Brick veneer or brick facade?

[John Kogel]

The building is 100 years old, young for out east, I know.

The structure is wood, probably 2 X 4, sheathed in shiplap where it was visible, then red brick. The brick ties have given up and the whole shebang needs repair.

I see some of you call this a veneer, but a local mason here tells me veneer is the thin fake brick, so I'm calling it 'brick facade'. Is this correct or is there a better term?

Can heli-ties be used effectively on a wood framed two storey? I imagine hitting studs will take some talent.

The lintels over the larger windows are sagging badly from the weight of the bricks above. I can't show a lot of revealing pics at this point.

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[Jim Katen]

The building is 100 years old, young for out east, I know.

The structure is wood, probably 2 X 4, sheathed in shiplap where it was visible, then red brick. The brick ties have given up and the whole shebang needs repair.

I see some of you call this a veneer, but a local mason here tells me veneer is the thin fake brick, so I'm calling it 'brick facade'. Is this correct or is there a better term?

Can heli-ties be used effectively on a wood framed two storey? I imagine hitting studs will take some talent.

The mason is a moron.

I think that this is why Heli-Ties were invented. However, I'd advise the customer to find a contractor who had done this work successfully in the past. I wouldn't want someone learning on my dime on this kind of project.

[Neal Lewis]

I call it brick exterior.

[Ben H]

The woodworker in me can see where someone (not a professional mason) would call a veneer a thin top layer. I call typical brick walls constructed today a veneered wall.

[John Kogel]

Thanks, all. That fellow is a British subject, so there is a translation of terms issue, no doubt.

[Nolan Kienitz]

Brick veneer in Texas anyway.

[Jim Katen]

Thanks, all. That fellow is a British subject, so there is a translation of terms issue, no doubt.

Well, then I'm curious. How is it defined in your building code?

Do you have an equivalent of the Brick Industry Association up there? How do they define it?

[inspector57]

Brick veneer, meaning it is not structural. It has nothing to do with holding the building up but is supported independently by the foundation.

Lick-n-stick is fake veneer that is supported by the building itself much like any other siding product.

With the amount of damage described and pictured, removing, cleaning and reinstalling the brick may be a more worth while expenditure of resources.

[John Kogel]

Thanks, all. That fellow is a British subject, so there is a translation of terms issue, no doubt.

Well, then I'm curious. How is it defined in your building code?

Do you have an equivalent of the Brick Industry Association up there? How do they define it?

I've called it veneer up until I was told I was a moron for calling it that. []

[John Kogel]

Brick veneer, meaning it is not structural. It has nothing to do with holding the building up but is supported independently by the foundation.

Lick-n-stick is fake veneer that is supported by the building itself much like any other siding product.

With the amount of damage described and pictured, removing, cleaning and reinstalling the brick may be a more worth while expenditure of resources.

Well, it's a two storey multiplex building, so it would be a massive undertaking to remove all the brick. Then once the brick was off, they could sell it for a buck a brick and install Hardi plank. []

[Jim Katen]

Thanks, all. That fellow is a British subject, so there is a translation of terms issue, no doubt.

Well, then I'm curious. How is it defined in your building code?

Do you have an equivalent of the Brick Industry Association up there? How do they define it?

I've called it veneer up until I was told I was a moron for calling it that. []

Well, except that - at least here in the states - we have building codes, an industry association, and all manner of printed references that very completely define exactly what brick veneer is. You've got one mason who seems to think that "veneer" means "thin."

But then maybe it really is different in Canada. Don't you have a building code up there that defines the term?

[John Kogel]

Brick attached to a wall is brick veneer by our code as it is with yours. I was just feeling pangs of self doubt brought on by fear and anxiety ....... not. []