What Is Sleeper Wall Construction?
What Is Sleeper Wall Construction?
Sleeper wall construction is a short wall used to support floor joists, beams,s, and block or hollow core slabs on the ground floor. It is constructed in this fashion when a suspended floor (also called a suspended slab) is required due to bearing conditions or groundwater presence.
Sleeper walls can also refer to retaining walls made from railroad ties, which are used to prevent erosion and are often used in landscaping.
The wall is usually no more than 1 or 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) high and can be made from bricks or concrete blocks. In some cases, a honeycomb sleeper wall may be used, which consists of preformed concrete slabs or beams instead of wooden sleepers.
To build a vertical sleeper retaining wall, wooden or concrete planks are placed on the ground and braced with posts. The maximum height of a sleeper retaining wall depends on the type of material used and the soil conditions.
How to Build a Sleeper Wall?
To construct a sleeper wall, there are two main method. The first involves laying sleepers horizontally, widest side down, stacking them on top of one another, and fixing them together using coach screws.
The second method involves using sleepers vertically, cutting them to various lengths, and slotting them into the ground at a vertical angle. To create a curved wall, the sleepers must be angled accordingly.
When building a retaining wall with sleepers, it is important to measure and mark the wall site accurately, as well as measure the desired length of the wall. It is best to use a tape measure for accurate measurements.
Sleepers can be used at either vertical or horizontal angles when constructing a retaining wall, though there are certain conditions for using them at specific angles.
Additionally, it is important to build a strong and reliable retaining wall by securing all rows of sleepers together with coach screws or other fasteners.
Finally, it is recommended to create a drainage tube with a permeable membrane and gravel behind the retaining wall in order to prevent water from pooling behind it.
What Is The Difference Between A Sleeper Wall And A Retaining Wall?
A sleeper wall is a type of retaining wall made from timber or concrete planks, usually built for use in railroad tracks. It is used to prevent erosion and can be made from bricks or concrete blocks.
In contrast, a retaining wall block is much easier to handle and install than concrete sleepers or cement sleepers due to its lighter weight. Sleeper walls are also known as railway tie walls.
What Materials Are Used For Sleeper Walls
Common materials used for sleeper walls include wood/timbers, masonry, poured concrete, interlocking concrete blocks, and railway sleepers. Railway sleepers are usually made of wood, steel, concrete, or plastic.
What Are The Advantages Of Sleeper Walls?
Sleeper walls are a popular type of retaining wall that is constructed with horizontal timber or concrete sleepers fixed behind vertical steel posts concreted into the ground. The advantages of sleeper walls include:
- Ability to be close to boundary fences, saving space, and their durability and longevity compared to treated timber.
- They also provide good insulation due to their cement, sand, and other material composition, have a long lifespan and low cost of maintenance and are better for the environment than other materials.
- Additionally, they can be built to protect tight spaces such as small gardens or kennels. However, they require deep foundations to hold them in place and may not be as strong as concrete or stone walls.
