New Railroad ties used for structural support.

[Big Ship 259]

Something like this was brought up before. I'm aware of the toxic chemicals used to preserve the wood. Im 52 divorced and my children are grown. The small amount of money I made when we sold are family home I bought a few acres and I'm going to build a small bardominiom for myself. 33' x 55'. About a 1/3 will be a garage the rest living space. Going the traditional 16 on center 2x4 wall but I want to go with 10 footer and have an open ceiling for a lift that will be about 3/4 of the living space. Do you think I could incorporate The railroad ties into the interior of
the structure to add strength and mainly for looks. I a fairly decent artist and I'm confident I can either paint, stain, even do some airbrushing to make them look like old barn beams.
any thoughts.

 

[4570Man]

The ties are usually structurally inadequate when they’re removed. And creosote is no joke. I wouldn’t use them in a house. Get some fresh beams from a sawmill if you want the appearance.

 

[grsthegreat]

The smell alone would keep you out of the house. Even fencing with them is obnoxious. Creosote itself, if it gets onto your skin causes sunburn…..not sure how exactly. All i know, is wherever it touched my skin…i was sunburnt later that day.

 

[grsthegreat]

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/KerrMcGee/docs/Creosote%20Health%20Effects%20(Tronox).pdf

 

[ning]

I've always like the smell of creosote... but it would get overwhelming in an enclosed space and definitely be toxic. For that reason alone I'd have to say no, but the fact that they're insufficient even as RR sleepers any more...

 

[BlueKnife]

any thoughts.

The smell alone would drive people out, even if, for some reason, they were ok with the toxicity and associated health damage. Where are you located? In some areas of the country, it's very easy to find small sawmills that will cut beams and columns for such projects, and they won't be treated with toxic chemicals.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I'm in the "no way" camp also. You should be able to easily get trusses that will span the 33' width. I don't know why you would need the strength of such a large beam.

You should be able to find a saw mill to make you some beams, or a lumber yard should have something to fit the bill. Also, lots of times larger "beams" inside a house are faux and are just hollow boxes made to look like beams.

 

[oosik]

I have used real RR ties but only on my fence line and for gates. They are a real bear to handle being so very heavy. Mine have been in use for 44 years now and show no signs of aging. Meaning - in the heat of the summer - they still ooze sticky creosote.

NO - I would definitely not use them in the construction of any living space.

 

[MH8675309]

I live in a barndominium and the previous poster is right about getting free span trusses. They cost a bit more (heavier build) and will probably have to be run on 2 foot centers. You mentioned 2 x 4 walls - those trusses will be a load to carry - 6x6 posts every 8 feet with double 2 x 12 Douglas fir carriers is a solid and proven design. Or do a 2x6 wall on 12" centers - you'd mentioned 10' walls. Your local inspector may have some thoughts on this. Try and get on good terms with the guy
Good luck with it

 

[BlueKnife]

Something like this was brought up before. I'm aware of the toxic chemicals used to preserve the wood. Im 52 divorced and my children are grown. The small amount of money I made when we sold are family home I bought a few acres and I'm going to build a small bardominiom for myself. 33' x 55'. About a 1/3 will be a garage the rest living space. Going the traditional 16 on center 2x4 wall but I want to go with 10 footer and have an open ceiling for a lift that will be about 3/4 of the living space. Do you think I could incorporate The railroad ties into the interior of
the structure to add strength and mainly for looks. I a fairly decent artist and I'm confident I can either paint, stain, even do some airbrushing to make them look like old barn beams.
any thoughts.

I'm not 100% sure what you're describing as far as the type of structure here. Could you elaborate on "an open ceiling for a lift"? Did you mean "loft"? Something to keep in mind though, besides the toxicity hazards, RR ties are less than 9 ft. long.

 

[bcp]

Longer ties are used under switches, but there are probably thousands of normal ties for each longer one.

Bruce

 

[JasperFrank]

For any sort of resale, putting in RR ties interior, especially structural, would be a deal killer for me.

 

[JethroB]

I’d vote no on the smell alone. My grandfather used creosote posts to shore up a rotten bathroom subfloor years ago. The creosote odor never went away inside that area of the house.

 

[deserteagle71]

Good luck on getting any kind of paint, stain, whatever to stick to a tie soaked in creosote. I've got ties as fence corner posts that must be 50 years old and on a hot day they still ooze.

 

[BlueKnife]

Longer ties are used under switches, but there are probably thousands of normal ties for each longer one.

Bruce

Didn't know that, but that makes sense. I used to sell logs to a sawmill that cut railroad ties. They wanted the logs cut at 9 feet, then the ties would be trimmed to length.

 

[5030]

My only comment is no, especially used and pulled sleepers. I used them for flooring in the wife's horse barn 25 years ago (used sleepers) and they are still just fine (for horses) not humans. Get yourself some .40 retention beams if you must but no ties.

Finally, not knowing where you reside at. If the parcel is in a zoned community, I'd be calling the building inspector to see if a 'barndominium' is even an allowed use. they are here but they must be constructed to BOCA specification. You need to inquire before you get red tagged.

 

[BlueKnife]

Finally, not knowing where you reside at. If the parcel is in a zoned community, I'd be calling the building inspector to see if a 'barndominium' is even an allowed use. they are here but they must be constructed to BOCA specification. You need to inquire before you get red tagged.

I'd be curious how the OP is defining that term. Used to be, when people said "barndominium", they were talking about a post frame/pole building used as a residence. Recently, I've heard the term used to describe larger stick frame buildings, like the OP's, that just don't have a bunch of roof lines.

 

[bcp]

Didn't know that, but that makes sense. I used to sell logs to a sawmill that cut railroad ties. They wanted the logs cut at 9 feet, then the ties would be trimmed to length.

Here is an example switch tie plan from Union Pacific. On this size switch, ties go up to 18 feet long.

https://www.up.com/emp/engineering/mapcontent/standards/track%20standard%20drawings/5015.pdf

Bruce

 

[redman135]

Re creosote, NO. Not for inside use as the fumes would get you. Also the smell is penetrating and gets into EVERYTHING. Also people would smell creosote on your clothes and likely avoid you.
As well ,direct skin contact will burn.
If you change your mind and want apply stain or paint, that will fail as the creosote will stop adhesion.
New timber beams are your best option.

 

[chim]

New Information: Yesterday I helped a friend run a 100A service underground between two poles. One end tied into an existing box, but we added a PVC JB on the other end to connect it to an existing pipe that ran up the pole to a service head.

For mounting our new box we made a flat spot on the pole for a backboard. My bud did the chainsawing, and the smell of creosote was strong. He cut back about an inch or so to remove the round surface for the flat spot. When he raked across the face of the cut to smooth it out, creosote bled out of the cut like it was a new pole. I asked how old it was and he said it was there as long as the building - decades.

I told him he'd better scrub well with soap because he was showering his arms with the creosote-laden cuttings. He was anxious to keep working and didn't scrub till lunch time. It was burning his skin well before lunch but he was on a mission to git 'er done.