Can I use sleepers as a decking base?

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.

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.

How far apart should deck sleepers be?

Whether you lay the sleepers flat or on edge, they need the same spacing as conventional deck joists — usually 16 inches on center — to provide support for the decking boards. They often need to be securely attached to the surface or to the rim joists.

What is a sleeper on a deck?

A sleeper system is a substructure comprising joists that sit between a solid surface (such as concrete) and the decking. Ground-level (and rooftop decks, for that matter) present unique challenges when it comes to water management and air circulation.

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.

How do you attach a sleeper to concrete?

Cut your sleepers to your required length, which could be random for a rustic look. Then mix up some lean mortar, such as 6:1, to be used as a concrete base and haunching. Place at least a 50mm bed of concrete in the bottom of the trench and start inserting the sleepers, haunching them up as you go.

What are concrete sleepers used for?

Concrete sleepers/bearers are the main components supporting steel works and redistributing dynamic forces onto ballast and formation. Because of their low cost, high durability, ease in construction, and maintenance, concrete bearers will continue to be the popular components in modern turnout systems.

Should sleepers be laid on concrete?

The railway sleepers should ideally be laid on a surface that is level and firm. Many people simply lay them down directly on the earth, grass, deck or concrete.

What are the disadvantages of concrete sleepers?

Disadvantages of Concrete Sleepers

• It is brittle and cracks without warning.
• It cannot be repaired, and required replacement.
• Fittings required are greater in number.
• No scrap value.

What type of decking can the sleeper system be used with?

The sleeper system should only be used with Deckorators decking or porch flooring featuring Deckorators mineral-based composite technology. This includes Voyage, Vault, and Porch Flooring .

How do you install sleepers on a concrete patio?

Look for the highest hump in the patio and fasten your first sleeper there. Then work outward from the high spot, adding sleepers and checking for flatness along each sleeper and across them. Add shims to raise low spots. Drill through sleepers, spacers and into the concrete with a hammer drill, then drive in concrete screws.

How do you level the sleepers on a wood floor?

After making sure that the floor is level, use cedar shims to level the sleepers. Lay a 4-foot level across the sleepers to make sure they lie on the same plane. Insert cedar shims to raise the sleepers at low spots. Fasten the sleepers (through the shims) with powder-actuated fasteners.

Should you cover sleepers with flashing tape before decking?

Before decking, we covered the sleepers with flashing tape. Without it, water soaks the tops of the sleepers and the decking prevents the wood from drying. Common grades of treated lumber will rot if kept permanently damp, and flashing tape is the best insurance against that.