Fernandina Beach's tide runs about 2 feet bigger than the Jacksonville Beaches', so washed-out fill and open seams are the most common problems on its riverfront walls. If the wall still stands plumb, both can usually be repaired in place.
866-398-9323Licensed seawall specialists — FL · GA · SC
Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations provides seawall repair in Fernandina Beach, FL for Amelia River homeowners, marina and harbor businesses, and condo associations. Typical projects include refilling hollows behind river-facing bulkheads, sealing leaking seams on walls along the marsh side of Amelia Island, and anchoring walls that have started to lean. Call 866-398-9323 or use the quote form to book a free on-site inspection.
Fernandina Beach is the Nassau County seat and the northernmost city on Florida's Atlantic coast. It sits on Amelia Island, and its working side faces west onto the Amelia River. That river carries a lot of water. NOAA has kept a tide gauge in Fernandina since 1897. It records an average range of about 6 feet, roughly a foot more than the Jacksonville Beaches. Fernandina is about 26 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, and our Jacksonville-based seawall repair crew schedules and permits work across Nassau County.
It's the size of the tide. NOAA's Fernandina Beach station on the Amelia River lists a mean range of 6.02 feet and a daily high-to-low range of about 6.56 feet. For comparison, the Pablo Creek station at the Jacksonville Beaches averages under 4 feet.
Every foot of tide adds pressure. When the river drops, water inside the backfill pushes outward and drains through any open seam. When the river rises, it pushes back. Fine sand moves a little with each cycle until a hollow forms under the cap.
The same gauge shows the sea rising about 0.91 inches per decade since 1897. Over the life of a wall, that adds up. High tides reach caps more often than they did when older walls were built.
Check at low tide, when more of the wall is exposed:
If you see one or two of these and the wall isn't leaning, it is almost always a repair job, not a replacement.
Void fill. We inject NCFI marine-grade foam through small ports behind the wall. It expands into the hollows, locks the loose sand together, and seals seams from the land side. More on how polyurethane injection works.
Joint, cap and drain repair. Cracked caps and failed weep systems are covered under our bulkhead repair work across Northeast Florida.
Anchoring. A wall whose top has moved toward the river needs more than sealing. Seawall reinforcement with helical tiebacks can hold it in place before it fails.
Start with the city. The City of Fernandina Beach requires a building permit before any improvement, repair or alteration to a property, citing Section 105.1 of the Florida Building Code. Applications now go through the city's CityView online portal. Projects in the historic district may also need review by the city's Historic District Council, which takes applications through the Planning and Conservation Department.
At the state level, Fla. Stat. 403.813(1)(e) exempts restoring a seawall at its old location, upland, or within 18 inches waterward of it from a Chapter 403 permit. Work beyond that may need FDEP or Army Corps approval. Lots in unincorporated Nassau County go to the county instead of the city.
Yes, but the rules change at the state line. Across Cumberland Sound and the St. Marys River, St. Marys seawall repair and Kingsland seawall repair follow Georgia's coastal marsh permits, not Florida's. Heading south instead, Atlantic Beach seawalls are the next stop on our route, with smaller tides and their own city permit office.
We repair before we replace, and we'll tell you when a wall can't be saved. Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations holds Florida license CBC1267322, is an NCFI-certified polyurethane installer, and has served Florida, Georgia and South Carolina since 1996. Ask for a free on-site inspection or call 866-398-9323.
The tide is larger. Fernandina's average range is about 6 feet, compared with under 4 feet at the Beaches' Pablo Creek station. More water draining through each gap means faster soil loss.
It may. The city's Historic District Council reviews applications through Planning and Conservation. We check before we file the building permit.
In most cases, yes. Injection is done from the yard behind the wall, so we rarely need the water side clear.
Not every Amelia Island address is. Your property record with the Nassau County Property Appraiser shows whether the city or the county issues your permit.
In addition to Fernandina Beach, our licensed seawall repair team serves these nearby Florida communities:
Service Area: Amelia River and Nassau Sound
We serve all waterfront properties on Amelia River and Nassau Sound and surrounding canals, lakes, and waterways.
Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations also serves these waterfront communities near Fernandina Beach:
Licensed, insured, NCFI-certified. Serving Florida, Georgia & South Carolina since 1996.
866-398-9323