Your house is only as durable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing as the type of building materials you choose. For this reason, before you select any building materials for your new coastal home, it is important to pay attention to key issues that affect living in that area. Therefore, here are a few tips to help you find the best building materials for your coastal home.

Consider Flood and Moisture Resistance

Coastal regions are prone to flooding. For this reason, you have to choose materials that can withstand the floodwaters for a considerable number of days without any significant damages. Structural steel, masonry, and concrete are often excellent choices for a flood-prone area. You can also choose wood, but it has to be naturally durable. Examples of such types of wood are black walnut, redwood, bald cypress and cedar. In addition, if you must use wood, choose preservative-treated wood. This will help prevent decaying or termite infestation.

Floodwater is often associated with moisture damage, so have this in mind as well when making your selection. The above-mentioned materials will still hold up well against moisture, but you may also consider slate or non-porous stone for extra moisture resistance.

However, you have to be careful when choosing materials for resistance against moisture and floodwater damage. Some materials such as solid plastic lumber and waterproof adhesives or mortar will resist moisture damage but may inhibit the drying of your subfloor. Your choice of insulation will also affect how it will hold up against moisture. For instance, while fibreglass will resist moisture damage as well as growth of mould, the insulation tends to hold water, which slows down the drying time of your floor and wall systems. Therefore, closed-cell or foam insulation would be an ideal alternative because it resists moisture damage and mould growth and doesn't inhibit drying of your walls or floor systems.

Corrosion Resistance

Due to the salty coastal waters, you should be concerned about corrosion when choosing your building materials. Stainless or hot-dip galvanised steel materials are your top choice when it comes to corrosion resistance. However, if you are using preservative-treated wood, you have to be careful when selecting materials that will be in direct contact with it. For instance, aluminium, electroplated, and carbon-steel fasteners and flashings may not be good options because they tend to corrode when in contact with the preservatives in the wood. Copper would be your best option if you are using a lot of preservative-treated wood to build your house.