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Personally i don't ever use sleepers as walling over 3 feet. You can use them higher by slotting them into the web of RSJ's set vertically into the ground but you would want to get an SE to give you a spec and calc.
Regardless of materials used it might be worth getting it done anyway as 5ft is a decent amount to retain and drainage etc will all need to be done thoroughly and often this is all more certain when working from an SE spec.
I love a good sleeper debate, strange as in December I have a huge sleeper retaining wall job, the picture is not mine, it is Karls. The link to the youtube video is a sleeper retaining wall I did.
If you are supporting sleepers with fencing post, you are asking for trouble, however done correctly I would say 20 years, I have heard talk of 40 years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvdO_1FLxBI
You pays your money and take your chance. The cost differential between Timber and brick is great. Timber is cheap and effective, but as you say Paul it has a limited life. However a lot will say they intend to move on and are happy with the short term effect.
Paul @ PPCH Services said:
thank you as ever gents for your thoughts and feedback, - the tiered effect is what I had in mind, - just need you all to speak your thoughts to clarify how it's done.
I have done lots of sleeper walls the quickest way is to use new oak sleepers 150mm x 250mm as the uprights depending on the height of the wall will depend how deep you need to concrete them in the ground. For a 1.5m high wall i would say about 1.2m in the ground with a slight batter on the post leaning back into the made up ground behind them.If you put them at 1.2m centres you can fix standard oak sleepers horizontally to the back of them.Don't for get to put a geotextile membrane behind the wall to stop soil leaching through gaps in the sleepers.For planters i would put a Dpm membrane down the back of the wall and drainage at the bottom of the planter this will help it not drying out to quick in the summer and not getting to boggy in the winter .This is ok for light domestic situations if you have light traffic behind the wall you might want to put the upright sleepers closer together. Looks great as the sleepers go a nice silver colour with time