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.