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Superior Masonry Hammond specializes in brick veneers in Hammond, IN that add the look of full brick without the added weight. Our team installs brick veneer siding, accent walls, and fronts that boost curb appeal and protect your home. We help you choose colors and patterns that match your style and deliver clean, long lasting results.
Superior Masonry Hammond provides professional brick veneers throughout Hammond, IN, Indiana and the surrounding area. Our licensed, insured crew delivers safe, clean, on-time work with a free estimate before anything begins. Call (219) 342-3659 or request your free quote.
Brick veneers for Hammond homes and businesses
If you like the look of real brick but do not want the weight, cost, or disruption of full-depth masonry, brick veneers are often the best fit. At Superior Masonry Hammond, we install thin brick systems on houses, storefronts, garages, chimneys, and interior feature walls across Hammond and the surrounding Northwest Indiana area.
In Hammond, a lot of homes were built between the 1940s and 1970s with plain siding or concrete block. Brick veneer is a practical way to give those properties a traditional brick appearance, improve curb appeal, and add a bit of extra insulation without tearing the structure apart. For commercial buildings along Calumet Avenue, Kennedy Avenue, and Indianapolis Boulevard, veneers are often used to update older facades that have tired block or dated metal panels.
We work with both thin brick tiles and modular brick veneer units that are designed to mimic the pattern and texture of full brick. The finished wall is still real clay brick on the surface, not a painted panel or fake print. Installed correctly over a suitable backing, a brick veneer can last for decades and hold up to Hammond’s freeze-thaw cycles, wind off the lake, and everyday wear.
How brick veneer installation actually works
A successful brick veneer job starts with a solid plan. When we visit your Hammond property, we look at the existing wall structure first: is it wood framing with siding, concrete block, poured concrete, or an older brick wall that you want to cover? This matters because each type needs a specific attachment method, moisture control layer, and sometimes structural adjustments.
Once we understand the wall, we remove any loose or failing material and repair soft or rotten areas. For framed exterior walls, we check the sheathing, then install a weather-resistant barrier (such as building wrap) and flashing around windows, doors, and at the base of the wall. Over that, we typically add metal lath or a veneer panel system that the brick can be anchored to. On solid masonry like block, we might grind high spots, clean the surface, and use either mechanical anchors or a specialized mortar system depending on conditions.
Next, we set layout lines so the brick courses land cleanly at windows, doors, and corners. This is an important step that separates professional work from quick cosmetic jobs. We dry lay a few rows to confirm how the joints will fall, then begin installing from the bottom up. Thin bricks are applied with mortar, similar to full brick but in a tighter profile, or sometimes with an engineered track system that locks each brick piece in place.
As we go, we maintain consistent joint widths, check level and plumb frequently, and cut bricks to fit at edges and around openings with a saw designed for masonry. After the bricks are set and the mortar has taken an initial set, we tool the joints for a clean finish and better water resistance. Finally, we clean the surface to remove excess mortar and residue, inspect for any voids, and verify that weep areas and flashings are open so moisture can drain out rather than into the wall.
Design choices for brick veneers in Hammond, IN
Brick veneers are not one look fits all. At Superior Masonry Hammond, we help you match your veneer to the style and age of your property and to the surrounding neighborhood. For many Hammond bungalows and Cape Cod style homes, clients like a classic red or brown brick with a running bond pattern that matches existing brick on nearby houses. This keeps the home looking like it belongs on the block instead of standing out in the wrong way.
If you own a mid century ranch in neighborhoods like Hessville or around 169th Street, a wire cut brick with a smooth or lightly textured face can create a cleaner, more modern look. For older two flats or mixed use buildings near downtown Hammond, hand molded or tumbled thin bricks with a slightly irregular shape can mimic turn of the century brickwork without the structural work of rebuilding full-thickness walls.
We also go over mortar color and joint style because these details change the overall appearance more than many people expect. A light mortar around dark brick will highlight each unit and create a more patterned look. A closer color match produces a smoother, more uniform surface. Joint styles can range from concave and weathered (good for exterior water shedding) to flush or raked joints that produce stronger shadow lines, which some clients prefer on interior accent walls or commercial facades.
For interiors, such as basement bars, feature walls in living rooms, or office lobbies, we often recommend slightly thinner veneer units to keep projections down, and sometimes a sealer to make cleaning easier. For exteriors in Hammond’s climate, we prioritize brick and mortar combinations that perform well through repeated freezing and thawing and exposure to road salts and lake-effect moisture.
Costs, permitting, and what affects your price
Brick veneer installation pricing in Hammond depends on several real factors, not just square footage. During an estimate, Superior Masonry Hammond looks at wall condition, access, height, and detail work. If your existing siding can stay in place and be used as a backing with modifications, costs can be lower. If we need to strip failing materials, repair framing, add sheathing, or correct water damage, that adds labor and materials but also prevents much bigger problems later.
Two story areas, chimneys, and high commercial facades often require scaffolding, lifts, or additional safety measures, which affects cost. Complex cutting around lots of windows, trim, vents, and signage increases labor compared to a wide, unobstructed garage wall. Interior work in a finished home might involve protecting flooring, moving furniture, and coordinating around your schedule, which can also influence the price.
Material choices matter as well. Standard clay thin bricks from regional manufacturers tend to be more budget friendly than imported specialty lines. Custom colors, glazed finishes, or unique shapes cost more. The type of installation system (traditional lath and mortar, specialty panel systems, or mechanically anchored veneers) also shows up in the final number.
In Hammond, full facade veneer projects on an average single family home often fall into a multi thousand dollar range, while smaller accent areas like a front entry, knee wall, or interior fireplace surround can be significantly less. We always provide written estimates that break out labor and materials so you know what you are paying for. For exterior projects that change the look of the facade, some locations may require permits or review by the city or a homeowners association. We can advise you on what is typical for your part of Hammond and help provide drawings or product data when needed.
Common brick veneer issues and how we prevent them
The most common problems with brick veneers in Northwest Indiana are moisture issues, poor attachment, and movement cracks. Hammond sees plenty of rain, snow, and freeze-thaw cycles, so we pay special attention to water management. That starts with properly lapped flashing at the base of the wall and over openings, a continuous weather-resistant barrier, and correctly placed weep areas to let trapped moisture escape. Skipping these steps is why some veneers bulge, leak, or cause interior damage a few years after installation.
Attachment is another key concern. On wood framed walls, we make sure our fasteners hit stud locations and that metal lath or panel systems are securely fixed, not just into sheathing. On concrete or block, we choose anchors rated for the substrate and the veneer system being used and confirm edge distances and embedment. This is especially important along windy corridors and open lots where facades take more weather.
Cracking can occur at stress points, such as long walls without breaks, window corners, or where different materials meet. We plan vertical control joints and flexible sealant locations in advance and keep a gap at transitions so the veneer can move slightly without tearing itself apart. For older Hammond homes that have some existing settlement or out of plumb walls, we sometimes adjust layout or add movement joints to help the veneer live with those imperfections.
Before we finish, we walk clients through basic care: avoiding harsh acid cleaners that can damage mortar, watching for clogged downspouts or grade that slopes toward the wall, and what kind of seasonal inspection makes sense. Brick veneer is relatively low maintenance, but it is still part of your building envelope. Our goal is for you to understand what is on your walls, why it was installed that way, and how to keep it performing well for the long term.
