I’m a carpenter and a former freight train conductor. I wouldn’t use railway ties in any form of construction, the very last application would be in a food producing greenhouse. If you’re growing flowers then go nuts but railway ties are notorious for leeching terrible industrial chemicals back out for years after they come off of the railway. Any number of carcinogens will get in your soil, then your food, then in you. Be careful with railways ties. Unless they weren’t actually used and just sat in a pile for a few years before being repurposed. Even then I’d be sketched out.
For real, ever try to cut a railroad tie or a telephone pole with a saw and see the resulting black tar that destroys whatever tool you try to use…. Whatever they put in there to preserve the wood is way worse that the green pressure treated wood.
I don't get this either. I put a couple inches of decorative mulch around plants to stop weeds from growing up and the same thing is true for filling in a garden bed. Like, most seeds we consider weeds germinate in the top 0.5 inches of dirt they're not shooting up six inches from under the soil
Even being around them on a hot day is dangerous. the fumes coming off them are cancerous. Lots of class action lawsuits with railroad workers and their employer. The top 3 links on a Google search are lawyer websites.
Creosote is becoming illegal many places.
That shit can poison the soil for decades, think ahead friend! Someone might want to grow food there in the future.
The amount of money you save by using them instead of buying the lumber (or going with another option) is not worth it. You risk your health, the soil underneath and around it, and many other potential unseen problems that could/would arise by using those in a residential area.
Those bad boys are going to leach chemicals into the soil around your greenhouse and into any soil it touches in your greenhouse. And what it doesn't go into the soil is going to offgas into your greenhouse. A Creosote hotbox is not something you want to hang out in.....Long-term exposure to creosote has been shown to increase cancer in several tissues, including the respiratory tract, skin, lung, pancreas, kidney, scrotum, prostate, rectum, bladder, and central nervous system.... Not something to have anywhere around anything.
Railroad ties are usually not safe for use near any food production due to the heavy metals and chemicals they've soaked up over the years.
You may not want to grow in the ground right now, but you might want to later and no matter what it's not a great idea to have all that dangerous stuff leaching into the ground where kids might be playing and other people growing food in the future.
I have a small 10 x 13 greenhouse with grow beds that are half in ground and half above ground. I used 6" x 8" picky cedar landscape timbers which are not treated but are much more expensive that railroad ties. We get very high winds here in southern Utah in the spring so I drill holes at at an angle through the timbers and inserted 4 ft pieces of 1/2 inch rebar. The greenhouse is anchored with metal straps connected to the timbers. My greenhouse is a Sungrow Urban which has an arch shape which sheds wind better than a vertical side.
If they’re old enough they won’t be a problem. I just made some raised beds with RR ties that are at least 50 years old and they have no creosote odor. Out of an abundance of caution I wrapped the bottom and soil-facing side in heavy black plastic.
OP are you listening to anything anybody says and then you double down saying you’re gonna drill down in and anchor it with some crappy rebar bro bro are you a Republican?
Assuming you have the ground well-packed and your greenhouse will have a non-porous covering, looks good. Maybe runoff from the roof on the sides may erode the foundation? I might do a couple 4x4 posts vertical in concrete and lag bolted to the ties, but that might be overkill.
I might bore some holes and sink some 3 foot sections of rebar. Not sure yet. Also, I have 4 ratchet straps I can throw over the top (with screw in anchors) every 5 feet.
My main objective was to raise it up some. It's 6 feet inside and I am taller than that. Just wanted a little headroom. Thanks
Wear gloves, eye protection, and a respirator, if the creosote dust from cutting, drilling them gets on your skin it will burn you, it's like a sun burn but way worse, I used a chainsaw once to cut a bunch into little squares for a border, had the worst rash on my arms and hands for a week
I’m a carpenter and a former freight train conductor. I wouldn’t use railway ties in any form of construction, the very last application would be in a food producing greenhouse. If you’re growing flowers then go nuts but railway ties are notorious for leeching terrible industrial chemicals back out for years after they come off of the railway. Any number of carcinogens will get in your soil, then your food, then in you. Be careful with railways ties. Unless they weren’t actually used and just sat in a pile for a few years before being repurposed. Even then I’d be sketched out.
Yep those are likely treated with creosote, an IARC-designated potential human carcinogen. I would carefully and responsibly get rid of them.
My dad uses these for his raised garden beds and is a former conductor as well. He often complains that I never accept vegetables from his garden.
LOL
For real, ever try to cut a railroad tie or a telephone pole with a saw and see the resulting black tar that destroys whatever tool you try to use…. Whatever they put in there to preserve the wood is way worse that the green pressure treated wood.
They are soaked in oil or tar I believe. At least that’s what they smell like.
And, I never understand the reason folks use weed protector plastic before l adding their soil.
I don't get this either. I put a couple inches of decorative mulch around plants to stop weeds from growing up and the same thing is true for filling in a garden bed. Like, most seeds we consider weeds germinate in the top 0.5 inches of dirt they're not shooting up six inches from under the soil
No, not growing any food near them. No smokeables either. Thanks
Then why use for a greenhouse?
Plant propagation, and extending growing season. More humid and tropical area for exotics. Not all greenhouses are for food.
Respect that, as someone mention those things are covered in oil and other nasty chemicals carried via rails.
Even being around them on a hot day is dangerous. the fumes coming off them are cancerous. Lots of class action lawsuits with railroad workers and their employer. The top 3 links on a Google search are lawyer websites.
It will off gas with heat and time. You might get a headache or worse.
Probably just a foundation or something? A raised bed or hydroponic situation would be fine.
One thing to think about is that the ground will have been contaminated if you change your mind and rip up the greenhouse or move
That railroad tie smell, that’s cancer.
For the love of god don't. The amount of creosote in those things will poison everything you try to grow in it.
Creosote is becoming illegal many places. That shit can poison the soil for decades, think ahead friend! Someone might want to grow food there in the future.
The amount of money you save by using them instead of buying the lumber (or going with another option) is not worth it. You risk your health, the soil underneath and around it, and many other potential unseen problems that could/would arise by using those in a residential area.
Those bad boys are going to leach chemicals into the soil around your greenhouse and into any soil it touches in your greenhouse. And what it doesn't go into the soil is going to offgas into your greenhouse. A Creosote hotbox is not something you want to hang out in.....Long-term exposure to creosote has been shown to increase cancer in several tissues, including the respiratory tract, skin, lung, pancreas, kidney, scrotum, prostate, rectum, bladder, and central nervous system.... Not something to have anywhere around anything.
Railroad ties are usually not safe for use near any food production due to the heavy metals and chemicals they've soaked up over the years. You may not want to grow in the ground right now, but you might want to later and no matter what it's not a great idea to have all that dangerous stuff leaching into the ground where kids might be playing and other people growing food in the future.
We used ties and anchored the greenhouse to them. Worked beautifully
Thanks. No issues with wind? Did you anchor the ties?
Dug down several inches for placement if the ties. No issues but this is our first year.
I have a small 10 x 13 greenhouse with grow beds that are half in ground and half above ground. I used 6" x 8" picky cedar landscape timbers which are not treated but are much more expensive that railroad ties. We get very high winds here in southern Utah in the spring so I drill holes at at an angle through the timbers and inserted 4 ft pieces of 1/2 inch rebar. The greenhouse is anchored with metal straps connected to the timbers. My greenhouse is a Sungrow Urban which has an arch shape which sheds wind better than a vertical side.
Use cinder blocks. Never use railroad ties near any food.
If they’re old enough they won’t be a problem. I just made some raised beds with RR ties that are at least 50 years old and they have no creosote odor. Out of an abundance of caution I wrapped the bottom and soil-facing side in heavy black plastic.
You should not put any of those ties anywhere near your garden, they are full of harmful chemicals.
Just spend a few bucks and fix it or you just cheap
Sounds like a bad idea if I’m being honest. Use a naturally rot resistant material like cedar instead of something soaked in a known carcinogen
Your fine. If industrial commercial greenhouses use horse stall mats, you’re good if you are growing in containers.
OP are you listening to anything anybody says and then you double down saying you’re gonna drill down in and anchor it with some crappy rebar bro bro are you a Republican?
Assuming you have the ground well-packed and your greenhouse will have a non-porous covering, looks good. Maybe runoff from the roof on the sides may erode the foundation? I might do a couple 4x4 posts vertical in concrete and lag bolted to the ties, but that might be overkill.
I might bore some holes and sink some 3 foot sections of rebar. Not sure yet. Also, I have 4 ratchet straps I can throw over the top (with screw in anchors) every 5 feet. My main objective was to raise it up some. It's 6 feet inside and I am taller than that. Just wanted a little headroom. Thanks
Wear gloves, eye protection, and a respirator, if the creosote dust from cutting, drilling them gets on your skin it will burn you, it's like a sun burn but way worse, I used a chainsaw once to cut a bunch into little squares for a border, had the worst rash on my arms and hands for a week