To put siding over brick, contractors fasten furring strips into the mortar joints of a sound, dry wall, then hang new cladding over a weather-resistive barrier and a true drainage gap. The brick must be worth burying forever, because once covered, that original masonry is gone for practical purposes. A moisture barrier, properly spaced furring strips, and a continuous drainage plane decide whether your wall lasts 40 years or traps rot the day the siding goes on.
This walkthrough helps a homeowner weighing a brick exterior cover-up weigh the real tradeoffs, from prepping masonry and picking siding materials to installing the moisture barrier and furring strips that make or break the job.
When Covering Brick Is a Bad Idea
Failing mortar is the first reason to walk away from a siding-over-brick project. Hairline cracks across multiple bricks, faces flaking off, or crumbly joints that turn to sand under a screwdriver all mean the wall itself needs repair before anything new goes on top.
Siding does not stabilize masonry; it hides it. Once that masonry is buried, every defect accelerates in the dark.
Efflorescence, the white powdery bloom on brick, signals moisture already migrating through the wall. That same moisture will sit against the back of new siding and condense inside the wall assembly, leading to peeling paint on the siding face, swelling of wood furring strips, and eventually mold in the wall cavity. If efflorescence shows up now, expect it to explode into a bigger problem once the wall is closed up.
Structural and Preservation Red Flags
Houses with bowed sections, foundation settlement, or active water intrusion at the sill plate need structural corrections before any cosmetic cladding goes on. A bowed brick wall, even a slight one, points to a framing or footing issue that furring strips cannot fix. Layering siding on top just makes the underlying problem harder to diagnose later.
Historic homes and properties in designated districts often fall under preservation rules that prohibit covering original masonry. Local historic commissions typically require review for any exterior cladding change on a contributing structure, and approval is rarely granted for full siding retrofits. Check with your local preservation office before ordering materials.
Weight and Load Considerations
Furring strips plus house wrap plus siding plus optional rigid foam add roughly 1 to 2 inches of depth and a meaningful load across every wall. On a 1,500-square-foot ranch with full brick veneer, that extra weight can run several tons once siding is factored in. Older foundations, especially unreinforced masonry or stone piers, may not tolerate the added dead load over decades.
That long-term weight concern is exactly why the brick itself must be stabilized before anything new goes on top.
If your home shows any of the warning signs above, stop the project here and bring in a structural mason or foundation specialist before spending money on cladding. Siding over a sick wall is a classic case of putting lipstick on a problem.
Preparing the Brick Surface for a New Skin
Prep work determines whether the finished wall lasts two decades or two years. Start with a full pressure wash, working from top to bottom so dirty runoff does not streak clean sections below. Let the wall dry for at least 48 hours in warm weather, longer in cool or humid conditions, before testing moisture content with a pin-type meter.
Anything above 15 percent moisture reading is too wet to close up.
Repoint every deteriorated mortar joint with a Type N or Type S mortar matched to the original. Replace cracked, spalled, or loose bricks now; once covered, those defects become invisible and worsen without warning. Mark high spots and recessed mortar beds with chalk so furring strips can be shimmed later to create a true, flat plane.
A Pre-Cover Inspection Checklist
- Pressure wash and dry: Clean every square foot of wall and verify moisture readings fall below 15 percent before sealing it up.
- Repoint mortar joints: Cut out failed joints to a depth of twice the joint width and refill with fresh mortar matched to the original.
- Replace damaged bricks: Swap out cracked or spalled units now, because buried defects only get worse, never better.
- Inspect the foundation line: Look for gaps at the sill plate, missing flashing, and signs of water entry where the brick meets the foundation.
- Chalk high and low spots: Mark transitions between brick faces and recessed mortar beds so furring strips can be shimmed to a flat plane.
- Photograph the wall: Document every section before covering, since this is your last clear look at the original masonry.
Window Sills and Trim Transitions
Window sills, door thresholds, and any roof-to-wall intersections need a close look before siding goes up. Gaps at these points are how water enters a wall assembly, and once the siding is on, those gaps are almost impossible to reach without dismantling trim.
Fill any visible openings with backer rod and a high-quality exterior sealant, then confirm existing sill flashing actually slopes away from the wall.
Photograph the entire wall in good daylight before the project starts. These photos become your record of what was there, and they often reveal issues that are easy to overlook during a quick walk-around. Once siding covers the brick, that masonry is gone for the remainder of the home’s life.
Choosing Siding Materials That Perform Over Masonry
Fiber cement is the most forgiving siding for a brick retrofit because it tolerates the minor irregularities of a masonry substrate and resists rot even when occasional moisture reaches the back of the panel. James Hardie dominates this category, and LP SmartSide’s engineered wood line offers a lighter-weight alternative if structural load is a concern. Both need careful flashing and a true rainscreen gap behind them to perform at their rated lifespan.
Insulated vinyl siding pairs a vinyl face with a bonded foam backer, which adds R-value and stiffens the panel across wavy brick walls. CertainTeed and Ply Gem both make insulated lines that carry Vinyl Siding Institute certification. The foam backer also helps bridge small gaps between furring strips, which makes the finished wall read flatter from the street.
Material Trade-Offs at a Glance
| Material | Weight | Moisture Tolerance | Cost per Sq Ft (Material Only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber cement (James Hardie) | Heavy | Excellent | $3 to $5 |
| Insulated vinyl (CertainTeed) | Light to medium | Good | $4 to $7 |
| Engineered wood (LP SmartSide) | Medium | Good with sealed cuts | $3 to $5 |
| Standard thin vinyl | Light | Fair | $2 to $3 |
| Natural wood (cedar, pine) | Medium | Requires diligent sealing | $5 to $9 |
Materials to Avoid Over Brick
Standard thin vinyl is the cheapest route but the most likely to oil-can across wavy masonry. Without the stiff foam backer, every recess in the mortar bed shows through as a shadow line on the finished wall.
Stucco overlays are another risky pick on a brick substrate. The additional cement layer traps moisture against the original wall and tends to crack along mortar joints within a few seasons.
Natural wood siding looks beautiful at install and demands the most upkeep of any option on this list. Every cut end, every joint, and every nail penetration becomes a potential water entry point. For a wall that already has a moisture migration history, wood needs repainting or resealing every 3 to 5 years, which is more maintenance than most homeowners want on a 1,500-square-foot facade.
High maintenance is one thing, but moisture trapped behind siding silently destroys the brick behind it.
The Moisture Barrier and Furring Strip System
The wall assembly behind new siding protects the brick, not the siding itself. Start with a weather-resistive barrier like Tyvek HomeWrap applied directly to the brick, lapped shingle-style with horizontal seams overlapping by at least 6 inches. Every vertical seam gets taped with the manufacturer’s seam tape, and every penetration gets flashed before any furring strip goes up.
Furring strips come in three practical choices for installing siding over brick. Pressure-treated wood is the budget default and works fine when kept away from direct ground contact. Metal furring strips from brands like Keene Building Products cost more but stay straighter over decades and will not rot if moisture ever reaches them. Engineered PVC strips are the premium option, holding true in any climate and immune to wicking from the masonry behind.
Fastening Into Masonry, Not Into Brick Faces
Masonry screws or Tapcon-style anchors bite into the mortar joints when furring strips are installed, leaving each brick face untouched. Anchoring into brick faces risks cracking the brick under load and gives a less consistent holding pattern because each brick has slightly different density.
Driving into mortar joints also allows easier removal decades from now, should a future owner ever want to expose the original brick again.
Space strips at 16-inch centers vertically, with additional strips around every window, door, and corner. Use a long level or laser line to keep the strips coplanar; shim behind low spots so the eventual siding plane reads true from the street. Skipping this step is the single biggest reason retrofitted walls look wavy and amateur.
Building a True Drainage Plane
A continuous drainage gap behind the furring strips is the feature most DIY retrofits leave out, and it is the one that decides whether the wall survives a wet climate. Achieve the gap with 3/8-inch spacers behind each strip, or use a corrugated membrane like those from HomeGuard that creates the gap while functioning as a secondary weather barrier. Either approach lets any trapped water drain down and out at the weep screed.
Skip the drainage gap and you have built a wall that holds water against the brick, not one that sheds it. On a porous masonry substrate, that gap is the whole game.
Weep screeds at the base of the wall and kick-out flashing at every roof-to-wall intersection keep the assembly dry from top to bottom. The Vinyl Siding Institute and the National Association of Home Builders both publish flashing details that match common siding products, and following those details keeps the wall assembly within warranty and within code.
Installation Sequence From Base to Eaves
Starter strips and J-channels go on first, leveled to the highest point of the brick so panels run true across the wall. Measure up from a level line at the base, not from the often-uneven brick foundation, because a fraction-of-an-inch error here shows as a visible wave 12 feet up the wall. Snap a chalk line around the entire perimeter at the chosen height and check it with a level before fastening anything.
Rigid foam board, if used, fits between the furring strips rather than over them. This keeps the drainage gap open and adds R-value to the wall without compressing the gap closed. Aim for foam rated for exterior use, typically XPS or polyiso, with seams taped to keep the continuous thermal layer intact.
Nailing and Panel Details
Siding panels fasten loose, never tight. Leave about 1/32 inch of play under each nail head so thermal movement can slide the panel back and forth without buckling it against the rigid masonry behind.
Tight nailing is the most common cause of wavy, buckled vinyl and even causes waves in fiber cement, because the panel cannot move and relieve expansion stress.
Extend every window and door jamb outward with PVC or composite build-outs so the new trim sits flush with the added wall thickness. A standard 1-inch build-out covers most retrofit assemblies; thicker assemblies may need 1-1/2 inch extensions. Pre-finished cellular PVC trim from brands like Versatex or Royal holds paint well and never wicks water, which makes it a strong choice for these transition pieces.
Closing the System at Top and Bottom
Soffit, fascia, and corner trim pieces close the system and direct water away from the brick permanently. Soffit panels vent the attic while sealing the top of the wall assembly from wind-driven rain. Corner posts run full height from the base trim up to the soffit, and they need their own flashing at the top to keep water from wicking behind them and into the wall.
At the foundation line, leave a 1-inch gap between the bottom edge of the siding and the grade, covered by a weep screed that lets any moisture in the wall cavity drain to the outside. Burying the bottom course of siding into mulch or soil is one of the fastest ways to cause rot at the base of the wall, and it remains one of the most common DIY mistakes on brick retrofits.
Even a clean bottom-of-wall sequence can unravel if the budget and skill level don’t match the scope.
Costs, Permits, and the DIY Decision
Material costs range from about $3 per square foot for standard vinyl to $10 or more for premium fiber cement, before furring strips, house wrap, and foam. Add roughly $1 to $2 per square foot for the furring system, and another $1 per square foot for rigid foam if you choose to include it. These numbers shift with region and material availability, but they give a reasonable starting budget.
Professional installation typically adds $3 to $7 per square foot in labor because brick retrofits are slower and more fastener-intensive than standard siding jobs. Crews must drill anchors into masonry, keep the wall plumb across an uneven substrate, and handle extra flashing at every transition.
On a 1,500-square-foot facade, total project cost usually lands between $12,000 and $30,000 depending on material and region, with industry cost data generally tracking those ranges for full-wrap retrofits.
Permits, Inspections, and Code Compliance
Most jurisdictions require a building permit before covering an existing exterior with new cladding, and inspectors will specifically look for a weather-resistive barrier behind the siding. Skipping the permit can create problems at resale, because unpermitted work often surfaces during a buyer’s inspection and may need to be torn out and redone to satisfy code. Check with your local building department before scheduling the work; many publish simple online guides that explain exactly what they want to see.
Manufacturers’ warranties often require installation per their published details to remain valid. James Hardie, for example, requires a rainscreen gap behind their panels for many of their warranty terms. Ignoring those details can void a 30-year material warranty, leaving you with no recourse if the siding fails prematurely.
DIY or Hire a Pro
DIY is realistic for handy homeowners on single-story walls with straightforward trim. A ranch-style home with simple gables and few window openings can be tackled with two experienced people over a long weekend per wall. Multi-story facades, complex dormers, and warranty-backed products are safer in a contractor’s hands, because the consequences of a bad install (trapped moisture, voided warranty, wavy walls) are expensive to undo.
Realistic DIY savings on a 1,500-square-foot ranch run $4,500 to $10,000, which is meaningful but not enough to justify skipping the moisture management details. The furring strip layout and flashing details are the parts worth obsessing over; the panel nailing is straightforward once those two systems are correct.
The Bottom Line
A solid, dry wall worth preserving behind new cladding, paired with a weather barrier, a real drainage gap, and fasteners anchored in mortar, makes siding over brick a viable project. Walk away from the project if you see efflorescence, active cracking, settlement, or preservation restrictions. A bad install is more expensive to undo than to do right the first time.
FAQ
Can you put siding over a brick house?
Yes, but only when the brick is structurally sound, dry, and free of active moisture issues. The job requires furring strips, a weather-resistive barrier, and a drainage gap to perform correctly over decades.
What type of siding works best over brick?
Fiber cement and insulated vinyl both perform well against a masonry substrate. Engineered wood is acceptable with sealed cuts; standard thin vinyl tends to telegraph every wave in the wall beneath it.
Do you need furring strips to install siding over brick?
Yes. Siding fastened directly to brick traps moisture, prevents the wall from draining, and produces an uneven finished surface. Furring strips create the necessary drainage gap and a flat nailing surface.
Will siding over brick cause moisture problems?
It will if the wall is closed up without a weather-resistive barrier and a drainage gap. Done correctly with proper flashing and a rainscreen detail, moisture moves down and out without reaching the brick or the siding back.
How much does it cost to side over a brick house?
Most full-wrap retrofits fall between $12,000 and $30,000 for a 1,500-square-foot home, depending on material choice, region, and whether the work is DIY or professionally installed. Fiber cement sits at the higher end of the range.
Is covering brick with siding reversible?
Practically, no. Once furring strips and siding are fastened into the masonry, removing them leaves thousands of anchor holes and often damages the brick face. Treat the decision as a permanent change to the home’s exterior.
