Installing
a brick veneer onto your home’s exterior is a job that
generally requires the skills of an experienced brick mason. If you are curious
about what is involved in installing a brick veneer, this article will explain
the basic procedure. A brick masonry veneer is one of the more popular exterior
wall finishes for many reasons. In addition to providing a pleasing texture and
an accessible scale, the shape and dimension of standard brick allows for a
variety of geometries and patterns. Furthermore, of all masonry materials and
of building materials in general, brickwork offers one of the most
fire-resistant construction methods available.
Tools and Materials Needed
§ Bricks
§ Mortar
§ Weep hole tubes
§ Metal flashing
§ Wall ties
§ String line
§ Level
§ Trowel
§ BrushMortar strike
§ Wheel barrel or mixing bin
Step 1: Install Flashing onto the
Foundation Ledge
Before the first course is laid, metal
flashing is installed onto the top of the concrete brick ledge which will
support the brick wall. The outer edge of the flashing is turned down over the
edge of the ledge and the inner edge is turned up over the plywood sheathing
but under the building paper.
Step 2: Install the First Course of
Bricks
Pre-mixed mortar designed specifically for
brickwork is easily obtainable. Begin by troweling mortar onto the concrete
brick ledge for the first course. The leads are installed at the wall ends
first to establish the wall planes and the course heights. It is imperative
that the first course is laid straight and level to ensure that the subsequent
courses will also be level.
Step 3: Provide Drainage by
Installing Weep Holes
Rainwater is diverted out of the wall
assembly by installing small metal tubes that act as “weep holes”. The tubes
are spaced 18 to 24 inches apart in the horizontal mortar joint in the course
above the metal flashing.
Step 4: Build the Wall One Course at
a Time
Lay each course by first troweling on the
horizontal bed joint, then apply mortar onto the brick end for the vertical
head joint. Courses are laid in a stretcher pattern so that the vertical joints
of every other course are aligned. A string line is stretched taut horizontally
at each lead as a guide to align the upper front edge of the brick. As the wall
increases in height, check to make sure that it remains level and plumb.
Courses can be made to align with window sills and heads by varying the
thickness of the mortar joint. The brick is laid onto steel angles that act as
lintels above window and door openings.
Step 5: Install Wall Ties to Anchor
the Brick to the Sheathing
A ½-inch air space is provided between the
brick veneer and the plywood sheathing. The brick is anchored to the sheathing
with wall ties or brick anchors. They consist of L-shaped strips of corrugated
metal 1 by 6 inches long nailed through the sheathing into the studs. The
horizontal component penetrates into the brick veneer at the mortar joint. As
the brick veneer increases in height, the ties are installed at every fourth
course with 2-foot spacings along the entire horizontal joint.
Step 6: Finishing the Brick Veneer
After the last course is installed and as
the mortar begins to harden, the mortar is tooled to give the finished joints a
concave profile. The residual mortar is removed by scrubbing the wall surface
with a brush.
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