- Materials. Sleepers come in a variety of materials, but only wood sleepers are regularly used in deck building.
- Function. Sleepers are placed between the deck surface and the ground or slab below it. ...
- Benefits. Sleepers keep your chosen hardwood materials off the ground. This allows builders and homeowners to quickly create a deck without building a full frame to support it.
- Problems. Most sleepers used for deck installation are pressure-treated with any number of toxic chemicals. ...
What are sleepers when installing a deck?
What Are Sleepers When Installing a Deck? 1 Materials. Sleepers come in a variety of materials, but only wood sleepers are regularly used in deck building. 2 Function. Sleepers are placed between the deck surface and the ground or slab below it. ... 3 Benefits. Sleepers keep your chosen hardwood materials off the ground. ... 4 Problems. ...
Why choose decking delivery's railway sleepers?
Add character and warmth to any space with Decking Delivery's beautiful softwood railway sleepers. Incredibly versatile treated timber sleepers have a huge range of uses, both practical and decorative. As a natural product each treated timber sleeper is unique which means that there may be variations.
Can you use treated wood for sleepers on decking?
Use treated wood for the sleepers only when they can be completely covered with decking to avoid unhealthy exposure to the chemicals. Backyard Blitz: It Could Be You!
What are sleepers used for in construction?
Sleepers keep your chosen hardwood materials off the ground. This allows builders and homeowners to quickly create a deck without building a full frame to support it. These pieces of lumber also work well to level an uneven area, so the deck lying over it doesn't tilt or slope.
Why do we need sleepers for decks?
What are sleepers used for?
How big is a wood sleeper?
Can you build a deck without a frame?
Can you use treated lumber on a deck?
Are sleepers good for decking?
If you're making a raised deck, railway sleepers are an excellent material for building up the platform and creating neat edges for your decking area.
How far apart should deck sleepers be?
They should be spaced 24 inches on center. The sleepers may be random lengths because the concrete slab will support the full length of the sleeper. This can be a savings because short lengths are often less expensive.
How do you install a deck sleeper?
0:432:14Best Product for Building a Ground Level Deck - Deckorators Sleepers ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSleeper application you put your deck boards on top these are acting as your joists. You take yourMoreSleeper application you put your deck boards on top these are acting as your joists. You take your traditional. Clip system that you would use with what deck board you're trying to use.
What are sleepers in framing?
A sleeper wall is a short wall used to support floor joists, beam and block or hollowcore slabs at ground floor. It is constructed in this fashion when a suspended slab is required due to bearing conditions or ground water presence.
Can I use sleepers as deck joists?
Simple answer is yes. But I recommend at least three but preferably four bearers supporting that length of sleeper in order to prevent them springing.
Can you lay decking directly on concrete?
An existing concrete patio will make your deck installation much easier and faster, and you can install your deck directly onto the concrete. You will want to account for water drainage and material expansion/contraction, so it is best to place boards called 'sleepers' underneath the deck.
What is a wood sleeper?
Wooden sleeper, also caleed timber sleeper, is one kind of railway sleeper that is made of wood, also known as wooden railway sleeper or wood railroad tie.
Can I lay decking on paving slabs?
Whether you will set the decking on concrete or paving slabs, you will need to inspect for drainage problems. While it may not affect the deck, especially if you're using composite decking, it will affect the frame of the deck. For concrete, you can apply a self-levelling compound.
What is a sleeper joist?
Sleeper joists are wooden boards installed on top of an existing subfloor that are typically used as support for hardwood flooring. The sleeper joists follow the same arrangement and spacing as the main home joists located under the subfloor.
Why is it called a sleeper?
A sleeper (US English) or Q-car (British English) is a car that has high performance and an unassuming exterior. Sleeper cars are so called because their exterior looks similar or identical to a standard or economy-class car.
Do sleepers need foundations?
Yes you can. If you're only creating a structure that's one or two sleepers in height you don't necessarily need foundations, which means you can lay your railway sleepers onto the soil. Though you'll want to make sure you use some kind of waterproof membrane so that sleepers don't soak up water from the soil.
Why use deck screws?
Using deck screws to fasten the deck boards to the sleepers helps to minimize the effect of nature trying to make the deck boards “cup” upwards.
Why is ventilation important for decking?
Proper ventilation helps the wood decking to acclimate properly and move with changes in the EMC (Equilibrium Moisture Content) of the particular job site environs.
What happens if you don't ventilate your deck?
Failure to properly ventilate a deck can result in deck boards that do not dry out and is an open invitation to mold, mildew, algae and fungi. Mold, mildew and fungi are not only unsightly; they can create rot and decay problems on and around the deck structure.
Can sleepers be installed perpendicular to the water flow?
Some designers will argue that sleepers can be installed perpendicular to the water flow as long as weep holes are installed.
Can you use concealed fasteners on a sleeper deck?
While it is true that concealed fasteners can be used effectively in deck design, we believe that the best design and construction practice for a sleeper deck should use screw fasteners. Screw fasteners will provide stronger lateral bracing for the entire deck structure.
What is a sleeper on a deck?
What are sleepers? Sleepers are used in framing and placed between the deck surface and the ground or slab below it. A set of sleepers supports the decking and allows moisture and air to flow below it. Decking laid directly over concrete or packed soil will rot quickly.
How much space between joists for sleeper?
Sleepers have to maintain the structural elements found in regular framing. Spacing should still be no more than 16″ on centre between joists to ensure framing is still strong enough for the decking material being installed.
Why are spacers installed on the roof of an apartment building?
In this case, spacers will be installed underneath the sleepers to create a barrier between the board and the pooling water.
Is Boracol a good deck treatment?
Boracol is a great example of this treatment solution. Treating the cut ends of each board is not enough to fully protect the frame though. Depending on the area the deck is being installed, there may be other hazards present. For example the rooftop of an apartment building.
Can a deck be lifted off the ground?
With the deck lifted off the ground, there is not much concern around the airflow underneath the deck. Sometimes this is not always possible and the deck has to stay as low as it can. For example on the rooftop of an apartment building, or if there are obstacles restricting how high a deck can be.
Why do we need sleepers for decks?
The use of sleepers makes building a deck faster and easier. Building a deck from wood requires special considerations due to the effect that moisture has on the material. One way that builders have designed to mitigate the spread of rot involves laying extra pieces of wood called sleepers. Sleepers help homeowners build decks with less effort ...
What are sleepers used for?
Materials. Sleepers come in a variety of materials, but only wood sleepers are regularly used in deck building. Concrete and metal sleepers work well for building retaining walls, but these materials are too hard to attach normal deck boards to for a basic deck.
How big is a wood sleeper?
Treated and untreated wood sleepers come in a range of sizes because nearly any solid piece of lumber larger than 2-by-4 inches can be used in this way, depending on the size of the deck.
Can you build a deck without a frame?
This allows builders and homeowners to quickly create a deck without building a full frame to support it. These pieces of lumber also work well to level an uneven area, so the deck lying over it doesn't tilt or slope.
Can you use treated lumber on a deck?
However, the chemicals used to make this lumber rot- and insect-resistant pose health problems to anyone who spends a lot of time around it, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Use treated wood for the sleepers only when they can be completely covered with decking to avoid unhealthy exposure to the chemicals.
