A Key West rock revetment should be walked once a year and checked after every tropical storm, so loose stones and washouts get fixed before the bank behind them is exposed.
866-398-9323Licensed seawall specialists — FL · GA · SC
Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations provides revetment maintenance in Key West, FL for waterfront homeowners, condo associations, and commercial properties. Typical projects include resetting armor stone moved by storm waves, rebuilding scoured toes, patching torn filter fabric, and fixing washouts where rock meets a vertical wall. Call 866-398-9323 or use the quote form to book a free on-site inspection.
A revetment is a sloped bank of rock built to take waves on the slope instead of against a vertical face. Big armor stone sits on smaller rock, which sits on filter fabric over the soil. It's durable, but every storm and every season of wave action shifts a few stones. Left alone, small gaps turn into slumped sections.
Ends and corners go first. Water curls around them and digs in behind.
| Timing | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Late spring, before June 1 | Full walk; reset loose stone; patch fabric |
| After any tropical storm or hurricane | Moved armor stone, toe scour, end washouts |
| During fall King Tides | Washout along the high-water line |
| Once a year, any season | Slope shape, transitions, growth among the rocks |
Why the King Tide check? The city's 2024 Stormwater Master Plan documents sunny-day flooding from King Tides in low parts of the island (City of Key West). When water rides higher than usual, it works on parts of the slope that normally stay dry.
The daily tide in Key West is small. NOAA's datums put the gap between mean higher high water and mean lower low water at roughly 1.8 feet (NOAA). That sounds gentle. But the average water level keeps inching up, about 1.04 inches per decade on the Key West gauge since 1913. Each bit of rise moves normal wave action a little higher up the slope, onto rock and fabric that were placed above the old waterline. Revetments built decades ago may now be taking waves where their designers never expected. Irma's surge made the point: 5 to 8 feet of water in parts of the lower Keys can pick up and move stones that sat still for years.
Any work that goes beyond the existing footprint may need state, federal, or sanctuary review. We keep maintenance inside the footprint where we can.
Routine revetment maintenance in Key West typically runs $1,500–$5,000 per year for a standard 100-foot residential revetment. Major rehabilitation runs $150–$400 per linear foot. Steady upkeep costs far less than a rebuild.
If you're adding rock in front of a vertical wall, see riprap installation in Key West. For a full-property program, see shoreline maintenance in Key West. Our hurricane season seawall prep guide covers the pre-storm list. We also maintain revetments in Miami. Our Key West seawall page covers the rest of our island work.
Usually, yes. Resetting displaced stone within the existing footprint is routine. We also check the fabric and toe under them.
Transitions are the weak point. Water wraps around the end. The fix is a proper tie-in, not just more rock.
Over time, yes. Higher average water puts wave action on stone and fabric higher up the slope, so older revetments need closer checks.
Once a year at minimum, plus after any tropical storm and during fall King Tides.
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