If you've been thinking about installing brick veneer exterior walls, you're probably looking for that classic, sturdy aesthetic without the massive weight and cost of solid masonry. It's a great project that can completely change how your house looks from the curb, but it's also something you want to get right the first time. Unlike a solid brick wall that actually holds up the house, a veneer is essentially a single layer of brick acting as a "skin" over your existing wood or steel frame.
The beauty of this setup is that you get the durability of brick with the insulation and flexibility of modern framing. But because it's a skin, you have to be extra careful about how it's attached and, more importantly, how it breathes. If you trap moisture behind those bricks, you're looking at a nightmare of rot and mold down the road.
Getting your ducks in a row before you start
Before you even touch a trowel, you need to make sure your foundation can actually handle the extra weight. Even though we call it a "veneer," these are real bricks, and they aren't light. Most homes built with the intention of having a brick exterior have a "brick ledge" built into the concrete foundation. If your house doesn't have one, you might need to bolt a heavy-duty steel angle (a ledger) to the foundation. This isn't something you want to eyeball—check your local building codes or talk to a pro to make sure that ledge is up to the task.
Once the foundation is sorted, you'll need to prep the wall itself. Since you're installing brick veneer exterior walls over a wooden frame, you need a solid moisture barrier. This is usually a high-quality house wrap. You want the water to have a way out if it gets behind the brick, because—spoiler alert—brick is porous and water will get back there. Over the house wrap, you'll usually see people use a layer of felt paper for extra protection.
The importance of the air gap
This is the part where a lot of DIYers (and even some questionable contractors) mess up. You cannot just slap the bricks right against the house wrap. You need about a one-inch air space between the back of the brick and the wall of the house.
This gap is your best friend. It allows any moisture that seeps through the brick or condenses in the wall cavity to run down the back of the veneer and exit through "weep holes" at the bottom. Without this gap, the moisture stays in contact with your house's framing, and things will start to get ugly within a few years. It also provides a bit of a thermal break, which helps with your energy bills.
Setting the first course
The first row of bricks you lay—the "course"—is the most important one. If this row is crooked, the whole wall will look wonky by the time you reach the roofline. Use a chalk line to mark a perfectly level starting point.
Before you mix your mortar, it's a smart idea to "dry bond" the first row. Just lay the bricks out along the wall without any mud. This helps you see how the spacing is going to work out around windows and doors. You don't want to end up with a tiny two-inch sliver of brick at the corner because your spacing was off. Aim for a standard 3/8-inch joint between each brick.
Mortar and ties: The glue and the anchors
When it comes to mortar, you're looking for a consistency that's a bit like peanut butter. It should be sticky enough to stay on the trowel but wet enough to spread easily. If it's too dry, it won't bond; if it's too wet, it'll squeeze out and make a huge mess on the face of your bricks.
Now, because the brick veneer isn't structural, it needs to be tied to the house so it doesn't just peel away and fall over. This is where corrugated metal wall ties come in. You nail these into the studs of the house (through the house wrap and into the wood) and then embed the other end into the mortar joints of the brick. Usually, you'll want to space these every 16 inches horizontally and every 24 inches vertically. This creates a bridge that keeps the brick wall perfectly vertical and secure against the house.
Dealing with windows and doors
Things get a little tricky when you hit a window or a door. You can't just keep piling bricks up over an empty space. You'll need steel lintels—which are basically L-shaped bars—to support the weight of the bricks above the opening. These lintels need to be primed or galvanized so they don't rust out over time. They should overlap the brick on either side of the window by at least 4 to 6 inches to ensure the weight is distributed properly onto the "jamb" bricks.
Also, don't forget the flashing. You want flexible flashing tucked behind the house wrap above the window and draped over the lintel. This ensures that any water running down the back of the wall gets pushed out to the exterior rather than dripping into your window frame.
Making the joints look good
As you go, the mortar is going to start to set up. Once it's "thumb-print hard" (meaning you can press your thumb into it and it leaves an indent without sticking to you), it's time to tool the joints. Most people use a rounded jointer tool to create a concave joint. This isn't just for looks—concave joints are actually the best for shedding water.
Keep a stiff brush handy to knock off any "burrs" of mortar as you go. Don't wait until the next day to clean the wall, or you'll be out there with a hammer and chisel trying to scrape off dried cement. If you do end up with some staining, a bit of muriatic acid solution can help clean it up later, but it's much easier to just be tidy while you work.
Don't forget the weep holes
I mentioned these earlier, but they're worth their own section because they're that important. In the very bottom row of bricks, and also right above windows and doors, you need to leave openings in the vertical joints. These are your weep holes.
You can leave them as open gaps, or you can buy little plastic vents or even use pieces of rope that you pull out later. The goal is the same: give the water a clear exit path. If you plug these up with mortar, you've basically built a vertical swimming pool against your house's siding.
A few parting tips for a smooth job
Installing brick veneer exterior walls is a marathon, not a sprint. If you try to lay too many courses in one day, the weight of the wet bricks on top can actually compress the mortar joints at the bottom, making your wall uneven. Take it slow. Lay a few feet, let it set up, and then come back.
Also, watch the weather. If it's scorching hot out, your mortar will dry too fast and won't cure properly. If it's raining, your mortar will wash away. Aim for those nice, mild days where you can take your time and get the details right.
It's a lot of work, and your back is definitely going to feel it the next day, but there's nothing quite like standing back and looking at a perfectly laid brick wall that you did yourself. It gives the house a sense of permanence and quality that's hard to beat. Just keep that air gap clear, tie it to the studs, and mind your levels—you'll do just fine.