Here at Seaside Seawalls, we are pleased to announce the completion of the boat well and black steel seawall project on the Shiawassee River in Linden, Michigan! The Shiawassee River is one of many rivers that runs through Michigan’s Genesee County. The river itself is approximately 120 miles long and is home to over 59 fish and freshwater species!

To refresh your memory, we posted about this project back in March of this year. The job was necessary because the residential customer wanted a place to dock his boat on the narrow Shiawassee River. Installing a dock was not feasible due to the river being so narrow, as it would disturb the navigation of other boats through this area.

Last time we updated you, we had just begun the project and had started excavating the area that would become our boat well. We had to ensure that we were very careful getting to the job site though, due to the wetland area and the many permits we had to acquire in order to complete this job. As usual, a DEQ Permit was necessary, but in addition to that, we also had to obtain a Genesee County Drain Commissioner Permit.

Since we did not want to disturb the wetland area too much, we laid thick plywood and rail road ties along our main access path so that our machinery (i.e. skid steer and excavator) and our team members with the materials (black steel, riprap, sand for the backfill, and treated lumber) could get to and from the boat well during construction. In addition, we installed a 50’ x 4’ treated lumber boardwalk which ran along one side of the boat well. This also helped us access the job site more easily.

We then had to excavate a large area (30’ x 15’) where the boat well would eventually go. Once excavated, we installed a black steel seawall around the perimeter of the boat well. Upon completion, the steel seawall extended a total length of 84 feet and measured 4 feet in height.

As you can see, the boat well is now finished and looks great! The installation of this customer’s new boat well, boardwalk, and black steel seawall makes his property both functional and attractive. If you’re looking to spruce up your waterfront property, please do not hesitate to contact Seaside Seawalls for a free estimate. Our team of professionals would be more than happy to help you plan out and construct the marine landscaping structure you’ve always dreamed of!

Shoreline erosion is one of the most common reasons why persons with a waterfront property decide to have a seawall built. In a nutshell, shoreline erosion is the wearing away of the land (or shoreline – where the sand meets the water) due to weather, drainage problems, and other environmental conditions. Harsh weather conditions, such as extreme heat or cold as well as storms can accelerate the process of shoreline erosion. This forces residents with waterfront properties to either have a seawall installed (if one is not already in place, of course), or to have their existing seawall repaired. If the customer already has a seawall in place, but is noticing shoreline erosion problems, it is generally advised that a new seawall be built in order to slow down the erosion process.  There are many construction companies out there who offer the installation of a new seawall at a fairly low cost. But buyers beware, because we often find that these cheaper seawalls do not last nearly as long as the homeowner anticipated, and therefore the seawall requires a great deal of maintenance and upkeep (which can get costly in the long run).  At Seaside Seawalls, we have a 10 year guarantee, meaning that we believe that our superior seawalls will outlast the rest for at least the next decade. In addition, our seawalls are generally maintenance-free and provide the maximum durability and protection of your shoreline.

As you can see, shoreline erosion is not only a problem for your waterfront property, but also an issue if you currently have an older seawall installed and it is beginning to fail. In fact, most of Seaside Seawalls’ customers contact us to either repair their existing seawall, or construct a new one entirely, and it is almost always due to shoreline erosion problems.

A seawall can be built from many different types of material, depending on what you, the customer, prefer. At Seaside Seawalls, we offer steel, vinyl, rock, and riprap seawalls (as can be seen here) However, our most popular type of seawall is a steel seawall, and even more specifically, a galvanized steel seawall (we offer both galvanized and black steel).

In this article, we will walk you through a basic step-by-step process of how to build a seawall, so that when you’re having one installed, you know a little bit more about what exactly it is that we’re doing!

How to Build a Seawall:

Step 1: Examine the Area and Environment

In any construction job, it is imperative that your team carefully examines and surveys the area where the seawall is going to be built. The condition of the land, water, and other surrounding environment are all important factors to consider before any type of construction begins. Additionally, the water level at its highest point must be considered. Measurements will also be taken at that time to determine how much of a particular material we will need as well as the size of the project and the machinery required. We will also speak with the customer about his/her specific seawall requirements. Most customers want a seawall that is both functional and visually appealing.

Step 2: Remove Pre-Existing or Failing Seawall (if applicable)

If the customer already has a seawall in place and is contacting us to replace it with a brand new one, we have to remove most of the pre-existing seawall before we begin our construction. This means that we have to cut down the portion of the seawall that is below the grade (Note: the “grade” is where the shoreline is – where the sand meets the water).

Step 3: Determine the Number of Pilings Needed

Once we have taken the necessary measurements (as discussed in Step 1) and determined the overall length of your new seawall, we have to figure out the number of posts or pilings that will be needed. On average, pilings are installed approximately every 6 – 8 feet along the wall.

Step 4: Install the Pilings

At the water’s edge, where the pilings are going to be installed, the area usually needs to be excavated. This means that we will have to remove any debris or materials that will interfere with our construction efforts when attempting to install the new seawall. We also have to excavate and essentially “drill” the pilings into the ground beneath, as these pilings serve as support for the seawall itself. Depending on the weather, time of year, and soil conditions, pilings can be drilled into the ground as little as 4 feet or as much as 6 feet in depth. The variation in these depth measurements is dependent on the height of the seawall overall. Pilings are generally vibrated into the ground using a vibrating machine or a water jet if the machine does not fit on the shoreline.

Step 5: Build the Seawall

This one is pretty self-explanatory, and is also dependent upon the type of seawall we are installing. As previously mentioned, our most common type of seawall is a steel seawall. If this is the case, we have to ensure we have enough material (steel, riprap, sand for backfill, etc.) before we begin construction. Each piece of steel is installed individually and carefully so that it is both sturdy and uniform-looking (i.e. all the same height).

Step 6: Weld Tiebacks and Anchors to the Seawall and Place into the Ground

This is a very important step and is often overlooked by other construction companies who do not specialize in marine construction. At Seaside Seawalls, we have had customers call us to tell us that the company who installed their current seawall never installed any tiebacks or anchors, and simply pounded the seawall into the ground. This is never a good idea, and is another common reason why seawalls fail, since they won’t stay in place for very long if they are built without tiebacks and anchors. Tiebacks should be installed into the ground about 6 – 9 feet back from the shoreline, and are usually positioned every 7.5 feet along the seawall for additional support. Anchors, which attach to the tiebacks, are inserted into the ground vertically about every 4 to 5 feet, and also help to hold the seawall in place.

Step 7: Welding the Seawall

A cap needs to be welded onto the seawall after it has been constructed. This gives the wall a more “finished” appearance as well as provides additional support to the pilings by keeping them tightly together.

Step 8: Backfill the Seawall

Last but certainly not least, we never forget to backfill the newly constructed seawall. During any construction project with large machinery, environmental surroundings can become disturbed and not very visually appealing. That is the reason why when we backfill (which is usually done with sand), we do so right over the old seawall (Remember in Step 2 when we discussed cutting down the part of the old seawall that is below the grade? That is where the backfill goes!) We sometimes use Michigan fieldstone for riprap (Note: Riprap is a type of material – usually rock – that acts as a protector to the shoreline and its structures, such as a seawall). And finally, we grade out the entire area, making sure it is all level, neat and tidy looking! This is usually done by putting top soil and grass seed down – especially if the area became visibly damaged by our machines’ access run.

As you can see, there is certainly a great deal of work that goes into building a seawall. While the process may seem straightforward and look basic here in writing, this is just the general process and does not include or mention any other “unique” situations (such as not having land access to build a seawall) that would require a slightly different approach (such as having one of our machines on a barge in the water!) Overall, the seawall installation process usually runs smoothly, and our previous customers will tell you how pleased and satisfied they are with our work here at Seaside Seawalls. We take great pride in the work that we do and are a team made up of qualified and skilled professionals who are committed to your satisfaction! So if you are considering having a seawall or another type of structure (for a full list of our services, check out our Services Page here) built for your residential or commercial property, contact Seaside Seawalls today for a free estimate!

When considering any marine construction it is very important to do your homework when choosing a company to build your seawall. Seaside Seawalls is constantly hired to repair botched and improperly installed walls from inexperienced or just plain lazy contractors. The following example is meant to help you guys/gals know a few basic things to look for when starting and or contracting your project.

Recently Seaside Seawalls came across three adjacent waterfront homeowners in Commerce Township Mi. who all had their steel seawalls installed years back by a corner cutting contractor. He was the lowest price point of the three quotes they obtained, and he cut corners during seawall installation to make up the difference. These particular homeowners were what we call “short sheeted”. Short Sheeting is when the contractor saves money by using shorter than required steel sheet pilings to make up the cost difference they lose when under quoting job costs.

The three Commerce Township Mi. seawalls were raised approximately 12” out of the ground and were pushed around due to a complete lack of drainage installation. Without proper drainage our harsh Michigan winters push frost under the steel sheet pilings which move them upwards a few inches each season. Ice can also get trapped behind your seawall and push the steel sheet pilings waterward. Any of the mentioned scenario’s cause what we call a “Failing Seawall” that will need immediate repair. We can only imagine how many more waterfront property owners in Commerce Township Mi. and surrounding areas got duped by this particular contractor. If you are reading this and happen to be one of these homeowners contact us for a free consultation and discounted estimate for seawall repair! Everyone deserves to get what they pay for, even if we need to come behind others to ensure it.

Seaside Seawalls construction experience demonstrates the proper seawall installation of a new steel seawall on every project. The following example should serve as a guide to those partaking in a new seawall construction.

Proper seawall installation for a 40” in height steel seawall in sandy / granular lake bed conditions requires a minimum 8′ length piling (3′ 4” out and 4′ 8” into the ground). Basically for any type steel seawall you need to make sure your pilings are at least 48″ into the ground. This will ensure your steel piling installation to be below the frost line.

The top of the seawall (Iron Cap / Wale) is supposed to be welded to each piling NOT BOLTED. Make sure your contracter uses welds to ensure a long lasting seawall. Your seawall is only as strong as its weakest point, don’t let that be your bolted cap!
Another item to look at is your seawall tie backs. Tie backs hold the seawall back with 3/4” diameter threaded rods inserted every 7.5 lineal ft. Each tie back is attached 6 to 10 feet landward from the wall to a 5 foot depth i-beam anchor. This is an imperative item to have properly installed and is one of the main reasons a Seaside Seawall will last over competitors walls.

Lets not forget about drainage! Drainage is one of the most important parts of a quality seawall. To properly drain a wall, 3/8” weep holes are torched every 6 lineal ft with 8 ounce filter fabric backing. These holes are then adhered with 4” perferated drainage pipe wich runs down the entire stretch of wall and finally elbowed through. Be sure this is properly addressed or you will be paying for repairs within the first 3 years!

Proper installation of your black steel seawall or galvanized steel seawall by Seaside is guaranteed to outlast all expectations even beyond the steel sheet piling manufacture warranty. Remenber, if you decide to have Seaside Seawalls as your contractor, your not just getting a seawall, your getting a Seaside Seawall!