What Is the Best Seawall Design?

Seawalls play an important role in waterfront and coastal communities. They are designed to prevent the sea from encroaching into residential areas and eroding your land. In the event of a severe storm, a seawall can also give you valuable time to evacuate and even prevent flood waters from wreaking havoc. So what’s the best seawall design?

It depends. The best seawall design is one that meets your needs in terms of property size, budget, and other factors – and of course, it is helpful if it accommodates your floating dock anchoring systems. There are several types of seawalls, including:

• Steel: An economic choice, steel is sturdy and rugged. It can stand up to severe weather, but it does corrode over time.
• Vinyl: This is even more budget friendly and people opt for it when they want to install a seawall quickly and inexpensively. Vinyl seawalls are most effective in preventing soil erosion, though they also can help protect against severe weather. They have a relatively short life span of about 20 years.
• Concrete: One of the most durable choices, concrete can last 50 or more years – and concrete seawalls can take a pounding with little need for maintenance.
• Composite: While not as tough as steel or concrete, composite is quicker to install. Composite seawalls are also an optimal choice in situations where there are ecological concerns or where it is difficult to install heavier materials.
• Wood: A classic choice, wood seawalls are no doubt beautiful. However, wood will need more maintenance than other seawall materials.

Keep these factors in mind, as well as where and how you will be attaching your dock. Your AccuDock sales representative will help you explore your options for floating dock anchoring systems and make the right choice for your seawall material and design. Get in touch with us today, and we can start walking you through it!