Timber Pine Sleeper

Treated pine sleepers are the cheapest way to build low. They are light enough to carry in by hand, easy to cut and fix, and they give you a natural timber look for garden terraces, raised beds, planter boxes and low edging.

Pine is lighter and cheaper than hardwood, and it will not span as far between posts or last as long in the ground. On a short low wall that trade is usually worth making.

Specifications

• Material: treated pine
• Treatment: CCA
• Hazard class: H4
• Sold: individually

Check the hazard class against your wall

Treated timber is graded by hazard class under AS 1604, and the class has to match where the timber actually sits. H4 covers general retaining applications such as low walls under a metre, where the timber is in ground contact or continually damp. H5 is required where sleepers contact groundwater, exceed 1m, or serve critical applications.

They are not interchangeable. If your wall might fall into H5 territory, have your engineer or certifier confirm it before you order rather than after. The FAQ covers hazard classes and CCA treatment in full.

Being honest about lifespan

Timber is the cheapest way to start and the shortest lived material we sell, and treated pine is the shortest lived timber. In Queensland humidity, treated pine in the ground is commonly quoted at around 10 to 20 years depending on the treatment and how well the wall drains. If the wall is structural, or you want to build it once, concrete or composite will outlast it comfortably.

Building courses that get buried?

Cosmetic timber sleeper seconds are sold at a flat price with splits, knots, saw marks or a bow along the length. They suit garden edging, farm and acreage jobs and any course that ends up buried. Sizes and species vary with what is in the yard, so check availability with our team before you order. Everything in the seconds and clearance range is sold as seen.

Questions about your project? See our installation guides, request a quote, or call (07) 3716 0191.