Thread: Brick Veneer Gap - Whats Excessive?

Does anyone have anything that indicates what constitutes excessive gap in an exterior brick veneer wall? For that matter, how about a minimum gap?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

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Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

Does anyone have anything that indicates what constitutes excessive gap in an exterior brick veneer wall? For that matter, how about a minimum gap?

What kind a gap?

Between what and what?

Pics so we can see what brought up the question?

If you are asking about the gap between the veneer and wall sheathing when the voids are not completely filled, the min. gap is 1". I believe that the max. gap allowed is 4", but could be off my rocker and don't feel like looking it up. I've never had to worry about excess gap. There's usually not even the required 1" gap.

EDIT: Min. air gap is 1" and max is 4.5" for the above in the 2006 IRC: 703.7.4.2

My bad. Brick to brick gap. See photo.

Did you push on that? It looks like you have some movement in the wall ?

Your Gap is one thing. Detachment from the Wood framed
wall is another along with voids, Excessive moisture condition and access for Sub-termites.

See the attachment. I put this together and use it in my report.

If you want an MSWORD copy of this send me an email.

Best

Ron

Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

Brick to brick gap. See photo.

Should not be ANY gap, there should be brick, then mortar, then the next brick.

Almost looks like someone tried to make some type of expansion joint at that corner, even with expansion joints there is no "gap" - there is brick, sealant, then the next brick.

All I can presume is that whoever laid those bricks up did not know what they were doing - expansion joints are vertical spaces between sections of brick which are filled with sealant and allow the brick to expand horizontally and vertically ... if there is much vertical expansion at all in that photo, the brick ends will break the other brick ends off.

Sorry guys. My double bad. New house in construction. They havent got around to fully mortaring those joints yet.

Never seen them leave the mortar joint out like that. Maybe the AHJ requires it for some odd reason for checking.

Why wouldn't they mortar those joint while installing. Since it's new const. you need to ask someone on sight and post here.

Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

They havent got around to fully mortaring those joints yet.

The only time to mortar the joint is when the brick is being laid, otherwise you: 1) have no idea if the mortar bed is fully under the brick ( all brick are required to be laid in fully mortared beds); 2) trying to pack mortar into the joint and actually get enough to fill the joint as required is only going to lead to pushing mortar through the joint and out the back side, which is not allowed; 3) leaving excess mortar not struck off and bridging what was, or was supposed to be, the required air gap.

If the AHJ wants to inspects the air gap, leave out one head joint every few courses and then go back and fill them, however, even the head joints are supposed to be fully bedded, and tying to do that after the fact will lead to 2) and 3) above. The best way for the AHJ to inspect the air gap is to leave the top open and look down into the wall, if the brick is laid properly with the mortar struck off the back side properly, you will be able to look all the way down that wall, just like the water is supposed to be allowed to drain.

I JS,
THE TERMINOLOGY IS "TOOTHING". WHEN LAYING A WALL THAT FOR SOME REASON YOU CANNOT TURN THE CORNER THEY LEAVE THE 1/2 BRICK OUT TIL THE OTHER WALL IS BRICKED, BUT THE MASONS USUALLY MORTAR THE LEAVE-OUTS AS THE WALL GOES UP.

YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF THE U.S., I SUPPOSE THIS METHOD HASN'T BEEN SENT DOWN THERE (MORTARING AS THE WALL IS ERECTED).

R.N.

Originally Posted by RANDY NICHOLAS

I JS,
THE TERMINOLOGY IS "TOOTHING". WHEN LAYING A WALL THAT FOR SOME REASON YOU CANNOT TURN THE CORNER THEY LEAVE THE 1/2 BRICK OUT TIL THE OTHER WALL IS BRICKED, BUT THE MASONS USUALLY MORTAR THE LEAVE-OUTS AS THE WALL GOES UP.

YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF THE U.S., I SUPPOSE THIS METHOD HASN'T BEEN SENT DOWN THERE (MORTARING AS THE WALL IS ERECTED).

R.N.

Your very loud Please speak softer. Thanks...

Best

Ron

RON,

TURN DOWN YOUR HEARING AID.

R N

Originally Posted by RANDY NICHOLAS

RON,

TURN DOWN YOUR HEARING AID.

R N

RANDY,

IT'S NOT OUR HEARING AIDS ... IT'S YOUR TYPING IN ALL CAPS.

REASONABLE PEOPLE ON INTERNET BOARD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TYPING IN ALL CAPS (LIKE THIS AND LIKE YOUR POSTS) IS CONSIDERED *IMPOLITE* AND CONSIDERED *SCREAMING*.

DON'T BOTHER SCREAMING HERE, NO ONE WILL PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU SAY OTHER THAN TO TELL YOU TO STOP SCREAMING.

SO, FIRST RON ASKED YOU, NOW I AM ASKING YOU, STOP SCREAMING AT US!

Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

Does anyone have anything that indicates what constitutes excessive gap in an exterior brick veneer wall? For that matter, how about a minimum gap?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

ASTM 117-90, Standard Tolerances for Concrete Construction and Materials, Section 6 - "Masonry", ACI, 1990:

Sorry, you'll have to rotate the pdf. the Hann's circus monkeys have been f'ing with it.