How to Remove Landscape Timbers

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

Things You'll Need

  • Gloves

  • Knife

  • Nail puller

Landscape timbers, also called railroad timbers, are used to create edging or retaining walls in landscapes. They are essentially long, square-shaped pieces of wood that are stacked on top of each other to create a barrier. Although they can create a striking effect in casual landscapes, they are not usually desirable in more formal landscape plans. If you have landscape timbers installed and wish to remove them, it isn't as simple as picking them up and throwing them away.

Advertisement

Step 1

Look at one of the top corners of the landscape timber to locate the metal spike hammered into it. A spike is simply larger and longer than a traditional metal nail.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Use a knife to carve out the wood around the top of the metal spike to expose the head of the spike. You only need to carve out enough wood to slip a nail puller under the head of the spike.

Advertisement

Step 3

Place a nail puller into the carved-out indention until the notch on the nail puller is positioned under the head of the metal spike.

Step 4

Lean back on the handle of the nail puller to pry the metal spike out of the landscape timber.

Advertisement

Step 5

Go to each of the remaining corners of the landscape timbers and remove the metal spikes in the same manner.

Step 6

Grasp the end of one of the top landscape timbers while another person grasps the other end. Lift up simultaneously to remove the timber. Remove all of the other timbers in the same manner.

Tip

In some areas, normal trash companies will not pick up timbers. If this is the case, you will need to take the timbers to the garbage dump on your own.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

references