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I just installed a raised fire pit bed surrounded by railroad ties. One of the ties has several holes where the spikes used to be. The other day after a rain I noticed that they had filled up with water. I am thinking that to preserve the tie better it might be a good idea to fill these holes. My thought was to cut some pieces of pressure-treated and put them down into the hole up to about half inch from the top and then fill with Roofing flashing adhesive.
Any other ideas?
Thanks
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(10-16-2020, 06:00 AM)Dusty Workshop Wrote: I just installed a raised fire pit bed surrounded by railroad ties. One of the ties has several holes where the spikes used to be. The other day after a rain I noticed that they had filled up with water. I am thinking that to preserve the tie better it might be a good idea to fill these holes. My thought was to cut some pieces of pressure-treated and put them down into the hole up to about half inch from the top and then fill with Roofing flashing adhesive.
Any other ideas?
Thanks
Drill the holes all the way through so they drain.
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Stuff it with caulk backer rod, then sealant topping of your choice.
Assuming since they’ve been used that they were preserved with creosote or CCA.
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Turn them upside down?
VH07V
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Metal cap?
If those catch fire, you'll never put them out.
We at the VFD have sprayed them with foam and they still smolder for days.
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Those ties will still be there after you croke...holes or not.
Steve
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I miss the days of using my dinghy with a girlfriend too. Zack Butler-4/18/24
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020
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They would be home to mosquitoes if you don't do soemthing, is drilling them all the way through an option...that seems easiest.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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I like the backer rod idea. I think I will drop some gravel in first so I don't need as much backer rod. This tie is the top of a stack of 2 so I don't know if drilling through would work well.
The whole area is about 150 sq feet so the fire is not close to the ties. Shouldn't pose a fire Hazzard.
Thanks for the suggestions!
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10-19-2020, 12:17 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-19-2020, 04:30 PM by brianwelch.)
(10-19-2020, 06:24 AM)Dusty Workshop Wrote: I like the backer rod idea. I think I will drop some gravel in first so I don't need as much backer rod. This tie is the top of a stack of 2 so I don't know if drilling through would work well.
The whole area is about 150 sq feet so the fire is not close to the ties. Shouldn't pose a fire Hazzard.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Backer rod need not fill the entire void...Just enough to provide a "bottom" for the caulk...a piece slightly longer than the diameter, compressed so that it fits snugly in the hole, should be plenty.
BTW, you could accomplish the same thing by partially filling with sand/dirt, or stuffing paper or part of a plastic shopping bag in the hole...
Depth of caulk is up to you, not sure how well it will bond to the treated wood...
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Put railroad spikes in the holes, they should fit, and would look too cool.
Jim in Okie
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