Anyone have experience using "environmentally safe products, that include polyurethane high density closed cell foam and other polymer resins that can be injected directly into the problem areas of the bulkhead"?

Mine is needing repair and I'm trying to leave as small a footprint as possible. I got bids on a new traditional wooden bulkhead but Olshan out of Houston offers a service that they claim effectively seals and fills areas where soils are being washed out, stops the erosion, and restores the strength of the bulkhead panel.

Not sure what it looks like but with UV protection, 2 part closed cell foam lasts a long time and depending on bubble density can be very hard and tough.

I'm not sure of the state of your bulkhead but I routinely took a load of dirt and filled in holes. As water would wash dirt away I'd add more. In a couple of problem areas I added a load of bull rock. It worked well for the 12 years I had the lakehouse and didn't cost much to maintain. May not work if you have significant problems.

That all being said, I've had two encounters with Olshan and both times they were extremely dishonest. I would not trust them for anything. My experience is they try to sell something that will not solve the problem (Houston office for issue at Lake Livingston) and they do not stand behind their warranty (San Antonio office). I would contact the contractors on your lake that deal specifically with bulkheads on a daily basis. From memory I think you may be Livingston also, so I would contact Moseley. He came out once and gave me an honest assessment and didn't try to sell me work I didn't need.

Good luck.

Thank you for the response. I was looking for a quick fix and now I know not to pursue. I've had Ivey out suggesting same as you mentioned and will reach out to Moseley too.

Never owned anything with a bulkhead. Just a thought I had. What about dry Portland cement? When it hydrates and hardens it should fill the gaps well and provide a solid backing to the bulkhead.

Cement would put additional pressure and weight behind the bulkhead that it was not designed for. You would also then have contraction and expansion which could be problematic.

I don't know anything about this contractor but we use polyurethane foam injections to repair vinyl and concrete bulkhead seams with success. Never used it on timber. Wouldn't think it'd be worth it for that. It also depends on the conditions of the rest of the bulkhead.

I actually work for the company that originally came up with the process of polyurethane injections and had a patent on the process and chemical until 2018. Once the patent ran out, there have been a number of companies enter this market with predictably poor results. I can tell you if the proper chemical is used and it is applied correctly, it will 100% work and provide a better, more permanent solution than anything else out there. For instance, we have done everything from bulkheads, seawalls, dams, levees, all over the country. If you want to discuss the process in more detail, you can PM me.

I would work to lay in strong non woven filter fabric so that it lays up against bulkhead, the bottom, and the intact bank then fill with cheap gravel. This might require you to excavate out some to get the fabric in place with enough depth. Lay in loose so when filled it doesn't tear under stretching or pull away from coverage. You can always cut any exposed fabric once backfilled.

I have a company in Alaska that does these Grout Injections and are starting a company in Texas. I know this is an old post but figured I would post encase some new issues come up. We will respond to any location in Texas or Alaska. 907-513-8045

Username checks out.