If you own waterfront property in Florida, you already know that the key to keeping your shoreline in place is installing a good quality seawall that will prevent the water from eroding the land. While a concrete seawall sets the standard as the best proven and long-lasting seawall; a vinyl seawall may be an alternative in certain waterfront conditions.
Related Blog: Concrete Seawalls vs. Vinyl Seawalls for Your Florida Home
The Benefits of Installing Vinyl Seawall Panels
When installing a seawall, there are a few different factors that need to be determined to help decide on which seawall material is right for you.
Vinyl is a great choice for those who have a failing concrete seawall that cannot be replaced with a new concrete seawall.
For instance, property and/or water conditions may not allow a contractor to get in with heavy equipment to remove or replace concrete seawalls. In this example, a vinyl seawall may be suitable for installation in front of your existing concrete seawall (water-ward side) to stop further damage and erosion of your concrete seawall.
The vinyl seawall panels are driven at least 50% into the sand table in front of your existing concrete seawall, then the void between the old seawall and vinyl panels are bonded together with steel and concrete. After the void concrete is cured, both the concrete and vinyl seawall panels are encased in a steel reinforced concrete cap with a tieback system to create a new seawall solution.
Standalone vinyl seawall applications are found to be effective in freshwater lake/pond applications and saltwater waterfronts where cost constraints are experienced.
Vinyl Seawall's Interlocking Design
One of the benefits of the vinyl seawall is its interlocking design which reduces the chances of panel separation and erosion.
The tongue and groove design joins the vinyl panels together to form a single solid wall with no gaps to allow soil to wash through.
When your new seawall begins to show signs of deterioration, you may be surprised to find that a vinyl seawall solution may be the best solution for your seawall due to cost goals or waterfront conditions.
Contact a marine contractor who has experience in installing all seawall material types as they will be able to provide practical experience and information for each seawall type when meeting your seawall needs.
The Types of Seawalls in Florida
Contact Duncan Seawall to learn even more about how a vinyl seawall may be the best possible choice for your waterfront property in Florida. You will be glad that you did!
