# Forum Home Renovation Retaining Walls  Timber cap for small retaining wall

## finger

I've slapped together a small 10m long 400mm high retaining wall out of treated pine 200x50x2400. I would like to put a timber cap along the top so we could possibly sit on it and it would also neaten up the overall appearance. 
Whats the best timber to use as a capping and what dimensions?

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## ringtail

Another sleeper is the most common method that I use and have seen others use. Just knock the front edge off with a planer or bullnose it with a router

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## stevoh741

X2. Go to a decent timber supplier and get 4.8m sleepers to minimize the joints. Also join over a post.

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## finger

Thanks I'll give it a try and see how it looks

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## woodchip

Rip the sleeper down if you have to, to avoid too much of an ( unsupported) overhang over each side, or it may bow, buckle or cup, plane the edges & try a 30deg splice cut (same as joining timber)handrail, so one laps over the other, over a post. 
cheers

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## DEMAK Timber

> X2. Go to a decent timber supplier and get 4.8m sleepers to minimize the joints. Also join over a post.

  and a rebate to fit over the sleepers looks nice too...

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## Yvette S

> and a rebate to fit over the sleepers looks nice too...

  We are looking at doing the same thing exactly as this withthe rebate. Demak do you supply these?

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## DEMAK Timber

> We are looking at doing the same thing exactly as this withthe rebate. Demak do you supply these?

   Sure do...  :Wink:  03 9756 0444

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## ringtail

Not sure how long that would last. Looks a bit vulnerable to breaking the edge off as the timber moves

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## shauck

They look pretty flimsy. Go the sleeper.

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## DEMAK Timber

The timber in the picture is a 140x45. Could also be cut from 190x45 to make it a bit wider. Would recommend this over trenching a sleeper as the KD material should have less movement overall...

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## shauck

I just think taking from the thickness of material is not desirable. My opinion only.

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## Bloss

> I just think taking from the thickness of material is not desirable. My opinion only.

   :What she said:  can't really see why a rebate adds much in this application - a plain capping would give pretty much the same appearance unless the top surface was so unevenly constructed as to require hiding by the rebate overhang. So from the aesthetic view it seems not worth the extra effort and cost and form a technical view it creates a thinner flaw point at the base of the rebate on either side it is likely not to last as well either. But a personal choice really.

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