# Forum Home Renovation Landscaping, Gardening & Outdoors  How to straighten a bowed pine sleeper

## Specialized29er

A month ago I replaced/constructed a vegetable garden bed using 50mm x 300mm x 3.0m wet pine sleepers and of all the sleepers used only one has bowed.
I've taken the sleeper out and have replaced it with a new straight sleeper and am wondering is it possible to straighten the bowed sleeper.
Its no a bad bow, maybe 2cms at either end but not much use for a wall, anyway I'd like to use it for a bench top but would love to take the bend out of it first.
Would keeping it wet and placing the ends on concrete blocks with the bowed side facing up and then load it up with full 8'' concrete blocks help to push down the bow and straighten it.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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## Random Username

The best fix I've found for bowed sleepers is to throw them out and swear never to buy Bunnings sleepers again!

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## Specialized29er

Funny one, today I've tried the wetting and weight method and if this hasn't made a difference I'll cut through the bowed side in various positions then run some glue in the cuts and apply weight.
Bunnings you say, I do wish we had a Bunnings, all mine come from a landscaping place.

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## OBBob

Nice to see more veggie patches! I assume that's normal treated pine ... I'd be considering putting a later of black plastic inside (but everyone has their own views on TP chemicals) and a lateral brace across the middle so it doesn't bow under the soil and water load over time.  
As for the bow ... I think the timber will do what it wants to do and take everything else with it (although TP isn't as strong as others). The cuts may help if you can do it and keep the timber useable. You'd probably want to try and secure the timber until it had drive out quite a bit if possible.

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## Marc

Yes, trow them out is one option I suppose. You say you want to try to use it. Straightening timber cold with weights particularly 50mm thick will not work. Timber is bent or made straight using heat but I wouldn't bother steaming a sleeper, don't even consider it. You can try to saturate the bowed side to make it swell and compensate the bent. For that you need to have in in a shallow puddle, concave side in the water and the other side in the sun. You have 50/50 chance for it to work and 30/70 chance for it to remain straight....you can retain some water around it with thick plastic.

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## johnc

Yes, put it on the lawn bowed side up (an arch not a dish) keep an eye on it and it should pull straight. Can be a quick process on a sunny day so don't go to far. good chance you will not hold it especially if it is bowing around a knot.

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## Specialized29er

No their not treated and yep I've lined the sides and the beauty of being able to take out the sides is that as the fill is increase I just line another section.
With the weight and the water I'm surprised its straighten well so last night I cut the length to size and bolted the pieces to the bench top that I'm using for the bench grinder.

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## METRIX

> No their not treated

  Not treated ?, then they will only last 5 minutes outside with soil on them. 
I haven't seen Non treated pine sleepers before, only in Hardwood, the "Wet" part of the name generally refers to them being treated and not KD after the treatment, and is why the bend and bow everywhere..

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## Marc

I doubt a landscaping place will sell non treated logs. They must be treated and H4 for that. Unless they are meant for firewood.

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## METRIX

> I doubt a landscaping place will sell non treated logs. They must be treated and H4 for that. Unless they are meant for firewood.

  Exactly, as they would have no purpose, unless your going to use them inside the house, but then why would a Landscape supplier sell timber not suited for use in the garden, makes no sense.

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## Marc

landscape the bar?

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## METRIX

Possibly, or make some landscape indoor furniture, indoor sleeper table, it would be safe to eat off if it's not treated, perhaps an indoor boardwalk, or an undercover indoor vege garden, with no soil or veges, now that's just being silly. :Rolleyes:   :Tongue:   :Wink:

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## Uncle Bob

They look treated to my un-trained old eyes.

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## Mundz

I find it easier to let someone else grow my vegies  :Redface:

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## Moondog55

They do look like the ECO treated pine I am using, no arsenic no chrome green

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## mudbrick

I would have used the bent one in the vege garden and a straight one for the bench top.

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