Brick definitely has its quirks. I've found that using reclaimed materials selectively—like accent walls or fireplace surrounds—can save both headaches and money. Another trick is to source locally salvaged materials; sometimes demolition sites or salvage yards have great finds at lower costs. Plus, clients usually appreciate the sustainability angle. Balancing aesthetics with practicality is always key... learned that the hard way myself after a similar flooring fiasco a few years back.
I've had mixed luck with reclaimed materials myself. A couple years ago, I scored some gorgeous salvaged wood beams from a local barn teardown—thought they'd be perfect for a client's kitchen ceiling. Turns out, prepping and installing them was way more labor-intensive than expected, and the savings kinda evaporated. Still looked amazing in the end, but lesson learned. Curious if anyone's found certain reclaimed materials consistently easier (or harder) to work with than others?
Totally feel your pain on the beams—been there myself. I find reclaimed bricks pretty forgiving, personally. Sure, there's some cleaning involved, but once they're prepped, they're usually solid and straightforward to work with. On the flip side, reclaimed flooring can be a real headache—warped boards, hidden nails, uneven thicknesses... you name it. Still, even with the extra hassle, nothing beats the character of reclaimed materials. Just gotta pick your battles carefully, I guess.
Had a similar experience with reclaimed flooring myself—picked up a batch that looked gorgeous at first glance, but man, those hidden nails were brutal on my saw blades. Bricks are definitely more forgiving, though mortar cleanup can get tedious... still beats wrestling warped boards any day.
Totally get the reclaimed flooring struggle—went down that rabbit hole myself. Thought I'd scored big with some beautiful old oak, but after factoring in blade replacements and the hours spent pulling hidden staples, the savings weren't as sweet as I'd hoped. Bricks seem tempting, but honestly, mortar cleanup sounds like a weekend killer. I'm leaning toward engineered wood next time—less drama, predictable costs, and my sanity stays intact...mostly.
