Choosing between a 4.5 inch and 6 inch brick for a garden wall in Austin

Went with the 4.5 inch to save on material cost, but the Texas heat cracked a few after the first summer. Should I have used the thicker brick from the start?

3 comments

3 Comments

craig.reese2mo ago

Four and a half inches? Wait, that's the actual brick width you used? I had no idea they even sold bricks that thin, I thought the standard for anything outside was at least 6 inches for actual durability. It's not just the thickness of the brick itself, it's about how much thermal mass it has to soak up that brutal Texas sun without fracturing. A 4.5 inch brick basically has no buffer against the heat compared to a 6 inch one, it's like comparing a thin t-shirt to a thick winter jacket. I'm honestly kind of shocked the supplier didn't try to talk you out of it for an exterior wall in that climate. Are you thinking about tearing the whole thing down and starting over with the thicker brick?

amymartinez2mo ago

My buddy Mark put up a 4.5 inch brick wall around his patio in San Antonio a few years back. Half of them cracked by the second summer, but he just mixed up some mortar and filled in the cracks. He said it looked fine and saved him the money of tearing it all out. I think it depends how much you care about it looking perfect.

dianab682mo ago

...and honestly, are a few cracked bricks REALLY that big of a deal? I mean yeah it sucks they cracked but it's a garden wall not a load bearing foundation for a skyscraper. Texas heat is brutal on everything, I've seen brick and concrete crack out here no matter what size you use. Unless those cracks are turning into a total safety hazard or your wall is literally falling over, I'd just patch them up and move on with my life.