Brick is often ignored in modern home design, and deserves a greater place. According to the Master Builder’s Association of King and Snohomish Counties Built Green website, “The process of extracting clay for brick production is fairly benign, and results in very little wasted material. Brick is often used close to its manufacturing site. It has an almost limitless life-span and can be recycled or salvaged for use after demolition. Brick is also a recyclable material that can be crushed and returned to the manufacturing process, or used as a landscaping material in its crushed form.” Or used brick can simply be cleaned and used again on a new wall.
Brick is made from clay, and not all clay is red. In this close-up of our Strata House design on Mercer Island, note the use of Redondo Gray brick, sourced locally from Mutual Materials.
Brick is cost effective, too. Though a little higher in initial cost than stucco or many wood products, it is similar in cost to some of the “rain-screen” siding installations popular in modern designs, but with a longer life and less routine maintenance.
A brick veneer wall on a home should last 100 years or more, with minimal maintenance. After 50-75 years of exposure to the elements, a brick wall may need to be “re-pointed”—mortar repaired or replaced. With a little pressure washing to remove dirt and mildew, it will be good as new. Stone walls offer nearly the same longevity, though they are more porous and therefore need more frequent cleaning.