Bulkheads are a necessity when you live close to a water body. The purpose of bulkheads is to prevent erosion around the shoreline, which otherwise would mean loss of soil and damage of property. As required, bulkheads are also used on land for preventing soil erosion around inclines, or to simply control water. In areas that are prone to flooding, such an option can be used as protection and to divert water from an area. Bulkheads have been in use for the longest time, and traditionally, wood was the most obvious and available choice. In the last few decades, the popularity of steel and vinyl bulkhead material has increased considerably because of the obvious advantages.

Here are some more things to know about bulkhead materials.

Selecting bulkhead materials

First and foremost, consider the purpose of your project. A good example of that would be vinyl that was once considered to have limited applications. It couldn’t be used around marine areas or for seawall needs, simply because the material itself was too thin. However, with improved durability, thickness and strength, this is a good choice for many projects. The kind of bulkhead material you should use depends on many factors, including the reason behind using bulkheads in the first place. The cost is another factor to consider, because some materials are obviously more expensive, and a good idea is to ask for an estimate in advance.

Before installation

If you are using bulkhead materials for seawalls or around the lake, you should consider checking the local building codes first. Keep in mind that you will have to take necessary permits for construction. Water must be at bay while you are installing bulkhead materials, so make sure that you have a pump handy that can suck out the water for better control of the situation. To use bulkhead materials, you must dig in holes in the area, for which you may need tools like an auger. You can choose to rent the same or buy one, and if you don’t want to be bothered about installation, just get a company to do it for you. Also, check how the material is supposed to be handled. For example, if you are using vinyl bulkhead material, you cannot simply hammer it as the material would damage.

To know more on bulkhead materials that may suit your project, consider consulting a material supplier right away.