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Which Seawall Material Is Right for You?

November 17, 2022 by gibson Leave a Comment

If you own a property on the Florida waterfront, you know just how important your seawall is to the protection and value of your property. It’s essential to have a seawall structure in place that will prevent erosion, protect against storm damage, and even enhance the look of the property from the water.

Seawall Material Recommendations

With the variety of options for the materials used to build your seawall, how do you know which option is right for your property? These explanations can help you to make an informed decision.

Rip Rap Seawall Material

A rip rap (or stone) seawall adds stability to the shoreline while giving your property a natural look. The rip rap consists of rocks, stone or other material arranged to prevent erosion from water. While this option is most commonly used on shorelines of creeks and rivers, it can be used anywhere that erosion from water is a possibility.

Rip rap not only looks natural, but it also provides a great habitat for wildlife! Especially when the tide is high, rip rap seawall materials offer an ideal shelter for small marine animals.

It is important that rip rap is installed properly. Gibson Marine Construction installs an underlayment before adding the rip rap materials. This paramount layer provides stability and support. And, once the underlayment is installed, Florida fieldstone or lime rock is installed over it at a 2:1 ratio with rock between 8” and 24”.

Wood Seawalls and Wood Capped Seawall Material Options

Wood seawalls are another material option that can provide a natural look and has a lower initial installation cost. But it is important that properly treated wood is used at installation to avoid rot. Gibson Marine Construction uses all marine-grade material for our wood seawalls. Depending on the environment, this option could provide many years of service.

However, wood seawalls are prone to factors that could require more-frequent repairs or replacement, so alternative options may better suit your property. A wood capped seawall can provide the same esthetic, but with better supporting materials below the wood cap, it can also provide better stability and last longer.

Vinyl Seawall Material

Vinyl seawalls, also known as PVC seawalls, have many benefits that exceed the other two options. Although they don’t offer the natural look that rip rap or wood seawalls provide, vinyl seawalls do, however, provide much greater protection from the elements. Plus, our vinyl seawalls are backed by a 50-year warranty against rust, rot, corrosion, falling prey to marine bores, or UV damage from the sun.

Vinyl seawalls are typically easier to install and are extremely durable which could add up to cost savings both upfront, and over time. Vinyl seawalls are resistant to the natural elements such as sun, wind, and water, as well as marine-boring critters that target wood seawalls.

Seawall Installation and Repair Experts

No matter which seawall material you choose, Gibson Marine Construction can install any option. Whether it’s rip rap, wood, wood capped, or vinyl, we can make your waterfront property safer and more beautiful with a new seawall!

Or if your seawall is in need a repair, we can help there too! Contact us today if you have any questions about our seawall materials and services.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: rip rap seawalls, seawall construction, seawall materials, seawalls, vinyl seawalls, wood seawalls

Marine Construction Structures: Seawalls and Revetments

February 28, 2018 by gibson Leave a Comment

More Marine Construction Structures: Seawalls and Revetments

The previous post focused on the differences between retaining walls and bulkheads. To refresh your memory on the topic, please click here.

In this post, we will expand the discussion to include two more types of marine construction structures and learn what differences set them apart.

Seawalls

A seawall is the most common type of marine construction structure, and people often refer to all marine construction structures as seawalls. However, like each structure type, it is slightly different.

To the naked eye, a seawall and a bulkhead can look almost identical. And, just like a bulkhead, a seawall retains earth on one side of the wall and has water on the other side. But what sets the seawall apart from a bulkhead is it’s functional capabilities. In addition to holding soil in place, a seawall also performs the function of protecting the property from wave action. Seawalls are designed to withstand the constant impact of waves crashing into them and periodic occasions of significant pressure caused by larger storm surges often attributed to hurricanes.

Revetments

The general appearance of a revetment differs from that of retaining walls, bulkheads, and seawalls. A revetment typically has a sloped appearance instead of the more common perpendicular appearance of the other structures. But the biggest difference is the primary function it serves, to slow or help prevent erosion.

Protect Your Property with a Seawall or Revetment

The type of protection your property needs will be the determining factor when deciding between a seawall and a revetment. The marine construction experts at Gibson Marine Construction can guide you to ensure you get the right type of structure in place to properly protect your property. Call today to learn more.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: marine construction structures, revetments, seawalls

Make Your Seawall a Selling Feature

July 31, 2017 by gibson Leave a Comment

Part II: More Tips to Make Your Seawall a Selling Feature of Your Florida Home

Now that you have tackled cleaning, decluttering, making repairs and upgrades, and staging the home, discussed in part one of this post, we will move on to more tips that you can apply to your Florida seawall to make it a valuable selling feature.

Working with Experienced Professionals

Working with experienced professionals can make a big difference in the home selling process. They can make recommendations, guide you when making important decisions, and help get it listed and sold quickly.

An Experienced, Licensed Real Estate Listing Agent

Hiring the right listing agent to help you sell your home is key. Listing agents have a lot of responsibilities related to the sale of your home. The number of offers you receive, the dollar amount of those offers, and the speed of the sale can all be affected by who you choose to represent you as your listing agent. Their experience and familiarity with the area can make a big difference and financial impact on the sale of your home.

Asking friends, neighbors, and family for recommendations, reviewing a listing agent’s resume, calling references and understanding the agent’s marketing plan for your home are all great ways to find an experienced professional you can feel comfortable working with.

Gibson Marine Construction: Your Seawall Inspection and Repair Experts

When it comes to your seawall, hiring the right vendor to produce quality work is also important. Just as it is key to work with an experienced listing agent, it is also key to work with an experienced marine construction company that specializes in seawall inspection and seawall repair services. Gibson Marine Construction has over 30 years of experience; They are the seawall experts you can trust. Their full-service marine contractors offer customized solutions, designed to get you the most bang for your buck, making your seawall into a valuable selling feature of your Florida waterfront home.

Pricing Your Property to Sell

Pricing can be a sensitive topic of discussion. Too often property owners want to equate the price they paid for their home plus any additional funds put towards the property with the price they want to list the property for. But that’s not how the real estate pricing system works. The list price should be based on what the market will bear, essentially what buyers are willing to pay for the property.

Buyers Will Pay More for a Well Maintained, Updated Property

It’s no secret that buyers will pay more for a well maintained and updated property. The less money a buyer has to set aside for making repairs and upgrades, elevating the property to their desired standards, the more money they can put toward their purchase offer.

Homeowners who tackle the repairs and upgrades before putting the house on the market usually see an exponential return on their investment. The same applies to a property’s seawall.

A Well Maintained Seawall Can Add Exponential Value to a Property

Not only does a well maintained seawall add ambiance to your property, it also adds significant value. The cost of adding a seawall to a property typically runs around $150 per linear foot, depending on the materials used.

Well constructed and well maintained seawalls can have an extremely long lifespan, again, depending on the materials used and other elemental variables. You can call on the experts at Gibson Marine Construction to inspect and make repairs to your Florida seawall. Some common seawall repairs include:

    • Adding, repairing or replacing a well point drainage system
    • Supplementing existing anchors that are failing or have already failed with secondary anchors
    • Install a replacement cap
    • Repair or replace a tie back rod(s)
    • Repair grouting joints or replace grouting joints with new ones

Being able to market your property, showcasing a well maintained and structurally sound seawall can add significant value to your Florida waterfront property. It can give potential buyers some additional peace of mind and can often help the property command a higher sale price.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: florida homes, florida seawalls, seawall, seawalls

Make Your Seawall a Selling Feature

July 30, 2017 by gibson Leave a Comment

Part I: Selling Your Florida Home? Make Your Seawall a Selling Feature

Selling your beloved Florida home can be a stressful, and too often, difficult experience. From making an excellent first impression to pricing your property to sell, these general selling tips can also be applied to your seawall, making it a valuable selling feature.

Preparing to Sell

Getting your home or property ready to sell is one of the most important steps in the selling process. It can also be one of the most tedious and time-consuming steps. General preparation usually includes cleaning, decluttering, making repairs and upgrades, and staging the home. And just as you would diligently complete each of these preparatory steps inside your home, you should apply the same diligence to your outdoor areas and seawall.

Cleaning and Decluttering

You only get one chance to make a good first impression with potential buyers, and a dirty, dusty, or cluttered home will not do that. Dirt, dust, and clutter gives the impression that the home has not been well cared for during your time as the property owner. This can lead potential buyers to:

  • Inspect the home more closely
  • Potentially see and focus in on more red flags or areas of concern
  • Perceive the property as less valuable, translating into lower offers
  • Turn potential buyers off or even scare them away

Some buyers may be able to see past the mess and clutter inside the home, but they are less likely to be able to look past a dirty, damaged, or poorly maintained seawall. Potential buyers are usually less familiar with seawalls. And the less familiar something is to a person, the more uncomfortable it can make them feel.

Most Florida home buyers understand that the primary function of a seawall is to protect the property from water damage. And a properly maintained seawall is more likely to do a better job of this, therefore, making the property appear more valuable.

Making Repairs and Upgrades

A home is typically one of the biggest purchases people make during their lifetime. It can be a bit scary, especially for first-time buyers. A home buyer needs to feel comfortable with the purchase and confident in their decision.

One of the best ways to make buyers feel good about purchasing your property is by putting your best foot forward. Take the time to freshen up the paint and make any repairs needed. Making some updates to the home, such as replacing worn out floors or carpet, and/or updating features in the kitchen or bathroom(s) can go a long way toward selling your property quickly.

The same holds true for your landscaping and seawall. People flock to Florida for the beautiful weather; they want to be able to enjoy it, especially in their own backyard. By making the yard an inviting space, and making any repairs needed to the seawall protecting this space, potential home buyers know they can begin enjoying this outdoor area as soon as they move in.

Staging Your Property

Potential buyers need to be able to picture themselves living in the home and enjoying the property. Just as you would stage each room in the house, to show how it could potentially be used, you should apply the same staging techniques to your outdoor area and seawall. A few staging ideas include:

  • Lining walking paths down to or along your seawall with small solar lights. This can be a relatively inexpensive way to highlight the walkways, drawing attention to them.
  • Creating an outdoor living space. Outdoor living spaces can often help a property feel bigger. It can also draw attention to specific areas around the property, and along the seawall. A well-placed sitting area can draw potential buyers out to the water’s edge, showcasing beautiful waterfront views, accompanied by the sounds of waves crashing along the seawall.

Proper staging of the entire property helps potential buyers picture themselves living there, likely leading to a deeper emotional connection with the property. Emotional connections typically translate into higher offers and faster sales.

Learn More About Making Your Seawall a Selling Feature of Your Florida Property

Now that you have tackled the first part of cleaning, decluttering, making repairs and upgrades, and staging the home, we will move on to more tips that you can apply to your Florida seawall making it a valuable selling feature. Read part two of Make Your Seawall a Selling Feature of Your Florida Home here.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: florida seawalls, seawall, seawalls

For Waterfront Property Owners, It’s All About ‘Safety First’

March 14, 2017 by gibson Leave a Comment

Owning a waterfront property in Florida, or other coastal towns throughout the U.S., can certainly feel like a privilege; but with great perks, comes great responsibility! Keeping your waterfront property, and all that comes with it, well-maintained can help keep your friends, family and visitors safe, allowing you to enjoy all that mother nature has to offer.

Keep Your Waterfront Property Safe

Having worked in the marine construction industry for over 30 years, we here at Gibson Marine have truly “seen it all.” From failing, or dilapidated seawalls, rotting or leaning docks and decks, rusted or broken boat lifts, and worse, we have seen what can happen when outdoor structures are ignored or neglected. Each of these conditions, mentioned above, not only create eye sores for your neighbors, but grave safety concerns for anyone attempting to use or walk on these structures. However, we’ve yet to come across a seawall, dock, deck or boat lift we couldn’t fix! Below, we’ve compiled some of the major concerns we face as waterfront property owners, and when you should leave the repairs to the experts!

Seawalls

A seawall acts as your first line of defense, and is an invaluable structure for homeowners on the water. While we recommend regular cleaning, maintenance and monitoring of your seawall, a major storm or invisible damage can result in a severely compromised seawall that needs professional attention ASAP. If you feel that your seawall might be damaged, it’s always better to call an expert to come out and take a look at it – better safe than sorry!

Common causes of damage to seawalls:

Example of a damaged seawall in need of repair

  • Natural wear and tear over time
  • Storm surge/hurricanes
  • Lack of maintenance
  • Changing water flow
  • Improper installation

 

 

Docks and/or Decks

While seawalls act as the first line of defense for your waterfront property, they oftentimes go unnoticed. However, your backyard deck, (and if you have one) dock are often where most the activity happens in your outdoor space, and is usually what guests and visitors see first. Docks and decks can rot or break after time and if they aren’t protected with pressure-treated lumber or built with quality materials, they immediately become a safety hazard to your family or visitors.

While there is a lot that a homeowner can do to protect their dock or deck against damage, if rot sets in, it’s time to call in the professionals. Some common signs that it might be time to call the professionals are:

Example of damaged deck in need of repair

  • Rotting or broken wood
  • Bowing or loose beams
  • Termites
  • Nails or screws won’t hold

 

 

 

Boat Lifts

Every good boatowner knows just how important it is to take care of your investment with regular maintenance, cleaning and long-term care. If you’re fortunate enough to live on the water as a boatowner, it’s imperative that you invest in a boat lift. Boat lifts are central to upkeep and is one of the best ways to proactively maintain the hull. A boat’s hull is obviously subjected to the most potential abuse; particularly if left in the water for extended periods of time. The eventual corrosive effects of elements like algae, moss, and salt water can wear away at the finish, something no boatowner wants to see.

Protecting and maintaining your boat lift is one in the same with protecting and maintaining your boat. Here are some of the common causes of damage to your boat lift:

  • Excessive chafe on the cables
  • Over-extending the life of your cables
  • Improper maintenance/care of lift beams
  • Cracked bunks
  • Improperly greased gears, drive units, pulleys, etc.

If any of these warning signs sound familiar to you, it might be time to give us a call. Safety is something that should be on the forefront of every waterfront property owner’s mind, and maintaining your seawalls, docks and decks, and boat lifts is a big part of staying safe!

 

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: boat lifts, decks, docks, marine construction, safety, seawalls, waterfront living, waterfront safety

Seawall Repairs That Can Help Extend the Life of Your Seawall

February 27, 2017 by gibson Leave a Comment

Any waterfront property owner knows just how vital a well-constructed, and well-maintained seawall is to the value and integrity of their property. Whether you’re a homeowner or developer, protecting your property against storm surges, corrosion, deterioration and damage can be one of the most stressful aspects of waterfront living. However, there are precautions that can be taken to protect your property against these common problems whether your seawall was built five, or 25 years ago.

How to Help Extend the Life of Your Seawall

As a leader in marine construction, we have helped countless homeowners and developers extend the life of their seawalls using some of these common types of seawall repairs.

Make Sure Your Well Point Drainage System is Working Properly

A well point drainage system is a series of well points placed along a trench, all connected to a header which is attached to a pump. This type of drainage system can be installed at the site of an existing seawall and can help prolong the life of your seawall by alleviating pressure build up on your seawall that may cause future damage to or weakening of your structure.

Repair and Properly Maintain Secondary Anchors

A secondary anchor, if installed and maintained correctly, can extend the life of your seawall by 10 plus years. Used as a supplement to an existing, possibly failing/failed, anchor, secondary anchors typically consist of a one-inch diameter coal tar epoxy coated steel rods (often referred to as tie back rods), encased in PVC, anchored with a concrete anchor block (often referred to as a deadman).

Repair and Replace Caps and Tie Backs as Necessary

Repairing or replacing these elements on your seawall can be vital in extending the life of your existing seawall. A replacement cap can be installed with limited disruption to the surrounding structure, and can not only help increase the strength of your structure, but also improve the curb appeal of your property. Typically, a little more effort is needed to repair or replace a tie back rod, but doing this will help stabilize your seawall and provide added strength in dealing with the elements your wall is up against every day.

Check for Deteriorating Grouting Joints

A deterioration in the joints of your seawall can allow water to flow in where it’s not supposed to be, causing erosion and compromising the integrity of your structure. Repairing these joints using a chemical compound to fill in the weaknesses allows for a much smoother and faster repair of your seawall than many other methods. Instead of taking months to repair your wall, possibly costing as much as it would to just replace it, new grouting joints can help extend the life of your seawall, saving you time and money in the long run.

Gibson Marine Construction Can Help You Extend the Life of Your Seawall

Protecting your property’s seawall is just as important as protecting your home and safety. To preserve this vital structure, contact us to see how we can extend the life of your seawall through seawall repairs, possibly even increasing the value of your property! Visit our Contact Us page, or call us directly at (727) 942-3111.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: marine construction, seawall repairs, seawalls

Seawalls and Bulkheads

April 14, 2016 by gibson Leave a Comment

We design and build structures that protect homes by reducing the natural erosion of land by water.

The Difference Between Seawalls and Bulkheads

While the two terms tend to be interchanged, seawalls goes the “extra step” to offer protection of a shoreline from the action of the waves while also helping to ward off soil erosion. They are in place to combat pounding surf and the ferocity of waters that result from coastal storm events.

For seaside towns, this coastal defense system is typically installed to protect its citizens, but private seawalls for residential homes provide that extra layer between the homeowner’s property line and the water. Seawalls can be constructed from any number of materials like concrete, vinyl, and/or riprap; sometimes a combination of the two.

An embankment that defends the shoreline from erosion and potential flooding, you could say a seawall is simply delaying the inevitable, but when you live at the waterfront, these are steps essential to co-exist with nature and to respect those boundaries.

Bulkheads

A more common form of shoreline stabilization at locales like marinas, bulkheads typically prove an economical shoreline boundary that separates the marina from the actual slips.

Like any structure with a percentage of its surface residing beneath the water, bulkheads need to be consistently monitored for their inevitable deterioration. The source of this deterioration is due to the natural properties of water and marine life, but even man-made issues like scour from propellers can gouge the bulkhead’s surface.

The argument to have structures like bulkheads professionally designed and built with superior materials is supported by the need for safety. Engineering bulkheads to support the anticipated traffic is particularly key as a heavier category of machinery travels them. This is the same reason why bulkheads require consistent preventative maintenance via scheduled condition studies.

Bulkhead design takes into account multiple factors – and makes for an interesting exercise in taking its installation in water juxtaposed with its need for stability on land.

To that end, besides the determination of the best material to suit for its strength and performance, a deep analysis of the marine environment where it is being installed is essential:

  • Is the exposure to fresh water or salt water?
  • What are the properties of the soil for the embedment? Is it clay or sand, and what is the unit weight of these materials, how does that factor into stabilizing the bulkhead?
  • What elevations and grading need to be calculated?
  • What is the water table measurement?

Hire a Professional Marine Construction Specialist to Build Your Seawall or Bulkhead

As marine construction specialists, there is no shortage of reasons to hire a professional to build such structures. It is just as valid to hire a contractor to inspect and repair both seawalls and bulkheads to maintain their integrity and ensure the safety of all who use them – whether they are for commercial or residential use.

Budgetary constraints are always a consideration that can be factored into a solid solution to support either a seawall or a bulkhead – an informed analysis is what provides the best foundation.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bulkheads, florida seawalls, seawalls

The Many Nuances of Rip Rap Seawalls

March 24, 2016 by gibson Leave a Comment

Despite its appearance, rip rap seawalls are anything but haphazard installations. Call it organized chaos, but these marine structures don’t only serve the traditional purpose of a barrier between water and the land, their function is far more nuanced.

Rip Rap Seawalls and Marine Life

The facts about the impact on the native environment of marine and terrestrial life is in direct proportion to pollution and our reckless disregard of our planet. No matter what shade of “green” you are, there is little denying that actions are speaking louder than words regarding the influence on the natural habitats of the animal world.

Rip rap seawalls are used to protect marsh grasses, but at your property’s edge, they actually create a haven for smaller water creatures in need of shelter during tidal changes. While you won’t necessarily be creating your very own ecosystem, it is a contribution.

Incline Support

Waterfront properties come in all shapes and sizes, as do their shorelines. We engineer marine solutions for the gamut, but rip rap is a very suitable choice wherever a water erosion situation exists. If your home for example is up on a cliff overlooking the water, a concerted placement strategy will not only keep the body of water from eroding the land, it will actually help maintain its integrity in the face of precipitation that could just as effectively wear the hillside away.

Rip Rap as a Tandem Component

Aesthetically, rip rap seawalls simply lend natural beauty to a home’s shoreline. They not only furnish that singular look as each one is completely unique, the addition of rip rap to vinyl seawalls makes for an effectual combination.

Installed along the baseline, they add additional stability and a natural look in front of an existing seawall while helping to prevent soil from eroding.

At Gibson, in addition to a buried toe to literally cradle the rocks, we install an underlayment before erecting rip rap seawalls. Once the underlayment is installed, Florida Fieldstone or lime rock is installed at a 2:1 ratio with rock between 8” and 24”. Here again, rip rap installations are decisively designed.

According to this House and Home Magazine article:

Rip rap actually absorbs waves coming on to your property. Seawalls and other types of erosion control can deflect waves and send them to other shoreline areas. With rip rap, when a wave crashes against it the wave is dampened, or absorbed, and does not bounce back to other areas.

In areas with very high rates of erosion riprap can be placed in front of a seawall. The seawall works as a high level of erosion protection and the riprap in front of the seawall works to keep the dirt at the bottom of the seawall from eroding away. Additionally, this helps to absorb the waves. This type of installation is preferable in inlets and marina type settings that have serious erosion problems.

Gibson Marine Construction: Tampa Bay, Florida’s Rip Rap Seawall Construction Experts

While we are also huge proponents of synthetic materials in seawall construction as the warranties are very robust and the installation is comparatively simple, we reserve a good deal of applause for everything rip rap seawalls have to offer.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: marine construction, rip rap seawalls, seawalls

What You Want to Know About Seawalls

March 10, 2016 by gibson Leave a Comment

With all the inclement weather our neighbors to the north and west have been enduring, here at Gibson Marine we have been happy to welcome many new residents to Florida’s sunny shores.

As a Florida marine construction company, we feel it is our obligation to educate relocated homeowners on the installation, care, and maintenance of everything from docks to decks to seawalls.

Of course it’s the “fun” part of living life at the water’s edge when a new client from Canada arrives with images of long lazy days on their deck and then slipping off in their vessel into the tranquil Gulf of Mexico from their extruded PVC dock. It’s an extraordinary way to live, but these are all structures in need of vigilance to keep them safe and looking great.

Seawalls on the other hand, don’t exactly have the same “flash” of the other structures. Still, there is more variety than you may expect from something that helps keep a waterfront property safe.

What is a Seawall?

It is an embankment that defends the shoreline from erosion and potential flooding. While there is typically a coastal defense solution in place for seaside towns, a private seawall will provide that extra layer between your land and the water.

You could say a seawall is simply delaying the inevitable, but when you live at the waterfront, these are steps essential to co-exist with nature; respecting boundaries as it were.

What Kinds of Seawalls Can Be Built?

To say seawalls have come a long way is testament to the types of materials from which they can be constructed and of course exceptional professionals like ourselves who manage their installations!

Vinyl Seawalls

Also known as bulkheads or retaining walls, the use of vinyl sheet piling offers an opportunity for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, due in part to the flexibility of a vinyl seawall. This ability to smoothly contour to the property’s edge is a seawall installation advantage.

Each seawall project has its own set of unique requirements. The stability of any seawall is dependent upon variables such as wall height, sheet pile length and strength, backfill, foundation soil and tide. The combination of factors that provide an effective barrier system.

Vinyl is also exceptionally resistant to damage from UV rays, rot, corrosion, and intervention by destructive marine creatures. Contact us for more information about their warranties; they are by and large outstanding.

Rip Rap Seawalls

An eco-friendly solution, these are also known as essentially “stone walls”. This seawall configuration works because it acts to absorb and deflect wave energy before it even reaches the shore of the property’s perimeter. The gaps that exist between the assembled rocks serve to trap and essentially slow the flow of water. This helps to retard erosion. Rip rap can also be used as its own line of defense or to help protect an existing seawall.

Gibson Marine Construction specializes in superior seawall construction, using only the industry’s leading products. Construction of a seawall requires quality materials and advanced technology in order to prevent erosion and to withstand strong winds and high waves.

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: florida homes, seawalls, snowbirds

Florida Seawalls: Functional Beauty

October 15, 2015 by gibson Leave a Comment

Our waters and climate lend themselves to a variety of options for seawall construction in Florida. Although seawalls support the function of protecting your waterfront home from the shoreline, it doesn’t mean they need to be unsightly, or industrial looking.

Also known as bulkheads or retaining walls, the use of vinyl sheet piling offers an opportunity for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, due in part by the flexibility of a vinyl seawall. Resistant to damage from UV rays, and the rot, corrosion, and destruction caused by marine borers, you can have your seawall and love the way it looks too!

Custom designs to suit individual tastes and the unique curvature of your property’s edge also make vinyl seawalls a flexible alternative. Although we install wood seawalls, rip rap seawalls and of course landscaping retaining walls, here are a few of our favorite things about vinyl seawalls:

  1. Warranty: Vinyl Piling Seawalls carry an extraordinary warranty. The highest performance vinyl and composite sheet piling we install is backed with a 50-year warranty. (On top of that, you can add in Gibson Marine Construction’s 25-year workmanship warranty!)
  2. Ease of Installation: Most homeowners look forward to the start of their renovation projects. You’ve gone through the evaluation of contractors, the proposal phase, and the selection process. By that time, you just want to get started and get it done already! While there’s the perfect seawall for every situation, there’s a good deal to be said about the speed with which vinyl seawalls can be erected. The ease of installation and the pliability of the material facilitates that installation. There’s a lot that goes into a seawall installation, but as a homeowner, you can get “back to normal” as soon as possible!
  3. Cost effective: Comparatively speaking, you will find that this seawall material is less expensive than the alternatives; in part because the time spent on labor is decreased. In general, you will find the pricing on vinyl seawalls to be an attractive reason to select them.
  4. Durability: Vinyl is a popular option for many residential and commercial projects because it lasts. It is designed to withstand all the elements that are the reason you need a seawall in the first place. Robust by definition, you will find that your vinyl seawall will remain impervious to the types of challenges other materials may eventually face, like: corrosion, insect infestation, and the wear and tear imposed by the sun, the tides, and the winds levied during Florida’s hurricane season.

 

Founded on variables including: wall height, sheet pile length and strength, foundation soil and tide; genuine craftsmanship and quality materials combine with advanced installation technologies to provide an effective barrier system.

Waterfront properties are coveted. If you are contemplating purchasing a home at the water’s edge or are already enjoying the spectacular views, they do come at a price. Not the dollars and cents kind necessarily as much as the awareness kind. Just as “good fences make good neighbors” so it is if you live next door to Mother Nature. There are times she will really try to get her way. Protect your property with the right seawall for the job. We’d be glad to assist!

 

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: seawalls, vinyl seawalls

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