Which Type of Concrete Sleeper Should You Choose for Your Project?

Are you unsure about the concrete sleeper types available to you? You’re not alone, and yes, you’ve absolutely come to the right place. 

Concrete sleepers have become a go-to choice for retaining walls and landscaping projects across Australia. They’re tough, tidy and blessedly low maintenance, which is exactly what you want when you’d rather enjoy your yard than constantly fix it.

At Australian Landscape Supplies, we stock a range of concrete sleepers from two trusted manufacturers: Prime Concrete Developments and QPRO.

Each type of concrete sleeper has its own unique strengths. Let’s go over them so you can make an informed choice for your project and avoid that ‘should’ve picked the other one’ feeling later.

Why are concrete sleepers so popular?

Concrete sleeperretaining walls and garden structures have become a go-to choice because they are built to handle Australian conditions. Unlike timber sleepers, they do not rot, warp or attract termites, which is great news for your weekends and your wallet. They are commonly used in residential and commercial retaining walls across Brisbane and South East Queensland.

Highly durable and capable of handling significant soil loads when installed correctly, a concrete sleeper wall requires very little ongoing maintenance, as it doesn’t need painting or pest treatment. They’re basically the ‘set it and forget it’ option. They are also versatile, with a wide range of colours and finishes available to suit any kind of garden, whether you’re going sleek and modern or full native oasis. Many ranges are engineered for long design lives, often measured in decades, which is a nice way of saying they’ll still be standing when your garden trends have changed three times.

What are the best concrete sleepers to choose from?

PCD

Based in Brisbane and operating since 2017, Prime Concrete Developments brings over 40 years of combined industry experience to its manufacturing process, which is a fancy way of saying they know what they’re doing.

A lower-quality concrete sleeper can suffer from hairline cracking, inconsistent finishes and shorter design life, which is why manufacturing quality matters when choosing concrete sleepers. PCD tackles this head-on by using tailored concrete mixes that minimise cracking and deliver a consistently high-quality finish you can rely on, rather than a ‘surprise, it’s uneven’ moment at install.

All PCD sleepers achieve compressive strengths between 55–60 MPa, which exceeds the Australian Standard minimum of 40 MPa, and is rated with a 60-year design life when installed correctly. That’s the kind of durability you can build around with confidence.

Styles include Onyx Block Pattern, Onyx Timber Rustic, Heritage Timber Rustic and Oakey Brown, making them suitable for residential and commercial retaining walls.

PCD sleepers are independently tested to 55–60 MPa and offer a 60-year design life when correctly installed.

QPRO

QPRO sleepers are made right here in Queensland using locally sourced materials, and they’re built to handle tough outdoor conditions without carrying on about it.

Many retaining wall projects – especially cantilever walls – need certified engineering to meet council and safety requirements. QPRO makes life easier by engineering and certifying all of their sleepers specifically for cantilever retaining wall systems, in line with Australian Standards AS4678 and AS3600. In other words, less guesswork for you, and fewer headaches when approvals come into play.

Each QPRO concrete sleeper is reinforced with two reo bars and manufactured to a strength rating of at least 40 MPa, which meets Australian Standards for retaining wall construction. They are produced in a standard 200 mm height, 75 mm depth, and lengths of 1600 mm, 2000 mm and 2400 mm, with weights ranging from approximately 57 to 83 kg, depending on size, so they’re substantial in the way you want retaining wall materials to be.

QPRO offers both Classic and Premium Sealed ranges. The Premium Sealed option features a glossy finish that improves durability while adding a more refined look, for when you want your wall to do its job and look good doing it.

Available finishes include plain concrete, timber-look and paperbark, making QPRO sleepers a practical and flexible choice for both functional and decorative retaining walls.

How do PCD and QPRO compare?

Which type of concrete sleeper should I choose for my project?

If you’re working on a modern front yard or a feature retaining wall, sealed options like PCD Optimum Sealed or QPRO Premium Sealed are a smart pick. They help colours stay true for longer and provide extra surface protection, making them ideal for areas that are on show and likely to get judged by neighbours walking past.

For more budget-conscious projects, QPRO’s Classic range or PCD’s plain sleepers still offer solid, long-lasting performance without the added cost of sealed finishes, so you can keep things sturdy without your budget doing a runner.

If you’re still weighing up your options or want a second opinion before you build, the team at Australian Landscape Supplies is here to help. We can talk you through the differences between concrete sleeper types, help estimate quantities and make sure you’re choosing products that meet both your design goals and local requirements, without any confusing jargon or vague ‘it depends’ energy.

Browse our concrete sleeper range online, visit us in-store, or get in touch with our team for practical, expert advice to help bring your retaining wall project together with confidence.