Derek's struggle with screwing into new oak railway sleepers

23 March 2016

Derek's struggle with screwing into new oak railway sleepers

WHAT A SLOG! One of the tough things about using oak railway sleepers, apart from their weight, is their inevitable hardness. This naturally makes them an impressive & durable hardwood, but it also makes them frustrating to drill into it or cut. Derek eventually discovered, like many before him, that pre-drilling is the only effective way of driving screws into oak, without getting them stuck or snapping them, which is a real hassle. Our suggestion for Timberlok screws is to always pre-drill a 6mm pilot hole through oak railway sleepers before driving the screw in. Much easier. And gives you much more time to enjoy your vegetables!
http://www.railwaysleepers.com/projects/raised-beds-with-railway-sleepers/dereks-raised-veg-beds-from-new-oak-railway-sleepers