Terminology

• Wythe: one continuous vertical layer of masonry units
• Anchored veneer: brick held by anchors (ties) to backup across an air space
• Adhered veneer / thin brick: thin units bonded to a substrate with mortar or adhesive; no air space
• Air space / cavity: gap between veneer and backup or sheathing that drains water
• Adjustable anchor: two-piece tie (wire eye and pintle, or plate and wire) that allows vertical movement between veneer and backup
• Corrugated anchor: one-piece sheet-metal tie; limited to small cavities over wood framing
• Through-wall flashing: membrane that collects water in the cavity and directs it out at weeps
• Weep: open head joint or vent at flashing that drains the cavity
• Shelf angle / relieving angle: steel angle at floor lines that supports veneer and creates a horizontal movement joint
• Loose lintel: steel angle spanning an opening, not attached to the structure
• Expansion joint: vertical sealant joint for brick growth; brick expands permanently with moisture, unlike CMU, which shrinks
• Mortar net / drainage mat: material that keeps mortar droppings from clogging weeps

Standards

Sizes

• Modular units lay up on a 4 in. horizontal and 16 in. vertical module with 3/8 in. joints

Grades

• ASTM C216 Grade SW: severe weathering; for cyclic freezing climates and ground contact
• ASTM C216 Grade MW: moderate weathering
• Type FBS: standard face brick (default when unspecified)
• Type FBX: tighter dimensional tolerance and fewer chips for precise work
• Type FBA: architectural variation in size and texture
• ASTM C216-26a is the current edition

Test standards

• ASTM C216: facing brick
• ASTM C1088: thin veneer brick
• ASTM C270: mortar (Type N common for veneer; Type S where higher strength is needed)
• TMS 402 and TMS 602: veneer anchors, air space, and construction
• ASTM A153 or A641 galvanizing, or stainless steel, for anchors and ties
• BIA Technical Notes: design and detailing (for example, Note 28 for veneer on wood frame)

Materials

• Face brick: clay or shale; color and texture set by clay and firing
• Anchors: hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel adjustable anchors; stainless in coastal and high-moisture exposure
• Flashing: stainless steel, copper, or self-adhered rubberized asphalt with stainless drip edge
• Backup: wood or steel stud with sheathing and WRB, CMU, or concrete
• Cavity insulation: rigid foam or mineral wool board in the air space on masonry or steel stud backup
• Mortar: portland cement-lime or masonry cement, color matched

Detailing

• Keep the air space clear: 1 in. minimum clear cavity behind brick, wider with cavity insulation
• Flash and weep at the base of wall, at shelf angles, above lintels, under sills, and at roof-wall intersections; turn up end dams
• Shelf angles at floor lines in multistory work, with a soft joint below each angle
• Vertical expansion joints near corners, at offsets, and at regular spacing per BIA guidance; keep joints out of bearing areas of lintels
• Anchors fastened to studs or embedded in backup; extra anchors around large openings
• Mortar net or weep vents to keep weeps open
• On wood frame, account for wood shrinkage at window heads, sills, and roof lines; leave clearance under sills

Uses

Specific uses

• Cladding on wood-framed houses and multifamily buildings
• Brick-and-steel-stud cavity walls on offices, schools, and healthcare
• Brick-on-CMU cavity walls on institutional buildings
• Historic district infill and campus buildings
• Thin brick on precast or panelized systems for high-rise

Pros and cons

Pros

• Very durable; long service life with routine joint maintenance
• Low maintenance and fire resistant
• Drained cavity manages water well when flashed correctly
• Broad range of colors, textures, and bond patterns

Cons

• Heavy; needs foundation ledge or shelf angle support
• Flashing and weep errors cause leaks and efflorescence
• Labor-intensive and weather-sensitive installation
• Shelf angles and anchors bridge heat unless thermally broken products are used
• Movement joints and sealant need periodic replacement

Manufacturing and cost

Construction

• Brick extruded or molded, dried, and kiln fired; blended on site for color consistency
• Backup wall and WRB complete before veneer starts; anchors installed as courses rise
• Flashing set at each support level before brick bears on it
• Joints tooled concave or V for water resistance; cavity kept clear during construction

Main manufacturers and suppliers

• Glen-Gery
• General Shale
• Acme Brick
• Belden Brick
• Endicott Clay Products
• Hohmann and Barnard (anchors and flashing)

Trade association: Brick Industry Association.

Typical costs

• Full-bed brick veneer, installed: $12 to $25 per sq ft of wall
• Thin brick veneer, installed: $8 to $18 per sq ft of wall
• Shelf angles, flashing upgrades, and cavity insulation add to these ranges

Sources

• Brick Industry Association: technical notes, https://www.gobrick.com/
• FEMA: brick veneer attachment guidance (BIA Technical Note 28), https://www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/mat/brick_veneer.pdf
• Mason Contractors Association of America: veneer anchors for new construction, https://masoncontractors.org/technical-talks/veneer-anchors-for-new-construction
• ASTM: C216-26a facing brick, https://store.astm.org/c0216-26a.html
• Glen-Gery: brick sizes and dimensions, https://glengery.com/brick-sizes
• STRUCTURE magazine: brick veneer on cold-formed steel framing, https://www.structuremag.org/article/updated-design-recommendations-for-brick-veneer-on-cold-formed-steel-framing/
• Fixr: brick siding cost, 2026 data, https://www.fixr.com/costs/brick-or-stone-siding-installation
• Wikimedia Commons: Brick veneer residential construction.jpg, by Bricktrimble (CC BY-SA 4.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brick_veneer_residential_construction.jpg