Q: My husband and I are in a small skirmish about the brick veneer home we are building. I want it to be somewhat distinctive, incorporating random pieces of rock in the brick. Among other claims, … ...

ASK THE BUILDER | Be aware that a potential buyer down the line may not like the look. So keep some extra bricks and mortar on hand in case you need to make it uniform.

Brick can get grimy over time, picking up dirt, moss, and soot. To transform the way it looks, you may only need to give it a scrub with some soapy water or have it power-washed to restore some of ...

Paint a brick exterior and window trim white for a clean, minimalist look. Pair with zinc roofing, a gray front door, a white-and-gray awning, and a wall of climbing ivy for a timeless feel.

I would like to “age” or “distress” the brick, but I can’t find a painting company that knows how to do it. I don’t want to remove all the paint, just some of it to make it look aged ...

If you’ve got a darker brick, don’t make the mistake of trying to match them by painting the trim in a similar colour. You’ll end up with one dark, squat block.

As modern masonry construction has grown increasingly complex, so too has the design, detailing, and installation of brick cavity walls become more demanding. Where once a skilled mason was all it ...

Weep holes are absolutely necessary if you have a brick exterior—but you should invest in some covers for them. If you learn anything after buying a house, it’s this: Water is your enemy ...

Exterior brick has to be cleaned of dirt and mildew using a heavy-duty cleaning solution, such as trisodium phosphate (often referred to as “TSP”) with bleach, Mundwiller said.

Another advantage to just leaving your brick exterior alone is the fact that that bricks are made from a kiln-fired mixture of clay and shale, which is naturally porous.