Coquina Revetment

Coquina is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the transported, abraded, and mechanically sorted fragments of the shells of mollusks, trilobites, brachiopods, or other invertebrates. The term coquina comes from the Spanish word for "cockle" and "shellfish". 

Coquina can be used to build up and reinforce shorelines and riverbanks through a process called revetment. Natural coquina seawall construction makes up a large portion of the projects we do at Coquina Seawalls. In addition, we also fix and patch existing coquina seawalls that are in need of repair.

Coquinas Seawalls uses natural coquina rocks to create a barrier of shoreline protection in order to protect your shoreline from erosion. This method of stacking and arranging rocks as a seawall is commonly referred to as riprap. This system is constructed by placing varying sized rocks that naturally interlock to form a strong line of defense against crashing waves and soil erosion.

The first step is to reshape the bank so that the incline is within the appropriate range for safety and durability. Next, a geotextile fabric is placed along the bank to support the rocks and stones that are being used as barriers and to prevent them from slipping as well as sinking into the soil. The coquina stones are then arranged so that there is minimal space between them and so the riprap has a smooth appearance that blends with the natural slope of the property. We carefully select large stones which adds to the seawall’s strength and appearance. A toe stone is also placed at the bottom of the slope and acts as a buffer to keep the above stones and materials in place. This process results in a strong and sturdy barrier that will be extremely effective in preventing erosion.