Creosote Blogs

According to our friends UK Net guide “Taking good care of a garden is key to enjoying it and a bit of do-it-yourself (DIY) is enough to keep it in tip top form”. So we are calling upon gardeners and householders to make preparations for the cold spell and get their gardens 'winter fit' to keep them in good shape over the cold months!

So do you want to keep your garden fence, decking or furniture protected this winter? Well if you do, come and see our fantastic ranges of Timber Stains which includes; Protek Safe and natural, Protek Wood Protector and Creosotes which are all perfect wood treatments.

So what are you waiting for? Come and see our fantastic wood treatments that enhance and protect your fence, decking or garden furniture to ensure it is in top condition, ready for next spring!

Gardeners who wish to keep pests away from into their gardens and outdoor areas should consider embarking on a garden fencing project.

It has been suggested by Richard Poffenbauh, who writes for the Mansfield News Journal that wild animals are one of the main culprits for spoiling your prized crop of vegetables and your flower beds.

To overcome this problem, Richard advised purchasing Garden Fencing, which can either be electric fencing to keep the pests out with an intermittent shock, or traditional garden fencing, such as Lap Panels which can be used as a barrier.

Does your garden fall victim to wild animal behaviour?

Well if it does, now’s the time to buy garden fencing from AVS Fencing Supplies, as we have a fantastic range of Garden Fencing products including; Timber Fencing, Metal Fencing and Electric Fencing! If you've already got a garden fence – remember to protect it against our wild weather! We have a range of stains and creosotes to make sure your fencing is tough enough to stand up to anything!

With all the UK's wild weather and wild animals – it's lucky AVS Fencing is only a click away. So don’t wait, take a look at our range of fences and start geting that garden fence erected now!

AVS Fencing Supplies are a huge supplier of railway sleepers for garden and landscaping projects. This means you can have great confidence in the product with competitive prices and rapid delivery. Railway sleepers supplied included are both new and recycled in hardwood and treated softwood and are creosote-free.

The advantages of raised beds are:

• You can add soil which is suitable for herbs, vegetables or plants you want to grow.
• They save you back strain because you don't have to bend down so far!
• They need less watering than containers.

The disadvantage of raised beds is:

• You have to design and build them.

We can help to take care of that for you. Here are a few important points to bear in mind:

• Remember that raised beds are for the long term, so choose their site carefully. Do your plants want a sunny or shady position?
• Don't make your raised bed wider than you can comfortably reach.
• A height of 30 - 60 cm deep is sufficient for most small and medium sized plants.

How to make a wooden raised bed out of AVS railway sleepers.

What you will need:

Four railway sleepers;
eight tree stakes;
saw and hammer

1. Lay out the railway sleepers on edge in their final positions. Ensure that the best edge uppermost.
2. Hammer the two tree stakes into the ground, about 4cm from each corner, to hold the corners together.
3. Cut off ensuring the top of the stakes are flush with the railway sleepers. If you are making the bed on a paved surface use coach bolts to hold the sleepers together.
4. Fill your brand new sleeper raised bed with a suitable soil or compost. Top tip: If you want to grow herbs, then mix the top soil with grit.

Did you know why sleepers are called sleepers? Are you ready for this? Well ... according to Wiki Answers - when sleepers were added below the railway lines, the trains ran more smoothly and people fell asleep on their journeys.

One would normally build a railway sleeper retaining wall in your garden to support soil when they need to achieve a rapid change in ground levels usually created by forming a level area for a lawn or building.

The height of your railway sleeper retaining wall will be determined by difference in ground levels.

Most people only need to retain up to 600mm of soil so this is an easy task, which often creates an interesting and attractive feature in the garden.

The method you choose for construction will be influenced by the height.

Sleepers laid horizontally
Sleepers can be either stood on edge, which needs fewer sleepers but will need some additional supports or laid flat which is great for raised beds and lower height walls needing less additional support often just landscaping screws to join the railway sleepers.


Sleepers placed vertically
Great for medium height walls of about 1 metre high using hardwood sleepers

Joining Sleepers
Landscaping screws are great for joining sleepers together they are screwed in without needing pre-drilling and hold sleepers very firmly.

Drainage
It is advisable to place shingle behind the railway sleepers, particularly for taller structures. This can aid the life span of the sleeper and assist drainage, ensuring any water drains to the bottom and doesn’t run out between sleepers. Use a membrane on the back of the sleepers if the shingle is likely to spill through any gaps left between the sleepers.

Health & Safety
Sleepers are heavy and care should be taken when handling. Second-hand sleepers are treated with creosote so skin contact should be avoided. Taller structures may collapse if not constructed properly so if in any doubt consult a qualified engineer.