Exterior Brick Veneer Supports The Roof Structure

A the maximum height of brick masonry veneer above the steel angle support using prescriptive requirements of 2015 irc shall be 12 8.

Exterior brick veneer supports the roof structure.

To know if a house utilizes masonry construction or brick veneer you first need to understand what brick veneer is. Flashing is the material usually of metal or plastic that makes the transition between the brick veneer and dissimilar types of cladding present on the building exterior such as siding trim other types of masonry roof coverings etc. The drawback to this plan is that the brick veneer on the wall above the roof of the wing will not have a lot of support underneath it to rest on. So the total design weight is much lower.

However brick siding is merely a single layer and does not provide any structural support for the wall. The idea we are coming up with is a steel beam that will sit below the roof and give the veneer the structural support it needs. Brick veneer does not support the building s roof or other parts of the structure. The brick industry association in its engineering research digest titled support of exterior brick veneer on wood suggests three different approaches to supporting masonry on combustible construction.

Wood frame structures with attached brick masonry veneer cladding are a common form of residential construction throughout the united states. The other category of brick veneer is often called thin brick or brick tile. Brick veneer is actually a single layer of full sized bricks installed adjacent to a home s exterior wall. The roof rafters must be sized to support the.

The first is to support the brick veneer by a steel angle that bears directly on roof rafters. A brick veneer wall requires weep holes to prevent moisture accumulation between the inner wall and the veneer from potentially. B screws to be staggered half the oc spacing with a minimum 1 3 4 edge distance and 6 end distance. Details for exterior brick masonry veneer supported by metal plate connected wood trusses released may 20 2009 updated march 9 2011 introduction.

It s not those adorable little brick slices you stick to your living room wall for a rustic look. Supporting brick veneer on steel angles bolted to the framing rather than providing masonry bearing all the way to the foundation is approved by code but it s important to get the details right to avoid unsightly cracks and other more serious structural problems. The inner wall bears the weight of the structure and not the brick.