Choosing the Right Brick for Your Project: A Cost Controller’s Guide (with Acme Brick Visualizer Tips)

There’s no one-size-fits-all brick choice — here’s how to figure out what works for you

I’ve been a procurement manager for a mid-size construction firm for about 8 years now, managing around $400,000 annually in masonry materials. Over that time I’ve placed dozens of orders with Acme Brick (the Denton location, specifically) and learned the hard way that picking the right brick isn’t as simple as “choose a color you like.” It depends on your project type, your existing palette, and how much risk you’re willing to take on rework.

In my experience, most mistakes come from skipping the visualization step — basically assuming the sample you hold will look the same across a whole wall. So before we dive into scenarios, here’s my number one tip: use the Acme Brick Visualizer. It’s free, it’s surprisingly accurate, and it’s saved me from at least three expensive reorders. But I’ll get to that.

Let me break this into three common situations I’ve seen (and managed budgets for):

Scenario A: New construction exterior – you’re starting from scratch

When you have a blank canvas, the temptation is to go bold. I’ve been there. In my first year, I approved a dark charcoal brick for a modern office building without seeing it rendered against the roof and window frames. Big mistake. The brown trim (we ended up mixing a custom brown paint to match) clashed terribly. The re-coating cost about $1,200 — a classic rookie mistake I still cringe about.

For new exteriors, stick with neutral, mid-tone bricks — think tan, buff, or light gray. They work with almost any roof color and give you flexibility on accent features like stained glass windows. If you’re set on a warmer look, Acme’s “French Chateau” line is a solid option. But before you commit, render a few options in the Acme Brick Visualizer. Load a photo of your elevation, drop in the brick, and see how it interacts with the windows and trim. It’s a 15-minute step that can save you thousands in regret.

One more thing: if you’re planning a stained glass window as a focal point, choose a brick that’s less busy. A subtle texture or uniform color lets the glass stand out. Otherwise, the eye has nowhere to rest.

Cost-saving tip for new builds

Order a “mock-up panel” before the full order. Most suppliers, including Acme Brick, will let you buy a few square feet. I wish I’d tracked that metric — but anecdotally, every project that did a mock-up had zero color-related change orders. Prevention over cure, remember?

Scenario B: Renovation or addition – you need to match existing masonry

This is where things get tricky. I’ve managed budgets for four additions where the owner wanted the new section to blend seamlessly with a 20-year-old brick wall. The worst mistake? Assuming the same brick name would match. Brick manufacturing changes over time — dye lots shift, kiln temperatures vary. That’s a fact I learned from a vendor in 2020 (things may have evolved, but the principle holds).

Your best move is to bring a physical sample of your existing brick to an Acme Brick showroom. The Denton location has always been helpful for this. They’ll help you find a brick that’s either an exact match (if available) or a complementary blend. Then use the Visualizer to overlay the new brick onto a photo of your current house — adjust lighting and angle. Honestly, it’s almost like having a full-color proof before you spend a dime.

If you’re adding interior baseboard trim or crown molding, consider the brick’s thickness. Thin brick veneer (like Acme’s thin brick line) is often easier to integrate with existing baseboards because it doesn’t protrude as far. And if you need to paint the trim to bridge two brick colors, learning how to make brown paint that matches your brick’s undertone is a useful skill. I’ve mixed custom browns with a little raw umber and titanium white — but that’s a whole other topic.

One more pitfall I’ve seen

Contractors sometimes try to save money by reusing old mortar. Don’t. The “budget” choice of not buying new mortar cost a client $450 in hidden cleanup fees when the old mortar didn’t bond to the new brick. (Penny wise, pound foolish — I wrote a whole internal memo about that.)

Scenario C: Interior accent wall or landscape feature – low risk, high impact

Smaller projects are where you can experiment. A fireplace surround, a garden wall, or a kitchen backsplash with thin brick. Here, the cost of a mistake is lower, so you have more freedom. But I still recommend visualizing first — especially if you plan to pair the brick with stained glass panels or painted baseboard trim.

For example, if you’re building a patio with brick pavers and you want to add a stained glass window above, choose a paver color that echoes the glass’s background. The Acme Brick Visualizer lets you upload a photo of your space and drop in different paver options. It’s pretty cool (not sponsored, I just genuinely use it).

Also, a quick note on how to make brown paint for baseboard trim: mix equal parts red and green to create a dark brown, then add white to lighten. That’s a trick I picked up from a painter after I messed up a beige trim that didn’t match our bricks. Saved me a repaint.

How to decide which scenario you’re in

Still on the fence? Ask yourself three questions:

• Is this a completely new structure, or am I adding to something existing? New = Scenario A. Existing = Scenario B.
• Is the area exposed to weather or purely interior? Exterior = more conservative choice. Interior = you can take more risks.
• What’s my rework budget? If you can’t afford a $1,200 color mistake, you must visualize first.

I don’t have hard data on industry-wide rates, but based on our portfolio of 20+ projects, the ones that used the Visualizer had zero color-related change orders. The ones that didn’t? About 1 in 5 required a do-over. Prevention really is cheaper.

If you’re near Denton, stop by the Acme Brick Company location and talk to their team. They’ll even help you set up the Visualizer on your phone. And if you’re planning stained glass windows, baseboard trim, or custom brown paint, take those samples with you — it’s the only way to be sure.

This pricing was accurate as of Q1 2025. The brick market changes fast, so verify current rates at your local Acme Brick yard before budgeting.