valr69•3d ago

Vent: Skipping the damp course on backyard brick walls has worked for me

I've built a few like this and they're holding up fine after seasons. Is the extra step really needed for low projects?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam6263d ago

My Virginia walls cracked without one.

ray_morgan2d ago

aaronfox has a point about clay soil, but a missing barrier isn't always the reason for cracks. I've worked on houses in Virginia where walls failed even with modern protection. Poor drainage or bad construction practices can cause just as much damage. For instance, if the ground wasn't packed right during building, it settles and cracks the wall. It's not just the freeze-thaw cycle, it's how the whole site was set up from the start.

aaronfox3d ago

Your location probably has perfect conditions for it. Clay soil and freeze-thaw cycles will wreck a wall without that barrier.