A vinyl seawall is a major improvement to your property, and it’s something that requires good planning. You will be adding a structure that will be protecting your land for decades to come, so it’s important to get it right. One of the primary considerations is the material used to construct the seawall. There are several to choose from, but we feel that a vinyl seawall is by far the best option.
First, here are some of the options that have been commonly used in the past but are now obsolete for various reasons:
Aluminum – Aluminum is subject to galvanic corrosion (also known as electrolysis). This just means that it will corrode. Aluminum also will rust when it’s put in salt water.
Steel – Steel is also subject to the corrosive nature of salt water.
Wood – Obviously wood will not rust, but it has problems of its own: marine borers. These are little animals found in the sea (some are teredos, some are limnoria). When they come into contact with wood, they live up to their name: they bore into it. These little creatures eat wood (but they can’t eat a vinyl seawall).
Concrete – Many people assume that concrete must be a great material for a seawall. It’s not. Concrete is porous, so the salt water can seep into it. And guess what is in the center of the concrete: steel reinforcements. So you are back to the problem of the steel being corroded by the water. It will happen; it’s just a matter of time.
It should be pretty clear that those materials are no longer effective due to the factors listed. So what makes a vinyl seawall so much better? Here are several reasons:
- A vinyl seawall is not affected by marine borers. Those little critters love to come across a big wood seawall and latch on for an extended meal. But when the seawall is made of vinyl, it’s like putting up a sign for them that says “Buffet closed”. They have no interest whatsoever in boring into vinyl.
- It’s financially more efficient. Since vinyl has a much longer effective life than those other materials, it makes better sense from an investment standpoint.
- Your vinyl seawall is manufactured to be resistant to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Other materials, wood especially, deteriorate over time in part due to the sun’s relentless radiant energy and UV rays. Vinyl is designed to withstand that.
- Vinyl will not change in appearance for a very long time. Wood has that rich coloring, and steel looks bright and shiny when first installed. However, the color fades and the nice finish get tarnished before long. It can be a little disappointing to see what was once a beautiful wood seawall begin to fade and decay in a relatively short period of time. Vinyl tends to remain in its initial attractive state longer than other materials.
- A vinyl seawall is generally easier to install. Since vinyl is manufactured to very exacting standards, it does not have the natural imperfections and deformities found in wood. It is classified as “impact resistant”. Ease of installation may not seem like a big selling feature from the homeowner’s point of view, but it is. The sooner we can get your seawall installed, the sooner the equipment is off your property. Also, a faster installation means lower labor costs.
- Finally, vinyl has a better warranty. We know it will last longer, so it makes sense that the manufacturer’s warranty will cover it for a longer period of time. You will have a warranty covering a full 50 years from the date of purchase.
We provide vinyl seawall products throughout the US and around the world.
Learn more about our Vinyl Sheet Piling today!