Many homeowners find that they require retaining walls to maintain control of the water in their garden. Adding one is important, but it can be a struggle to make the wall look attractive. With that in mind, it’s common for homeowners to use timber sleepers instead of bricks or stone for their retaining walls – timber simply fits in better with most gardens, providing a more natural appearance.
But one question remains: do you place those sleepers vertically, sticking up from the soil, or do you lay them down horizontally? If you’re not quite sure, take the time to read through the benefits of each option.
Why Should You Place Your Sleepers Vertically?
One of the central advantages of placing sleepers vertically is greater flexibility. Sleepers are quite long, so it’s hard to make them flow around corners when you place them horizontally. By cutting them down and placing them vertically, you can achieve a curve and work around oddly shaped areas.
It’s also a lot easier to replace any sleepers that become damaged because they are not stacked on top of each other. Because vertically placed sleepers will generally need to go a little deeper, retaining walls built in this fashion should be stronger, so that’s something well worth considering if your retaining wall is going to handle plenty of stress.
Why Should You Place Your Sleepers Horizontally?
Placing sleepers horizontally creates a more natural appearance. Since one of the advantages of using timber in the first place is to foster a more natural outdoor look, this is a benefit well worth bearing in mind.
Additionally, installation is a little easier because the timber doesn’t have to be cut to size before being placed in the earth. You’ll also be better able to create a tiered system, and you’ll probably end up using fewer sleepers because less of their mass will need to reside beneath the soil.