Protect the beam that holds your wall together
The cap is the concrete beam running along the top of your seawall. It ties the panels together and anchors the tie rods that hold the wall back. When the cap cracks, salt water reaches the steel inside, the rebar rusts and expands, and concrete spalls off in chunks.
Signs of cap trouble
- Rust stains or exposed rebar
- Spalling (concrete flaking or breaking off)
- Cracks running across or along the cap
- A gap opening between the cap and the yard or patio
- The cap sitting out of line with neighbors' caps
Repair approaches
- Patch repair: remove loose concrete, treat or replace corroded rebar, and patch with marine-grade repair mortar.
- Partial cap replacement: cut out damaged sections and re-pour.
- Full cap replacement: remove and re-form the entire cap, often combined with new tiebacks.
If the cap is cracking because the wall is rotating, a cap repair alone won't last. The contractor should check the tiebacks too.
Related Seawall Repair Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
What does cap replacement cost?
Partial patching can be a few hundred to a few thousand dollars; full cap replacement often runs roughly $100 to $250+ per linear foot.
Can I put pavers right up to the cap?
Heavy loads near the wall add pressure. Ask a contractor before adding pavers, pools, or equipment within several feet of the seawall.
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