The Engineer’s Choice: Why Coast Armor Leads in Florida Shoreline Protection
Watch time: 1 min, 27 sec
Florida’s coastal properties face ongoing challenges from erosion, rising sea levels, and tropical storm surges. Traditional seawall materials, such as vinyl and wood, have been widely used in residential shoreline protection but often degrade under Florida’s harsh marine conditions.
Tocoi Engineering’s John Mahoney explores why high-strength wet-cast concrete panels, like those used in Coast Armor Shoreline Protection Systems, offer a more durable alternative.
Coast Armor panels are 8 in (203.2 mm) thick and feature a 6,000 PSI strength. Each panel ranges from 20 to 24 ft (6.1-7.3 m) in length, with a significant portion embedded underground for stability. Unlike standard 24 in (609.6 mm) vinyl or wood sheeting, the 48 in (1219.2 mm) wide Coast Armor panels allow for faster installation, using a jetting process that displaces sand, reducing the impact on surrounding ecosystems.
"It (Coast Armor) will provide a lifespan between fifty and one hundred years where the wooden and the vinyl are the weakness to this wall, especially the vinyl.”
John Mahoney, Vice President, Tocoi Engineering
The Benefits of Coast Armor
- Built for Florida’s Coastal Environment: Designed to withstand the damaging effects of saltwater, humidity, and intense sun exposure.
- Superior Durability: Unlike wood, which is prone to rot and marine borers, or vinyl, which becomes brittle over time, Coast Armor resists degradation.
- Long-Term Resilience: Reinforced concrete seawalls provide exceptional protection against waves, erosion, and saltwater intrusion.
- Decades of Protection: Lifespan ranges from 50 to 100 years, offering lasting peace of mind and lower long-term maintenance costs.