Masonry construction is one of the oldest methods of creating built structures. However, the brick wall has changed considerably since the first fired clay bricks were laid nearly 8,000 years ago. To ...

Dear Jennifer: The types of walls you have are called brick veneer. The 2x4 studded insulated wall supports the house and the brick is added just as an exterior covering.

The entry point of most of the water is the vertical mortar joints, called head joints. Old brick buildings had a softer, more absorbent brick that was used as a layer on the inside of the wall.