JLC · JUNE 1989 Success with Brick Veneer Many home buyers like the low maintenance and quality look of a brick home. They can get this look without losing the insulation value of frame construction if they choose brick veneer. The veneer will never need painting; it will protect the house from wind; and if the work is done right, the veneer will last the lifetime of the house. But contractors with a carpentry background may not understand the finer points of masonry-veneer construction. Mistakes made in foundation construction, in design, and even in homeowner maintenance can undermine long-term performance of brick veneer. The brick veneer layer behaves differently than the structural wall behind it. Wood begins to shrink the moment a house is
