Port Aransas, TX, is a city located off the Gulf of Mexico just north of Padre Island. The city is well known to tourists for its fishing potential and quaint beaches.

Within the city, an 86-unit beachfront condominium named “The Dunes” recently needed to once again replace a beach access ramp, platforms, and pool railings. In the past, these collective structures have always been constructed with pressure treated lumber.

Over a span of a few years, the environmental pressures from the Gulf Coast caused warping and rotting of the structures. Even with routine sealing, the constant exposure to ultraviolet light also created small fractures within the fibrous material of lumber.

In short time spans, each iteration of the wooden structures became unsightly and required complete refurbishment. Prompted initially by elevated lumber prices, the homeowner’s association (HOA) of the condominium elected to search for a more durable material suited for the first phase of its exterior space renovation plans.

The HOA contacted Strongwell to assist in the correct procurement of materials along with test information. Decades of testing have proven that fiberglass products are unmatched when it comes to UV weatherability. As a result, multiple shapes of EXTREN® Series 525 were used to construct the handrail, structural supports, and posts. Slip-resistant and ADA-compliant DURAGRID® was used as the walking surface throughout to ensure decades of corrosion resistance.

At the completion of the project, the HOA president expressed appreciation from all of the condo owners on the aesthetics, overall product value, and expected durable performance of fiberglass products.

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