The rule of thumb for fence posts is to secure a stack of landscape timbers 12 inches high with a 16- to 18-inch piece of rebar.
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How do you put landscape timbers together?
Drill a hole into the top corner of each end of the top landscape timber. Use a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the landscape timber spike. The spike connects the two timbers so they don’t fall off in the future.
The top timber spikes should be cut to the same length as the spikes on the bottom timber, so that they will fit snugly into each other. You can use a jigsaw to make the cuts, but I prefer to do it by hand. If you don’t have a saw, you can also use an X-acto knife to cut the tops off the spikes.
Be careful not to damage the wood, as you will need to re-drill the holes for the new spikes later. I used a piece of scrap wood that I had lying around, and marked the spot with a pencil. I drilled a 1/4-in. hole through the scrap piece, then drilled the other side.
I could drill both sides at once, without having to worry about drilling the wrong side first.
How do you secure landscape timbers to each other?
Rebar is the best option for staking single or layered timbers to the ground. You can use it alone or in conjunction with landscape spikes and screws, but it’s best to use a combination of the two.
How long do treated landscape timbers last?
Pressure-treated timbers are usually used for a timber retaining wall. The warranty on pressure treated wood can be voided if it is put in continuous contact with the ground. You can go with a concrete slab, which is basically a slab of concrete that has been poured into the wall cavity.
This is a great option if you have a lot of space to work with, and you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a wall that’s going to need to be replaced in a few years.
How do you secure 6×6 landscape timbers?
Rebar can be used to secure the timber border to the ground. The holes should be drilled through the center of the timbers, spacing them about 4 feet apart. The timbers should be pinned to the soil with 12-inch lengths of #3 rebar driven with a 1/2 inch drill bit.
If you prefer, you can secure the wood border with 2-by-4s (or similar) secured with 1-1/4- in. nails. The nails should be spaced at least 1 foot apart on each side.
What type of screws for landscape timbers?
Timberlok is a heavy duty wood screw that can be used to attach rafter or trusses to top plate, landscape timbers, fences, decks, and much more. LOK screws are made in the USA and come with a lifetime warranty.
What size nails for landscape timbers?
A 60d timber spike is 6 inches in diameter. Landscape timbers and other large framing pieces can be secured. This is a great size for framing large pieces of wood, such as doors, windows, etc. It can also be used to fasten small items to the side of a wall, or to secure a large piece of lumber to a door or window frame.
What do you treat landscape timbers with?
Currently, wood purchased at lumber outlets for residential landscapes is treated with micronized copper azole (CA) or alkaline copper quaternary ammonium (ACQ). The green tint on the copper azole treated lumber gives it the look of wood that has been treated.
ACQ treatments are not approved for use in residential landscaping. However, they can be used in some commercial applications, such as roofing and decking. They are also used to treat wood used for flooring, furniture, and other wood products.
