight
goes down, not out. My own (8x6x3) pond is 50% above ground and the
frame was made from lengths of 2x2" wood with uprights at 2ft intervals.
I then tacked some thick wire mesh over the inside to add support in
the spaces. Finally I put 1" thick polystyrene insulating sheets all
around the side which was held in place with thick plastic sheeting
stapled to the frame. Strength wise it must be a fraction of the
sleepers but is plenty solid. The outside was "decorated" with fence panels.

--
Andy

If the sleepers are treated wood, with creosote or salt treated, it would
be a good idea to make sue that no runoff from the sleepers can enter the
pond. Wrap the liner over the top.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

"David Sim" wrote in message
...
Morning all

I'm building a part raised pond - 9' x 6' - hole is dug to 4' & I'm
planning on raising the dges by another 20" or so using railway sleepers.
I think new ones will be better, cleaner & easier to use, but does anyone
have any thoughts on securing them to the ground.

Will a frame of sleepers secured with heavy duty brackets be strong enough
to hold the additional 20" of water?

Cheers

On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 10:11:06 +0100, David Sim wrote:

Morning all

I'm building a part raised pond - 9' x 6' - hole is dug to 4' & I'm planning
on raising the dges by another 20" or so using railway sleepers. I think new
ones will be better, cleaner & easier to use, but does anyone have any
thoughts on securing them to the ground.

snipped - for full text see David's post above

Like Andy said their weight will pretty much hold them. However if you
really want to make sure they do not shift in any direction go to your
local building/concrete supply store and pick up some rebar, what is used
in poured concrete walls to add strength. The length should extend into the
ground probably the height of the above ground wall, in your case and words
"20" or so". Drill an equal size hole in the sleeper and pound it through.
I would suggest one in each corner where one side over laps the other sides
previous course, this will give the corners added stability. As for the
runs along each side, do what you are comfortable with or ask the people
where you are getting the sleepers.

--
Disciple - Team Z
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Gal.5:25

Disciple wrote:
On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 10:11:06 +0100, David Sim wrote:


Morning all

I'm building a part raised pond - 9' x 6' - hole is dug to 4' & I'm planning
on raising the dges by another 20" or so using railway sleepers. I think new
ones will be better, cleaner & easier to use, but does anyone have any
thoughts on securing them to the ground.


snipped - for full text see David's post above

Like Andy said their weight will pretty much hold them. However if you
really want to make sure they do not shift in any direction go to your
local building/concrete supply store and pick up some rebar, what is used
in poured concrete walls to add strength. The length should extend into the
ground probably the height of the above ground wall, in your case and words
"20" or so". Drill an equal size hole in the sleeper and pound it through.
I would suggest one in each corner where one side over laps the other sides
previous course, this will give the corners added stability. As for the
runs along each side, do what you are comfortable with or ask the people
where you are getting the sleepers.


I have just finished drilling mine I am using coach bolts to join at
the corners and then a long rebar stake half way down each side. I have
new sleepers so they were not to bad to drill using a standard spade bit
and 300mm extention bar.

Paul

Y'all keep in mind that creosote is some very nasty stuff. Like
RichToyBox said make sure no run off can reach the pond. Never use
these things around vegetable gardens.
Mark B.

mark Bannister wrote:
Y'all keep in mind that creosote is some very nasty stuff. Like
RichToyBox said make sure no run off can reach the pond. Never use
these things around vegetable gardens.
Mark B.
New sleepers are tanalised. Still not good for you pond but a lot less
sticky.

Paul

"Paul" wrote in message
...
I have just finished drilling mine I am using coach bolts to join at
the corners and then a long rebar stake half way down each side. I have
new sleepers so they were not to bad to drill using a standard spade bit
and 300mm extention bar.
====================
Creosote is not something you want to breathe! Use CAUTION and some kind of
respirator (you can get them at Lowe's or HomeDepot). Avoid the sawdust
getting on your skin. Wash your clothes when you're finished drilling.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Andy wrote:

David Sim wrote:

Will a frame of sleepers secured with heavy duty brackets be strong
enough to hold the additional 20" of water?

The sleepers own weight will be more than enough.

I wouldn't think so, but...

The water's weight goes down, not out.

What makes you think that? It's not true. The lateral force is exactly how
these new self-supporting above-ground swimming pools get their stability.
However, the greatest lateral force is at the bottom of that above-ground
section, so maybe it'll work.

My own (8x6x3) pond is 50% above ground and the
frame was made from lengths of 2x2" wood with uprights at 2ft intervals.
I then tacked some thick wire mesh over the inside to add support in
the spaces
....

David's idea is definitely more sound than yours, so I guess it'll work :-)
--
derek

Derek Broughton wrote:

What makes you think that? It's not true. The lateral force is exactly how
these new self-supporting above-ground swimming pools get their stability.
However, the greatest lateral force is at the bottom of that above-ground
section, so maybe it'll work.

But the lateral force works in all directions at the same time, which is
why the swimming pools are stable. The lateral force of water at 1 foot
deep is 0.433 psi. Assuming the frame and joints are secure and can cope
with the low psi then the force in one direction is canceled by the same
force in the opposite direction. The lateral force becomes stable,
leaving only the downward force of gravity that needs real support.

--
Andy