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Premium · Onyx

Onyx Series

A heavier aluminum profile in a powder-coated architectural finish.

HydroDam Onyx Series aluminum flood barrier

Onyx series

Premium grade

The details

The Onyx Series is our heavier-gauge barrier: a 2.50 mm plank wall against Sentinel's 2.00 mm, finished in powder-coated charcoal grey. It's the profile we recommend once an opening needs 4 feet of protection or more, where the extra rigidity earns its keep. For homeowners who refuse to choose between flood-grade engineering and curb appeal, Onyx hides the hardware in plain sight: the U-channel posts read as trim, not equipment. Custom-fabricated to your openings with the same watertight seal and sub-10-minute deployment.

Best for

Design-forward homesCoastal contemporary buildsVisible street-facing entries

Engineered features

  • Powder-coated charcoal grey
  • 2.50 mm plank wall, heavier profile
  • Watertight EPDM compression seal
  • Deploys in under 10 minutes
  • Stackable, space-saving storage
  • FEMA-compliant build

What makes the Onyx Series different from Sentinel?

Two things: the metal and the finish. Onyx uses a thicker aluminum profile, a 2.50 mm plank wall against Sentinel's 2.00 mm, which is why it's the series we recommend once an opening calls for 4 feet of protection or more. Heavier plank, heavier post: 2.49 lbs per foot versus 2.016, on a post that runs 3.45 lbs per foot. It ships powder-coated in charcoal grey rather than raw aluminum, so the mounted posts read as trim rather than flood equipment. Same 6063-T6 alloy, same EPDM seal, same deployment, same 5-year warranty.

Who is the Onyx Series for?

Homeowners who refuse to choose between flood-grade engineering and curb appeal. If your entry is street-facing, your home is a coastal contemporary or modern build, or you simply don't want silver aluminum against dark trim, Onyx hides the hardware in plain sight. It's also the natural fit for higher-exposure openings: VE and coastal AE zone homes where the assessment specs a taller protection height than the typical inland doorway.

How does deployment work?

Exactly like Sentinel: posts are already mounted, so you drop planks down the channels until you reach your protection height, and the EPDM seal makes the stack watertight. Each Onyx plank adds about 7.5 inches, so a ten-panel stack reaches the system maximum of 5.9 feet. One person, under 10 minutes per typical opening, and the only tool is the included Allen wrench for the tension bolts and top locking plate. After the storm, the planks lift out, rinse off, and stack flat. The powder-coated finish shrugs off salt water the same way the raw aluminum does.

How much does the Onyx Series cost?

Installed systems start around $1,850, with Onyx pricing above an equivalent Sentinel setup for the heavier profile, the powder-coated finish, and taller stack configurations. As with every series, the real driver is your openings: how many, how wide, and the protection height your FEMA zone calls for. Run the instant estimate calculator for a ballpark on your specific openings, then book a free in-home assessment for exact numbers.

Onyx Series specifications

Published figures from our manufacturer spec sheet. The full sheet, the component breakdown, and the side-by-side series comparison are all on our documentation page.

FinishPowder-coated grey
Panel height7.48"
Panel depth1.57"
Panel wall thickness2.50 mm
Panel weight2.49 lbs per ft
Post width2.36"
Post depth3.54"
Post weight3.45 lbs per ft
Center post width4.72" (double channel)
Center post weight7.53 lbs per ft
Panel & post material6063-T6 aluminum
Sealing materialEPDM rubber
HardwareStainless steel, cast aluminum fittings
Tallest protection height5.9 ft (10 panels)

Before you decide

Watch the same build hold back real water in our seal and deployment test footage, read whether flood barriers actually work and where they hit their limits, check what a system costs in Florida, or see how it compares to sandbags. Every series carries the same 5-year warranty.

Compare the other series