You're definitely right about the moisture barrier issue. A few years back, I worked on a townhouse development where we went with real brick walls for aesthetic reasons. We thought we'd covered all our bases, but the contractor underestimated the drainage requirements behind the brickwork. Within two years, we had homeowners reporting damp patches and mold growth in their basements—talk about a headache.
On the flip side, I've also seen brick veneer done really well, and honestly, most people couldn't tell the difference at first glance. It saved us a lot of hassle in terms of maintenance and moisture management. Still, there's something uniquely appealing about genuine brick that veneer just can't fully replicate. If you're prepared to invest in proper installation and ongoing upkeep, real brick can be worth it. But if you're looking for lower maintenance and fewer surprises down the road, veneer might be the smarter choice.
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the real brick appeal—it's hard to beat that genuine look and feel. But honestly, your story about mold and dampness is exactly why we decided to go with veneer for our place. As first-time custom homeowners, we figured fewer headaches down the road would be worth sacrificing a little authenticity. Glad to hear veneer can turn out looking pretty convincing though...makes me feel better about our choice.
"we figured fewer headaches down the road would be worth sacrificing a little authenticity."
That's understandable—maintenance is definitely a factor. But have you looked into newer moisture barrier systems for real brick? Proper installation can really cut down on dampness issues these days...might shift the balance a bit.
Yeah, good point about moisture barriers...they've come a long way recently. Still, even with proper installation, real brick can be a bit of a gamble depending on your climate. Friend of mine had issues despite doing everything right—sometimes it's just bad luck, I guess.
Yeah, moisture barriers have improved a ton lately, but climate's always a wildcard. I've seen similar issues pop up even when everything seemed spot-on. One thing I've noticed is that proper drainage behind the brickwork can make a huge difference—did your friend have any specific drainage setup, like weep holes or cavity trays? Sometimes those little details can tip the scales between success and headaches...
