If you are a homeowner in Central Indiana and you want to update to the exterior of your brick home, then you might think that your only option is to rebrick your entire house. (If this is something you would like help with, Brick + Ember Outfitters would obviously be happy to be of assistance.)

But what if you had your heart set on beautiful blue vinyl siding? Thankfully for you, you don’t have to rip out all of your current masonry work because—contrary to popular belief—it IS possible to install vinyl siding over brick exterior.

Admittedly, putting vinyl siding over brick can be a challenge since it can’t be directly fastened to the walls; however, it can be done with the help of furring strips. If you’re not familiar with them, furring strips are lengths of wood used in roofing and construction.

Here’s what you need:

  • Masonry nails or screws
  • Carpenters level or plumb bob
  • Hammer
  • Weatherproof nails
  • 1×2 inch wood furring strips
  • Power drill with masonry bit
  • Insulation (optional)

Marking the brick

Mark on your brick wall where you need to attach each vertical furring strip. It is imperative that the furring strips are straight. So as you mark the locations, use a plumb bob or carpenters level to achieve this. You’ll want to install a strip at every panel joint. (Make sure your marks will be easily seen above and below when you go to attach your panels.)

Attaching furring strips

Next, you’ll want to drill guide holes through the furring strips into the brick on your vertical lines. Place masonry screws or nails as fasteners into the guide holes.

Installing insulation and siding panels

If panel insulation is something that you want to utilize, that should be installed before your panels. Once that is done, use a hammer and nails to attach your panels to the strips. (Don’t forget to use weatherproof nails!)
Here at B+E, we’re not experts when it comes to vinyl siding, but we ARE experts when it comes to bricks. If you have any questions regarding your masonry, don’t hesitate to reach out.