Choosing garden sleepers starts with three things: the finished size of your project, the lengths you can use without unnecessary cuts, and the number of individual sleepers you need. This guide compares TMG's 2.4m and 3m options, explains packs of 10 and works through two simple quantity examples.
TMG Building Supplies stocks green pressure-treated softwood sleepers at our Swalwell yard for customers in Newcastle, Gateshead and the surrounding area. You can check the sleeper options and current availability, arrange collection or check local delivery at checkout.
What size railway sleepers can I buy?
Our garden sleepers have a listed cross-section of 200 × 100mm, with a sawn, green pressure-treated finish. Choose either 2.4m or 3m lengths. Both lengths are sold individually and in packs of 10.
- 2.4m sleepers: a useful starting point where the design uses 2.4m sides or several shorter pieces.
- 3m sleepers: worth comparing where a 3m side can be made from one length, subject to your agreed design.
- Mixed lengths: can reduce spare timber when long sides and short ends need different cuts.
Check the route from the delivery or collection point to the work area before choosing long timber. The listed dimensions are a planning starting point; measure the actual sleepers before marking out cuts or relying on a precise finished fit.
Singles or a pack of 10?
The pack price is the price for 10 sleepers of the selected length. Selecting a pack of 10 and entering quantity 1 orders ten sleepers. Quantity 2 orders twenty.
| Length | One sleeper | Pack of 10 | Cost per sleeper in a pack | Saving against 10 singles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4m | £22 | £200 | £20 | £20 |
| 3m | £32 | £300 | £30 | £20 |
Buy around your cutting list rather than the discount alone. Six 2.4m singles cost £132, which is less to spend than a £200 pack if you only need six. If you need twelve 2.4m sleepers, one pack plus two singles costs £244, compared with £264 for twelve singles.
Prices and availability can change. Choose the exact length and buying option on the garden railway sleepers product page before ordering.
How many sleepers do I need for a rectangular bed?
Start with a sketch showing outside dimensions, inside dimensions, sleeper orientation and corner joints. A perimeter calculation is a useful check, but the cutting list determines how many full lengths you need to buy.
The examples below use nominal 200 × 100mm sleepers with the 200mm dimension vertical and a 100mm wall thickness. The two short ends fit between two full-length sides using simple butt joints. These are material-count examples only; they do not specify the base, fixings, supports, drainage or a safe wall height.
Example 1: 2.4m × 1.2m outside dimensions
- Long sides: two full 2.4m sleepers.
- Short ends: two 1.0m pieces. Each is 1.2m minus the two 100mm-thick long sides.
- Cut both short ends from one further 2.4m sleeper, allowing for saw-cut loss.
- Total: three 2.4m sleepers for one layer, costing £66 before delivery at the prices above.
The outside perimeter is 7.2m, while the four timber pieces total 6.8m because the short ends sit between the long sides. Dividing perimeter by stock length alone misses that corner detail.
This layout gives a nominal 2.2m × 1.0m internal opening and a 200mm timber height for one layer. The short-end cuts leave about 400mm of spare length, less the saw cuts. A second identical layer would require six sleepers in total, costing £132 before delivery, with a nominal combined timber height of 400mm. Confirm the construction details separately.
Example 2: 3m × 1.2m outside dimensions
Using the same orientation and corner arrangement, allow for two 3m sleepers for the long sides and one 2.4m sleeper cut into two 1.0m short ends. That is three sleepers in total for one layer, with a nominal internal opening of 2.8m × 1.0m.
The timber costs £86 before delivery: £32 + £32 + £22. Buying three 3m singles would cost £96, so mixing lengths saves £10 in this example.
Check the actual timber dimensions, joint layout and saw-cut width before cutting. Add any extra lengths needed for your final design, unusable offcuts or an agreed spare allowance; the examples include no spare whole sleepers. Turning the sleepers onto their other face or changing the joints changes the dimensions and cutting list.
When should I compare planter timber?
Our treated garden planter timber is listed at 225 × 38mm × 2.4m and £12 per individual board at the time of checking. It has a much thinner section than a 200 × 100mm sleeper, so it is worth comparing when you want a board-built planter or border.
Do not use the sleeper quantities as a ready-made design for planter boards. Wall thickness, finished dimensions and the support and fixing requirements differ. Compare the sleepers, planter timber and gravel boards range, then confirm the material and construction details for your project.
Check treatment and the intended use
The sleeper listing confirms green pressure treatment but does not give a preservative specification, ground-contact use class or service-life guarantee. Confirm the required treatment and intended application before ordering. For beds used to grow food, ask for the relevant treatment information and suitability guidance rather than assuming that any treated timber is suitable.
Retaining soil, building steps or making a load-bearing feature needs a suitable design and confirmation of the material specification. Ask a competent installer to check the design, supports, drainage and fixings. Follow the timber supplier's guidance for handling, cutting and treatment of cut ends.
Local delivery to Newcastle and Gateshead
Our own drivers deliver within 3–5 working days. Delivery zones are measured as a straight-line radius from our Swalwell yard, not driving distance:
- Up to 10 miles: £10 delivery on orders under £75; free on orders of £75 or more.
- Over 10 miles, up to 30 miles: £20 delivery on orders under £150; free on orders of £150 or more.
- Beyond 30 miles: delivery is unavailable; collection is available.
For example, the £66 timber order above would total £76 with delivery within 10 miles, or £86 for an eligible address over 10 and up to 30 miles. The £86 mixed-length order would qualify for free delivery within 10 miles, or total £106 with delivery over 10 and up to 30 miles. These examples assume the timber-only baskets shown and the listed prices.
Enter your complete delivery address at checkout to confirm the available option and charge. For long timber or restricted access, confirm unloading and placement arrangements before ordering. Check any essential delivery date with us before booking labour.
Collect sleepers from Swalwell
Collection is available from TMG Building Supplies, Miller's Lane, Swalwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 3AU. Arrange collection and confirm the order is ready before travelling. Check that your vehicle or trailer can safely carry the length and weight of the load.
Ready to put your list together? Send us the required lengths and quantities, your postcode and any access restrictions. Contact TMG, read delivery and collection details or choose your garden sleepers.