"Ended up going with veneer mostly for budget reasons, but I was pretty worried about moisture—especially because summers here get nasty humid."
Good call on prioritizing drainage and ventilation. I've seen veneer outperform solid brick walls plenty of times, provided the detailing is spot-on. It's usually poor flashing or rushed workmanship that causes headaches later on...
Veneer can definitely hold up, but honestly, nothing beats the charm and longevity of solid brick if you can swing it. I've seen veneer walls look great initially, then start showing wear after a few rough seasons...depends how long-term you're thinking.
Totally agree about solid brick having that timeless feel. When we built our place, we went with veneer on the back side to save a bit, and after just three winters, I've noticed some chips and fading already...wish we'd splurged for full brick there too.
Yeah, veneer can be tricky sometimes. I built our garage with brick veneer about five years ago, and honestly, it's held up pretty well—but I made sure to seal it properly and chose a higher-quality veneer. Maybe yours just needs a good sealant or weatherproofing coat to help with the fading and chipping? Real brick is definitely sturdier long-term, but with some extra care, veneer can still look decent.
I think you're right on track about sealing and weatherproofing. I've worked with both veneer and real brick plenty of times, and honestly, veneer can surprise you if it's done right. One of my recent projects involved a large outdoor kitchen using brick veneer, and after three years, it still looks great—but we did spend extra time prepping and sealing it.
Real brick definitely has a sturdier feel and less maintenance overall, but the cost difference is significant enough that veneer makes sense for a lot of projects. Sounds like your garage is holding up pretty well, so you're clearly doing something right. Maybe the original poster just had bad luck with the product quality or skipped some prep steps? Either way, good to hear your veneer is still looking decent five years in...that's a win in my book.
