Machine Rounds or Sleepers – Which Type of Timber do I Need?

This article looks at the differences between sleepers and machine rounds. It’s not just their shape and the uses they are put to, but they also produce markedly different styles in your garden.

It will take between three or four minutes to read.

Sleepers – How are They Created?

Wooden sleepers (above) are created by sawing, seasoning, and treating hardwood or softwood timbers, usually pressure-treating them with preservatives like creosote to resist decay. The first ever sleepers can be traced back to wooden railway tracks found in rural China more than 2,000 years ago. In the UK, they serve a similar purpose, although rather more recently.

However, sleepers aren’t exclusively for railways – they can also be used for a variety of garden projects outlined below.

Key Uses of Sleepers

Raised Beds and Planters – Their flat surfaces allow for easy stacking, making them ideal for gardens where space is limited, or where the soil isn’t naturally conducive to growing – it’s much easier to control and improve the quality of the soil in a confined space.

Retaining Walls and Steps – you can use them to create retaining walls in sloped gardens, and to construct rustic steps if parts of your garden are on different levels.

Garden Furniture – the regular shape of sleepers means that you can use them to create benches and other items of outdoor furniture, such as tables.

Edging and Pathways – you can also use sleepers to ‘fence in’ beds and borders, providing some protection from children and pets (and ensuring the soil or mulch doesn’t spill over into the lawn, for instance)

Note that all sleepers are usually extremely durable, particularly if you opt for hardwood rather than softwood varieties. They also create clean, regular lines, which is ideal if you are trying to create a modern or contemporary garden with the emphasis on formal structure.

At Nelson Potter, we stock softwood, raised bed and now oak sleepers, so you should be able to find what you are looking for here.

Machine Rounds – What are They?

Machine rounds are smooth, uniform, cylindrical poles, usually pressure-treated for in-ground contact. You can also purchase half rounds, which are semi-circular in shape rather than round and can be used for laying on or against an already flat surface.

They are created by taking straight timber (usually softwood) and passing it through specialised industrial machinery that peels and turns the wood into a uniform, smooth cylinder.

This type of timber product hasn’t been around for as long as sleepers. Although simple, manually-driven lathes have existed for thousands of years, it wasn’t until the latter part of the 20^th century that mass production was possible.  The advent of mechanisation in mills is largely responsible for this. Although they are extremely useful in agricultural settings, they have plenty of uses in domestic gardens as well – as outlined below.

Uses of Machine Rounds

Fencing – As well as making ideal livestock and paddock fencing posts, they can also be used in domestic garden fencing projects.

Path Edging – Rounds (above) or half rounds can create low, rounded edges for pathways and driveways.

Log Walling – Machine rounds are excellent for managing sloped gardens. By laying them horizontally and securing them with vertical "soldiers" (shorter rounds driven into the ground), you can create tiered flower beds.

Tree Stakes and Supports – for large trees, two machine rounds driven into the ground with a horizontal crossbar and rubber ties provide the most stable support. A single pointed machine round driven at a 45-degree angle is all you need to support young saplings.

Child’s Play Areas - because they are smooth and lack the splinters or sharp "waney edges" of raw timber, they are the standard choice for DIY play equipment. They can be used as balance beams, stepping stones or the skeleton of a climbing frame.

While machine rounds and half rounds have many similar uses to sleepers, they generally create a more rustic or natural look than their ‘straight’ alternative. The various types that we stock at Nelson Potter can be found here.  

Contacting Nelson Potter

As well as contacting us online, you can also call either of our two yards - at Bromewell (tel 01394 460199) or Dodnash (call 01473 311905). Our opening hours are 8am-5pm Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays we are open from 8am-12noon.

FAQs

Q: Are Nelson Potter’s machine rounds and sleepers treated for long-term use?

A: Our machine rounds are made of 100% pine, kiln-dried, and pressure-treated to prevent rot and decay in ground contact. Our sleepers are also pressure-treated. If you cut them, it is recommended that you apply a wood preservative to the exposed ends.

Q: Does Nelson Potter offer delivery for heavy items like sleepers?

A: Yes, Nelson Potter provides a local delivery service, priced on a per-load basis. You can enter your postcode when ordering online for an estimate.

Q: Does Nelson Potter cut its own timber?

A: Yes, Nelson Potter has its own sawmilling lines, pressure treatment plants, and a wide variety of cutting equipment, ensuring we offer high-quality, sustainable timber which will be tailored to fit your needs.