Generally, masonry and brick veneers use bricks on the exterior house, but they are both structurally different.
Everything to know about Solid masonry walls
In masonry, the structural foundation is constructed with bricks that are load-bearing. The house structure is constructed with two layers, and in most instances, they can be brick. In other circumstances, the exterior may be brick, but then there is a cinder block or a concrete layer beneath, with a gap measuring one inch between the two surfaces.
The porosity of bricks necessitates the gap. On the exterior wall, the rain will run down and out via the weep holes and down the plastic flushing. The weep holes are placed in intervals of four bricks while the plastic flushing is placed within the walls to direct runoff water into allocated draining spaces.
During construction, there is a definite risk that the two bricklayers (Wythes) will separate. Thus, engineers will install header bricks within every sixth row. Header bricks are shorter compared to regular bricks, and they are placed sideways. From the building’s exterior, the ends of the brick can be seen.
Metals can be used in place of header bricks, and such walls can be misidentified as brick veneer walls because there are no visible header bricks. Soldier bricks are placed over windows with the bricks standing on ends, but the face remains parallel to the wall.
On a structural basis, masonry walls are very strong, and they can serve for centuries with proper maintenance. Your Masonry Screen Engineering Dallas can describe more capabilities of your structure.
Masonry walls are a good bet, but the last three decades in the construction industry has witnessed increased popularity in brick veneer construction. The fundamental and most significant difference between the two construction techniques lies in the positioning of the bricks. In masonry, the structure is held up by bricks while with brick veneer, the brick is held up by the structure.
The porosity of bricks makes them prone to wear when exposed to the elements, and the aesthetical differences are almost negligible. Other than being more expensive in construction, the poor insulation features will increase heating costs as well.
Understanding brick veneer
Construction brick veneer differs from the thin slices plastered on kitchen walls; they are actual bricks. In this structure, the wall is constructed with only one Wythe, but with a wood frame wall behind it. Therefore, the brick veneer is a siding effect while the wood frame holds up the home.
The requirement of exterior wall insulation fueled the popularity of brick veneer by building codes. In most cases, insulation is made of light, fluffy material, which means air makes an excellent insulator. The weight and material of bricks make them poor insulators. Thus, a brick veneer structure means the cavity between the wall studs in a wood frame home can be insulated.
The construction, insulation, and sheathing of the walls are done before the installation of the bricks. During the brick installation, the wood frame is nailed with metal ties. It is crucial to nail them into the studs and not only the sheathing. Bending the metal ties to a horizontal angle embeds them in the mortar joints during the construction of the brick veneer.
A one-inch gap of air is created between the sheathing and the brick veneer by building it on the outer edge of the foundation. These structures are generally fire-resistant and are well insulated. Furthermore, the lesser materials required in construction lower the overall costs.
However, brick veneer is prone to water damage, especially in wet climates. Also, they can crack under the stress of heavy vehicle traffic or earthquakes.
When deciding on which walls to go with, an individual should involve Masonry Screen Engineering Dallas for safety regulation guidance, and predicting the performance and utility of screen walls.
