Home › Brick Veneer Installation
Our team installs brick veneers in Southaven, MS that give your home the look of full brick without the extra weight. We properly flash, anchor, and detail every brick veneer project so your siding stays attractive, weather resistant, and low maintenance for years.
Southaven Masonry provides professional brick veneers throughout Southaven, MS, Mississippi and the surrounding area. Our licensed, insured crew delivers safe, clean, on-time work with a free estimate before anything begins. Call (662) 863-5021 or request your free quote.
Brick veneers for Southaven homes and light commercial buildings
Brick veneers give you the look of full brick without rebuilding your structure. In Southaven, most veneer projects are installed over wood framing with sheathing, or over existing block or poured concrete walls. Southaven Masonry focuses on brick veneer installations that handle North Mississippi heat, humidity, and storm cycles, so the wall looks good and sheds water for decades.
If you have vinyl siding you want to replace, brick veneers can usually tie into your existing framing. For older homes in Southaven or Horn Lake with partial brick and partial siding, we often extend brick veneers across the front elevation and around entryways to create a continuous look. On commercial jobs along Goodman Road or in local retail strips, we frequently install brick veneers over CMU block using a drainage cavity and through-wall flashing to meet code.
Our approach is straightforward. We look at what you already have, decide whether the wall can safely carry the veneer, and plan details like wall ties, flashing, and trim transitions so the finished work looks like it has always been there. Southaven Masonry does not sell you generic “brick facing.” We design each veneer to match your specific structure, water exposure, and budget.
How brick veneer installation actually works
A proper brick veneer installation is more than stacking thin bricks. On a typical Southaven house with wood framing, we start by removing siding where the veneer will go. We inspect the sheathing for rot or insect damage and repair anything soft or swollen before going further. A solid backing saves you from loose veneer and leaks later.
Next, we install or verify a water-resistive barrier and flashing. This usually includes housewrap, metal or flexible flashing at the base of the wall and under windows, and weep screeds where needed. For brick veneers to last in Mississippi humidity, water must be able to get out of the wall. We cut weep holes at the bottom course and at key flashing points so any trapped moisture drains instead of soaking your framing.
We then fasten corrosion-resistant brick ties to the studs or masonry backup in a regular pattern, usually every 16 inches horizontally and vertically, adjusting to match local code and your wall layout. These ties anchor the brick veneer while allowing a small air gap for drainage. After that, we start laying brick in full mortar beds, checking level and plumb continuously so the veneer lines match your windows, doors, and existing brickwork if you have it.
Mortar joints are tooled as the work progresses to compact the joints and resist rain. Around windows and doors, we cut and fit bricks precisely, install flashing above openings, and seal with high-quality caulk where masonry meets trim. At the end, we clean the wall with appropriate masonry cleaners (not harsh acids that can burn the brick) and do a final inspection for consistent joint spacing, straight lines, and solid sounding brick with no hollow spots.
Brick veneer design options and matching existing brick
Most Southaven homeowners want their new brick veneers to either blend with existing brick or create a clear contrast that still looks intentional. Southaven Masonry keeps sample boards of common Mississippi brick lines, including tumbled, wire-cut, and smooth face bricks in reds, buffs, and darker blends. We also look at mortar color, joint style, and brick pattern, because these three details heavily affect the final appearance.
If you already have brick on part of your house, we bring sample bricks to the site and compare them in natural daylight, not just in photos. We look at size, texture, and the ratio of light to dark pieces in a blend. We then adjust mortar color (from natural gray to buff or white) and joint width to help a near-match blend even better. Often, we can make a brick that is 90 percent similar look nearly identical from the street simply by changing mortar color and joint tooling.
If you want a new look on a full siding house, we help you decide between traditional running bond, stacked or soldier courses around windows, or accents like herringbone panels in gables or porch walls. For commercial properties, we often use a combination of a durable, darker base brick with a lighter accent band course to break up large wall areas. We also consider how the veneer will meet existing sidewalks, porches, and steps so heights and transitions are safe and code compliant.
Brick veneers can be combined with stone or stucco accents, but the backing and flashing have to be planned together. We explain what is structurally practical for your building instead of just following a picture from the internet.
What affects the cost of brick veneers in Southaven
Several specific factors drive the cost of brick veneer installation in Southaven, MS, and it helps to understand them upfront.
Wall preparation is one of the biggest variables. Removing old vinyl or fiber cement siding is straightforward, but repairing rotten sheathing, reframing damaged areas near the bottom plate, or correcting wavy walls adds time and materials. Homes that have had previous water intrusion or termite damage often need more prep before we can safely attach brick ties.
The type of backing matters. Brick veneer over existing concrete block or poured concrete is usually simpler because we can anchor ties directly into the masonry, as long as the surface is sound. Over framed walls, extra care is needed to locate studs and avoid overloading any single section. Taller walls sometimes require engineered tie patterns or additional structural review.
Brick choice and layout also influence cost. Standard modular bricks in a running bond are the most economical. Larger formats, accent patterns, or frequent color changes require more cutting and layout time. Premium bricks with special textures or imported finishes cost more per pallet. In Southaven, we also factor in delivery costs from suppliers in the Memphis area, which can change slightly with fuel prices.
Complexity around openings raises labor. Deep returns around windows, arches, and curved walls take more time and sometimes require custom steel lintels. If we need to coordinate with another contractor for new doors, windows, or porch extensions, that scheduling and setup time is part of the overall job. Finally, site access is important. Tight side yards in older Southaven neighborhoods or steep backyards can require more scaffold work and manual brick handling, which adds to the total.
Southaven Masonry provides itemized proposals so you can see where the money is going: demolition, prep, materials, labor, and cleanup. We also talk through options that can reduce cost without sacrificing structural integrity, such as simplifying patterns or limiting veneer to the most visible elevations.
Local code, drainage, and common brick veneer problems
In DeSoto County, veneers are treated as exterior cladding and must be installed to resist wind loads and manage water. Southaven Masonry installs brick veneers according to the International Residential Code as adopted locally, including proper tie spacing, weep systems, and clearances from grade. For larger commercial projects, we coordinate with the general contractor or design professional to meet project specifications and inspections.
The most common brick veneer problems we see around Southaven are tied to water and movement. Bulging or cracked veneer is often caused by missing or corroded wall ties, or by brick being laid tight to the sheathing with no air space. We prevent this by using galvanized or stainless ties rated for exterior use and maintaining a consistent cavity between the veneer and the backup wall. Horizontal cracking above openings can indicate undersized or failing lintels. When we install new veneers, we use properly sized steel angles or concrete lintels, prime exposed steel, and ensure flashing and weeps sit correctly over them.
Another issue is trapped moisture from poorly detailed housewrap or clogged weep holes. In our climate, walls need to dry out after heavy rains. We are careful about overlapping housewrap, turning it correctly into openings, and keeping the base of the wall clear. At the end of a job, we verify that weep joints are open and not packed with mortar. For retrofit projects where water has already caused damage, we sometimes open sample areas, inspect the framing, and replace bad sections before installing new veneer.
We also pay attention to required clearances. Brick veneers should not sit directly on soil or buried mulch. We maintain a gap above finished grade, steps, and slabs so moisture does not wick into the wall. For houses in subdivisions with HOAs around Southaven, we help you present material samples and elevation sketches if required so you can get approvals before work starts.
What to expect when you hire Southaven Masonry
Southaven Masonry starts with a site visit, not a rough guess from a photo. We measure, check wall conditions, and talk through exactly where you want brick veneers and how you want them to look. Within a few days, we provide a written estimate that spells out materials, prep work, and a realistic schedule.
Before we begin, we confirm utility locations, protect nearby concrete, landscaping, and AC units, and stage materials so the job site stays organized. During installation, you will see a consistent crew, not a different group every day. We keep you updated on progress, especially when we reach decision points like trim transitions, accent bands, or final height along porches.
You can expect noise from saws and some dust while we cut brick, but we control it with proper tools and end-of-day cleanup. We do not wash mortar down your driveway or leave piles of broken brick behind. When the veneer is complete, we do a joint walkthrough with you. We tap test suspicious areas, check joint consistency and flashing locations, and make any adjustments before scaffolding comes down.
If you are planning other exterior changes, such as new windows, doors, or gutters, we help you schedule the brick veneer work in the right sequence so trades are not working on top of each other. After completion, we can discuss basic brick maintenance, such as how to safely clean the veneer and when it might make sense to seal specific areas that see heavy splashback from roofs.
If you are in Southaven, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, or the surrounding DeSoto County area and considering brick veneers, Southaven Masonry is available to walk you through design, cost, and installation details so you know exactly what you are getting before you commit.
