Perhaps you're familiar with the old adage "too much of a good thing," and while it likely wasn't originally said about exterior siding, it can be applicable. Regardless of how good a siding looks on a home, whether it is vinyl, shake, or even redwood, sometimes an accent is needed to break up the expanse of a singular color and material.
Brick Face as an Accent
There are many ways to design a brick face accent, but first you must ensure proper support. Even a small brick face accent can have considerable weight, and must be supported from underneath.
If you have a poured concrete wall foundation, it may include a brick ledge in the foundation. A home on a crawl space or concrete slab can usually use the concrete footing as a brick face accent support.
Peruse magazines, Web sites, and local neighborhoods to get some brick face accent ideas for your home. Some of the more popular options include:
- Using a brick face to highlight your front door--brick around the door, and install a jack arch or semi-circular arch over the door as a focal point
- Installing brick face up to about three feet along the front of your home, or just in certain sections--use an ogee rowlock watertable brick as the top course, like those available from General Shale Brick and other manufacturers
- Bricking under each front window, the same width as the window.
There are countless colors and styles available for your brick face accent. Choose one that complements your siding for a unique and beautiful exterior elevation.
