25+ years
of marine construction and foundation experience
Licensed
and insured, License #
Free
seawall inspections
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Why a Cracked Cap Matters More Than It Looks
The cap is the concrete band along the top of your seawall. It ties the wall together and carries loads to the panels and tiebacks below.
Once the cap cracks or spalls, water and salt reach the steel inside. Rusting rebar expands, which cracks more concrete, which lets in more water. Left alone, a hairline crack turns into chunks of concrete breaking off.
When Cap Damage Points to a Bigger Problem
A crack in the cap isn't always about the cap. In our experience, a cracked cap on a straight, stable wall is usually a manageable repair. A cracked cap on a wall that's leaning, or a cap pulling away from the panels, points to something lower down: failing tiebacks, a wall that's moving, or soil washing out from behind it.
That's why every cap repair starts with a free inspection of the whole wall. Patching a cap on top of a moving wall just means patching it again.
WARNING SIGNS
Signs Your Seawall Cap Needs Repair
Schedule an inspection if you notice any of these along the top of your wall:
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Cracks running along or across the cap
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Spalling: chunks or flakes of concrete breaking off
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Rust stains bleeding through the concrete
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Exposed or corroded rebar or tieback rods
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A gap opening between the cap and the panels below
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Concrete that sounds hollow when tapped or crumbles at the edges
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Sections of cap that have dropped, tilted or no longer line up
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Loose or failing joints along the cap line
If you see more than one of these, or the wall below is leaning, call sooner rather than later.
REPAIR OPTIONS
Repair or Replace: Your Seawall Cap Options
A cracked cap doesn't automatically mean a new cap. We recommend the smallest repair that will last, based on what we find in the concrete and the steel inside it.
Crack Repair and Patching
For isolated cracks and surface spalling on a cap that's otherwise sound. We seal cracks with injection and rebuild spalled areas with marine-grade repair materials, so water stops reaching the steel.
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Best for: hairline to moderate cracks, small spalled areas
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Time on site:
Partial Cap Replacement
For sections that are broken, crumbling or badly cracked while the rest of the cap is sound. We cut out the failed section, clean or replace the rebar, and pour new concrete tied into the existing cap.
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Best for: severe damage in specific sections
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Time on site:
Full Seawall Cap Replacement
For caps that are deteriorated along their length, separated from the panels, or full of corroded steel. We remove the old cap, repair or replace the tieback rods and anchorage as needed, and pour a new cap reinforced with stainless or epoxy-coated rebar.
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Best for: widespread cracking, cap separation, advanced corrosion
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Time on site:
Raising a Low Seawall Cap
Some towns require a higher seawall when a property is substantially renovated or the wall is substantially repaired. The Town of Palm Beach, for example, requires properties renovated past a 50 percent threshold to raise their seawall elevation. The rules vary across Palm Beach County, so we check what applies to your address before we quote. When a cap needs to go higher, we pour a new, taller cap tied into the existing wall.
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Best for: caps below the elevation your town requires
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Time on site:
How We Repair a Seawall Cap So It Lasts
Inspect the whole wall.
We check the cap, panels, joints and the yard behind the wall to find what caused the damage. The inspection is free.
Remove the damaged concrete.
We chip or cut back to sound concrete, so the repair bonds to solid material.
Treat or replace the steel.
We clean corroded rebar and tieback rods, and replace any that are too far gone, using stainless or epoxy-coated rebar.
Rebuild the cap.
We patch, recast or pour new concrete with marine-grade materials, tied into the existing cap.
Seal it.
We finish with protective coatings and sealers to slow future corrosion.
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Why Quick Patches Fail
A patch over rusting steel is a cosmetic fix. If the corroded rebar isn't cleaned or replaced, the rust keeps expanding and pushes the patch right back off. Salt left in the old concrete around a patch can also start new damage next to it.
We don't do quick band-aid fixes on any part of a seawall, and the cap is no exception. We fix what's causing the damage, not just the surface you can see.
How Much Does Seawall Cap Repair Cost?
Every cap is different, so we give you a firm price after a free inspection. Here's what drives the number.
What Affects the Price
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How many linear feet of cap are damaged
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How deep the damage goes: surface cracks, spalling, or concrete that has to come out
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The condition of the rebar and tieback rods inside the cap
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Whether the wall below the cap needs repair too
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Access to the wall, including docks, pools, boat lifts and landscaping
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Permits, when the scope of work requires them
Seawall Cap Repair from Jupiter to Boca Raton
We're based in Lantana and repair seawall caps on canals and the Intracoastal throughout Palm Beach County.
Salt exposure, boat wake and tides change from one stretch of water to the next. We inspect every cap and wall for the conditions it actually faces before we recommend a repair.
Not sure if we cover your area? Call (561) 777-2653.
FAQ
