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Siding

How Much Does Brick Siding Cost?

Average Cost:

$7,500 - $22,500

Brick siding installation averages $5 to $15 per square foot, including both solid brick and brick veneer options. Solid brick tends to cost more, averaging $9 to $20 per square foot, while brick veneer is more budget-friendly at $5 to $12 per square foot. For a typical 1,500-square-foot home, the total installation cost usually ranges from $7,500 to $22,500, depending on the type of brick, home size, and local labor rates.

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Updated: Nov 15, 2024 · Written By: Emily Bloch · Reviewed By: Kat Gayol

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  1. Brick Siding Installation
  2. Brick Siding Benefits
  3. Brick Veneer Siding vs. Real Brick Siding
  4. How Much Does Brick Siding Cost?
  5. Maintenance Tips

Brick Siding Installation

Brick siding enhances your home’s appearance and durability. It provides a timeless, traditional look and is highly durable, offering resistance to fire, rot, moisture, and storms. While installation can be costly, brick siding lasts for the lifetime of your home. Even if you don’t stay long, it adds value and can increase your home’s resale price, as buyers often pay more for brick homes.

Brick Siding Benefits

This type of siding offers tremendous value in comparison to other exterior siding options. Although initially more expensive than some alternative siding materials, the long-term savings and benefits are hard to beat.

brick-siding

Some of the benefits of brick siding include:

  • Low Maintenance: Brick never needs painting and resists rotting, fading, peeling, and denting. It’s also pest-resistant. After 25 years, inspect mortar joints for wear, but the brick will only improve with age.
  • Energy Efficient: Brick insulates your home, keeping it warm in winter and cool in summer. Brick veneer is a better insulator than solid brick and offers soundproofing, ideal for noisy environments.
  • Insurance Savings: Many insurers offer discounts for brick homes due to their fire and weather resistance.
  • Higher Resale Value: Brick siding boosts resale value, with a 77% return on investment. Brick homes often sell for 6% more, and 50 to 60% of buyers prefer them, ensuring a quicker sale.
  • Safety Benefits: Brick provides strong protection against winds and debris and is fireproof, meaning it won’t catch fire or melt.

Brick Veneer Siding vs. Real Brick Siding

Brick siding is a catch-all term referring to both real solid brick masonry, a building material used since the 1800s, and brick veneer, which has become more popular in the 20th century. Both real brick and brick veneer are available to homeowners today. The type that is best for your home depends on your budget, insulation needs, and weather conditions in your area.

What is Brick Veneer?

Brick veneer is another option for brick siding. Unlike real brick, or solid brick masonry, which serves as structural support, brick veneer is applied over your home’s existing walls. Homes built in the last 40 years typically feature brick veneer instead of solid brick masonry.

brick veneer siding

Insulation and Durability

Believe it or not, brick veneer is a better insulator for your home than real solid brick. Brick veneer has just one layer. When the brick veneer is installed, there is usually a space between it and the home’s exterior walls where a layer of insulation can be added. With real brick siding, you cannot add insulation this way. Real brick is heavier and less able to insulate your home compared to brick veneer siding, as solid brick is not a natural insulator.

Additionally, the space between the layer of brick veneer and the exterior walls is better at keeping moisture out compared to solid bricks.

At the same time, keep in mind that because brick veneer is thinner than real brick siding, it is slightly less durable over time, especially in areas prone to extreme weather. Still, it tends to last decades longer than other types of siding – up to 70 to 100 years if maintained properly.

How Much Does Brick Siding Cost?

On average, the cost to install brick siding – in general – ranges between $5 and $15 per square foot.

However, it is very important to note that the price points between real solid brick siding and brick veneer siding vary significantly. Installing real solid brick siding requires added labor and masonry, so the installation cost is higher at $9 to $20 per square foot on average.

Solid Brick Siding

Solid brick is a classic siding type that has excellent durability and weather-resistance

  • Comparable durability to real natural stone

  • Low maintenance

  • Can be painted

  • Impervious to rain, wind and storms

  • Lasts 100+ years

Average cost per sq. ft:

$9 - $20

For this reason, brick veneer is becoming more popular for siding installations. It costs closer to $5 to $12 per square foot on average, and requires less installation labor compared to solid brick.

Brick Veneer Siding

Brick veneer is a single-layer alternative to solid bricks that costs less and involves easier installation

  • Better insulation than real brick

  • Affordable price point

  • Same look as real brick

  • Lasts 70-100 years

Average cost per sq. ft:

$5 - $12

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Maintenance Tips

Brick is low maintenance, but that does not mean you never need to care for it. You can preserve the beauty and durability of your home’s brick siding with occasional cleaning and spot checks for water damage, especially if you live in a damp or humid environment.

Cleaning

Once a year, use a garden hose to remove loose dirt. If a side of your home gets little sunlight and stays damp, check for moss, mold, or mildew. If you find any, mix one cup of bleach with a gallon of water. Apply it with a natural or synthetic bristle brush. Avoid wire brushes, as they can leave rust marks. Before applying the bleach solution, soak the area with water to prevent the brick from absorbing the bleach.

Checking for Water Damage

It is a good idea to make a habit of occasionally checking your brick siding for water damage. After heavy rainfall, walk around the exterior of your home and look at the gutters and downspouts. Make sure there is no pooling or standing water near the brick exterior walls. If you find pooling, you may need to clean out your gutters and downspouts or call a professional to handle it for you. 

Inspect the weep holes at the bottom of the brick to ensure they drain water away from the siding. Clean clogged holes with pipe cleaners or call a professional. Moisture buildup can cause water damage and costly repairs.

Inspect for Damage

If you find crumbling mortar joints or cracked bricks, it is wise to call a siding professional as soon as possible. Nipping problems in the bud can prevent costly repairs or siding replacements down the road and allow your siding to last longer.

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FAQ

Is brick siding eco-friendly?

Yes and no. Bricks are made from clay which is plentiful, but it must be heated at very high temperatures to harden it which takes a great deal of energy. If you live in an area with clay-rich soil, the energy saved on long distance transportation might offset the energy expended during the firing process. Bricks are recyclable though, and you can go one step further to reduce your environmental footprint by selecting bricks that are reclaimed or made with post-consumer content. Finally, because your brick siding should last the lifetime of your home, you do not have to worry about updating your siding every 20 years and sending tons of construction waste to your local landfill.


Are there any downsides to using brick siding?

In addition to the hefty initial investment, there are some other drawbacks to brick siding to consider. First, solid brick is very heavy and can add a lot of stress to the foundation of your home. Before installing brick siding, have your home assessed to make sure it can withstand the weight of brick. Also, in the event that bricks are damaged, it is virtually impossible to repair just one brick. In most cases, you’ll need to repair an entire wall, which can be very costly.


How long does brick siding last?

Solid brick masonry can last 100 years or more, and brick veneer is not far behind lasting about 70 to 100 years. Of course, in order to maintain the longevity of brick siding you will need to regularly maintain and clean it. Once or twice a year, be sure to check for damaged bricks, water damage, and any damage caused by weather. You can nip any problems in the bud by developing a relationship with a local siding contractor, who can inspect your siding and ensure there are no major problems.


Does brick come in different color options?

Brick comes in various shades and colors, including red, white, beige, brown, gray, black, and even orange or rust. You can also paint brick if you wish to do so, to achieve the exact color you are looking for or to hide old, weathered bricks.


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