How to Lay Bricks Around the Foundation of a Home

Dig the soil away from the foundation to a depth of about 6 inches. Wash the foundation surface with a pressure washer to remove dirt and debris. Let the surface dry before proceeding.

Verify that no paint on the foundation is peeling by sticking a piece of duct tape to the surface and pulling it off quickly. Scrape the foundation with a paint removal tool if any paint is present on the tape.

Install strips of flashing along the bottom of the foundation footing by screwing it in the bricks to prevent water from getting underneath the bricks.

Nail metal wall ties sporadically along the foundation wall at a spacing of about 2 to 3 feet to hold the veneer bricks in place.

Spread a 1-inch layer of mortar on the foundation from the top to the bottom and about 2-feet-wide with a masonry trowel. Attach the brick veneer to the foundation, starting at the top and working your way down. Press the bricks firmly in place and set them so they create a staggered pattern so the vertical edges do not line up. Smooth the mortar between the bricks.

Stick 2-inch pieces of 1/4-inch diameter rubber hose about every 2 feet in the center of the foundation wall to create drain holes in case water forms between the brick and foundation wall.

Lay all the brick veneer along the foundation, keeping the bricks level. Set bricks around a window so the are set in a vertical pattern, instead of the standard horizontal pattern.

Remove the rubber hose pieces after the mortar dries.