WHAT IS VENEER?

Veneer is a thin version of natural stone or brick that you can use in place of full-weight products for walls, trim and fireplace surrounds.
 
A full brick, for example, is usually around four inches thick. Brick veneer might be half an inch to an inch thick.
 
Veneer looks just like brick or natural stone, but it’s lighter-weight, less expensive and easier to install. In fact, most brick homes built in the past 40 years actually have walls made from wood framing rather than full brick. Chances are, if your builder included stone or brick accents around the outside of your home, they’re made from veneer rather than full brick or stone, and nobody, including you, can tell the difference.
 
They look alike because manufacturers make brick veneer much the way they make brick, from shale or clay that is kiln-fired. And the sizes are about the same as conventional brick.
 
But veneer is not a structural element of the home. Solid brick or stone homes are built one block on top of the other and create the structure of the house. Veneer, on the other hand, is an extra layer that is placed over top of the home’s wood frame (or, if you’re remodeling, right over the old stucco or other siding, after some prep work). The veneer creates a façade rather than a structural wall.
 
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