How To Easily Install a Snow Fence | Snow Fencing DIY

Staircase leading from deck to Lake Michigan with snow fencing up on the sand to prevent erosion control

Thanks to Lake Michigan, those who live along the coast in West Michigan are familiar with the heavy lake-effect snow and strong winds that come with the winter. These harsh conditions have been known to cause dangerous property and road conditions. Luckily, installing a snow fence is a simple and easy solution to help redirect […]

Everything You Need to Know about TimberTech Decking

A finished, light-colored TimberTech deck decorated with white patio furniture.

As Michigan deck builders, we value creating outdoor spaces that are durable, low maintenance, sustainable, and customizable. And TimberTech allows us to help you do just that—and more. With the most realistic wood looks on the market, TimberTech decking is long-lasting—without fading, splintering, cracking, or rotting. And with over 30 finish options across nine different […]

Planting Beach Grass in Michigan: A Complete Guide

Dune grass secured with an erosion control blanket for a steep dune on Lake Michigan's shoreline.

The Great Lakes shoreline is an actively eroding coast. These high-risk erosion areas (HREAs) have been eroding at an average rate of one foot or greater per year over at least 15 years. Does your Lake Michigan property need protecting? Beach grass might just be the solution you need. Beach grass is a key player […]

Why You Should Consider Aluminum Stairs for Your Lakeshore Property

Are you looking to level up your Lakeshore Property? The first thing you will want to do is invest in a stable stair system. Having a stable stair system in place will make your beach access safer, easier to navigate, and more manageable to use. A quality deck and stairs will save you from having […]

Removing Your Geotextile Tubes from Your Beach

Removing Your Geotextile Tubes from Your Beach Geotextile tubes, also called erosion control tubes or sandbags, are an effective erosion control product along the lakeshore for coastal protection. While these sandbags last many years, homeowners may choose to remove them if they are no longer necessary for erosion control and shoreline stabilization. Read on to […]

How Vegetation Prevents Erosion Along the Lakeshore

Is your lakeshore property constantly threatened by wind and water’s erosive effects? While erosion is a natural process that isn’t leaving Lake Michigan’s shoreline any time soon, planting vegetation is one way that this extreme erosion can be prevented and managed. In this post, we outline how beaches and dunes become eroded, how vegetation prevents […]

Benefits of Debris Cleanup for Your Beach

Cleaning up your beach has endless aesthetic benefits, and practical benefits for your lakeshore property too. Not only does it prepare your property for your own uses all year round, but it preserves the beauty and health of your dunes and beaches for the future!  Often, however, debris removal is not easily achieved by homeowners […]

How Erosion Control Blankets Work

Stacked, rolled up straw mat erosion control blankets at the top of a dune.

Erosion is an ever-growing issue for lakeshore property owners, especially those on steep dunes and bluffs. These homes are susceptible to Lake Michigan’s erosive effects, whether it’s wind, waves, or foot traffic. In these cases, the sand needs a dependable way to be stabilized for the sake of homeowners’ property and the longevity of the […]

Dune Restoration: Protecting your Lake Michigan Beach

Michigan is home to hundreds of thousands of dunes along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Unfortunately, much of this shoreline is also designated as a high-risk erosion area! In these cases, before building a deck or any structure along the shoreline you should first consider dune restoration. What causes Michigan dune erosion? Dune erosion along the […]

Shoreline Erosion Control – 5 Methods

Vegetation on a lake shoreline.

  If you’re a homeowner on Lake Michigan, you’re no stranger to the erosive effects of the lake along the shoreline. Erosion is a constant process and no method can offer a completely permanent solution, but by choosing the right method of shoreline erosion control, you can mitigate its effects. In this blog post, we […]