04/12/2026
One question I get all the time is what siding lasts the longest with the least amount of maintenance.
The real answer, in my opinion, is glazed brick, also known as enameled brick.
These bricks start out like normal clay bricks, but then they get coated in ceramic and fired so hot that the surface literally turns into a glasslike shell. It’s tough, impermeable and basically laughs at weather.
They were super popular in the 1920s and you can still find hundreds of buildings around New Jersey covered in the original glazed brick, still looking brand new a century later.
They’re still made today by several manufacturers. While a regular brick might cost twenty five cents to a dollar, glazed bricks usually run two to six dollars depending on the color.
Out in the real world, nothing else used as siding has held up this well. Zero maintenance, just pressure washing as desired. No fading, no peeling, no rot, no drama. Just a shiny, rock solid exterior that refuses to age.
