Adding brick facade to block garage

[imdavids]

I have a 2.5 car detached garage that is block construction and painted white. It is ugly and I would like to add brick to the lower 4 feet and make it look better and match my brick home more. I searched brick which was way too vague and facade and found nothing on the site to help me really. My asphalt driveway goes right up to the slab of the garage so from what I understand my problem will be with supporting the weight of the brick correct? Any remedies for this if there is no slab for the brick? From what I can tell brick veneers are pretty ridiculously priced compared to 30 cent or sometimes free real bricks so I would like to avoid that if I can.

 

[rustyjames]

You could attach a heavy galvanized steel angle to the building as a brick ledge.

 

[PAToyota]

Without a brick ledge in the wall, there really isn’t a way to apply real fullsize brick to your existing wall. Brick veneer is really the only way to apply brick to an existing wall.

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-in-25-hp-tilebrick-saw-69275.html

If you’re looking for low budget and have a source for free brick, you could go and buy a HF masonry saw and cut your own veneer brick. You’d get two veneers from each real brick. There are businesses that salvage old brick and do just that - albeit with automated systems.

 

[tcianci]

Although a thin veneer may eliminate the need for a brick ledge, Those veneers are typically adhered to the substrate and in the case of a painted block wall, the prep work may be more of a project than adding the ledge.

 

[yeldogt]

Have you thought about stucco? Can be made to look very nice with brick house .. especially if you add some brick highlights.

You can use angle iron to support a set number of bricks plus the use attachments driven into the block ... it is a lot of work.

I have used stucco over block -- after sandblasting. Another way is to attach a metal screen. Stucco done well is very nice.

 

[rvieceli]

here's some stuff you may find useful.

http://gobrick.com/Portals/25/docs/Technical Notes/TN28A.pdf

You existing structure is probably supported on a poured footing. there may be enough room on the footing to use to support the brick.

 

[WNYflyer]

You could attach a heavy galvanized steel angle to the building as a brick ledge.

^ You could probably do this, just needs to be done properly. You would also probably need brick ties to the block to stabilize the brick along with weep holes in the brick and such.

Always need to be aware of how close the brick comes down to the pavement if you are in a frost area. I have seen concrete pavement/slabs heave up and pop brick off. With asphalt pavement I wouldn't think you wouldn't have as much of a potential problem.

 

[tcianci]

Have you thought about stucco? Can be made to look very nice with brick house .. especially if you add some brick highlights.

You can use angle iron to support a set number of bricks plus the use attachments driven into the block ... it is a lot of work.

I have used stucco over block -- after sandblasting. Another way is to attach a metal screen. Stucco done well is very nice.

This reminds me of a company we have out this way called New England Brickmaster. They apply a base stucco of grey and then a top coat of red stucco and then they "rake" the mortar joints into the job. It ends up looking like hand laid brick.

 

[zxttfan]

There are several thin brick systems that would work, but yes, they are more expensive than regular brick. I've used a system before (Owensboro?) on a project similar to yours. This system used metal lath sheets that you attached to the block (using construction adhesive and tapcons as I remember). Once dried, you set the thin brick on ledges in the lath, using construction adhesive to glue them to the lath. Then you mortared them in place. It does look like real full size brick.

This project was completed in '06, and to my knowledge the owner has not had any problems with it.

 

[boiler7904]

I'd also vote for a thin brick or stone veneer adhered to the existing CMU wall. Adhesion of the mortar to your painted finish may be an issue though depending on condition of the paint and how you can abrade / prep it - an adhesion promoter is probably a good idea.

 

[kbs2244]

You don't say where you are or how high your wall is.
Both things are needed before a good answer is given.

Can you just screw an angle iron to the existing wall and lay the new brock on it?
Sure, DEPENDING on the height of the wall, the weight of the brick you want to use, and the local weather conditions.

Can you dig down along the existing wall and find a ledge of the current foundation to lay the brick on? MAYBE. It depends on local building codes and customs.
You, and us, will not know until you do it.

In short, can it be done??
Maybe.
But we are all shooting in the dark due to a lack of information.

 

[PAToyota]

You could attach a heavy galvanized steel angle to the building as a brick ledge.

Typically when a piece of angle is used as a brick ledge it is tied back into a lintel or a bond beam (solid masonry). Depending on how tall you plan to go, if you just anchor it to hollow masonry you could be in for a surprise at some point.

As others have mentioned, you then also have to put in brick ties and such. Unless you’re familiar with masonry work, you’re going to spend a lot more time doing it this way than using a veneer.

 

[imdavids]

I have access to plenty of angle iron, would attaching it to the wall be through the use of tapcons and adhesive? Or would it require more stout anchors? I am in Louisville, Ky as far as any climate issues go. I have a sand blaster if needed for block prep. Looks like some of the brick veneer is $10+/sq ft and there is no way I can justify that if there are alternatives, even if it means more labor for me. Wall is 8 ft and I want the bottom 4 brick and the rest will be vinyl siding. Looks like I may just use siding on the whole thing if this proves to be too much hassle. Thanks for all the tips so far.

 

[JimR1998]

Has anyone used Nichiha fiber cement brick or stone panels? A few styles are available at menards for around $5-6/sqft but you need to (or, supposed to) use their clip system which adds up. The material is 3/4" and seems durable. I think it's pretty realistic looking unless you're really checking it out. Looks very DIY friendly.

http://www.menards.com/main/c-14031.htm

 

[rustyjames]

I have access to plenty of angle iron, would attaching it to the wall be through the use of tapcons and adhesive? Or would it require more stout anchors? I am in Louisville, Ky as far as any climate issues go. I have a sand blaster if needed for block prep. Looks like some of the brick veneer is $10+/sq ft and there is no way I can justify that if there are alternatives, even if it means more labor for me. Wall is 8 ft and I want the bottom 4 brick and the rest will be vinyl siding. Looks like I may just use siding on the whole thing if this proves to be too much hassle. Thanks for all the tips so far.

It would need to be properly anchored, and not with Tapcons. If there's no solid masonry to achor to with epoxy or mechanical methods then you'd have to thru bolt it with appropriate backup, and spacing. This stuff is typically engineered.

 

[PAToyota]

I have access to plenty of angle iron, would attaching it to the wall be through the use of tapcons and adhesive? Or would it require more stout anchors?

See my post above yours.

You’re not going to “glue” a piece of angle iron on and then put hundreds of pounds of brick on it.

 

[Cyberbear]

If you want this to be a DIY project and you must have real brick, then it looks like you'll need to saw cut a narrow space for the below grade brick footing, pull out the asphalt and have the wall sandblasted before applying the brick.
The brick and mortar can be heavy, so be sure to drop some rebar into the concrete brick footing. Where I live in Calif. our shakers are known to shed brick veneer from walls, so take the usual precautions.