Garden sleepers can be cut with a circular saw, reciprocating saw, chainsaw or hand saw. Which one makes most sense depends on the tools you already have, how many cuts you need and the finish you want. Our sleepers are 195 x 95mm, so the main practical issue is that many handheld saws will not cut through the full section in one pass.
Circular saw
A circular saw works well for square, controlled cuts. Mark the cut around the sleeper, cut from one face as deep as the saw allows, then turn the sleeper and complete the cut from the opposite face.
Keeping the same square line around all four faces makes it much easier for the two cuts to meet cleanly.
Reciprocating saw
A reciprocating saw works provided you use a timber blade long enough for the full section. It is useful where access is awkward or where the sleeper is already partly installed.
Support the timber properly so the cut does not close onto the blade as the offcut becomes free.
Chainsaw
A chainsaw will cut a sleeper quickly and has plenty of depth for a 195 x 95mm section. Use it only if you are confident and equipped to use a chainsaw safely. It is normally chosen for speed rather than a fine joinery finish.
Hand saw
A sharp hand saw also works. It takes more effort, but for one or two cuts you do not need a power tool simply because the timber is large.
After cutting a pressure-treated sleeper
Cutting exposes fresh timber inside the treated section. Apply a suitable end-grain preservative or wood preserver to the new cut before installation.
If the cut end is going into a detail where water can sit, change the detail if possible. Good drainage still matters after the cut has been treated.
Do you need to cut them yourself?
No. If you know the lengths you need, Wern-Wood can cut the sleepers for you. That is useful if you do not have a saw capable of handling a 195 x 95mm section or you simply want to reduce the cutting on site.
Shop 195 x 95mm pressure treated garden sleepers in lengths from 0.6m to 3.6m, or browse the full Garden Railway Sleepers range.
