Home › Commercial Brick Veneer Systems
We install commercial brick veneer in Savannah, GA for new structures and facade upgrades. Our team coordinates with your design and structural plans to anchor veneer systems correctly and manage drainage. From full height veneers to accent bands, we deliver clean, uniform brick cladding for commercial properties.
Legendary Masonry Savannah provides professional commercial brick veneer throughout Savannah, GA, Georgia and the surrounding area. Our licensed, insured crew delivers safe, clean, on-time work with a free estimate before anything begins. Call 912-445-7840 or request your free quote.
Commercial Brick Veneer Expertise for Savannah Properties
Commercial brick veneer systems give Savannah buildings the look and feel of solid brick without the weight and cost of full masonry walls. At Legendary Masonry Savannah, we design and install veneer systems that are tailored to our coastal climate, local building codes, and the day to day realities of commercial use. Whether you are finishing a new retail plaza, updating a restaurant facade on Broughton Street, or wrapping a warehouse near the port, we plan each veneer system around your building’s structure and long term maintenance needs.
Unlike decorative panels, a true commercial brick veneer is a structural cladding system that has to manage wind loads, moisture, and thermal movement. We start by evaluating your existing wall assembly or structural drawings. We look at substrate type (CMU block, poured concrete, steel framing, or wood framing), exposure to driving rain from coastal storms, and the location of control and expansion joints. This local site review is what keeps the brick veneer from cracking or leaking two or three summers down the line.
Legendary Masonry Savannah works closely with your architect, GC, or facilities team so the brick veneer system is not an afterthought. We coordinate shelf angles, window and door openings, parapet details, and flashing terminations, all with Savannah’s heavy humidity and periodic tropical storms in mind.
How a Commercial Brick Veneer System Is Installed
A well built commercial brick veneer system follows a clear sequence. First, we confirm the structural support. On multi story projects, this often includes steel shelf angles at floor lines or above openings, properly anchored into the slab edge or structural steel. On one story buildings, we verify that the foundation or slab edge can support the additional veneer load and we mark out veneer ledges with accurate elevations.
Next, we install or inspect the water resistive barrier (WRB) and any rigid insulation that is part of your wall assembly. In humid Savannah, a properly lapped and sealed WRB is non negotiable. We make sure there are no gaps around fasteners, penetrations, or window openings. Then we set through wall flashing at the base of walls, above windows and doors, and at shelf angles. We include end dams and properly sized weep vents so water that gets behind the brick has a clear way out.
Once the backing and flashing are correct, we start the brickwork. We lay the brick in lifts, checking coursing, plumb, and alignment with story poles and string lines. We leave a consistent air space between the brick and the backup wall, usually 1 to 2 inches, and we install corrosion resistant brick ties or anchors at the spacing required by code and the engineer, often every 16 inches horizontally and 16 inches vertically. These ties are critical in our coastal region, because they help the veneer resist hurricane force gusts.
Mortar joints are tooled tightly to reduce water entry, typically with a concave joint that performs well in heavy rain. As we work, we keep the cavity clean of excess mortar so it does not block the drainage path. After the brick reaches the required cure time, we often return for a gentle cleaning using methods and cleaners that will not damage the brick surface or compromise the mortar joints.
Brick, Pattern, and Detail Options for Commercial Veneer
Commercial brick veneer is highly customizable, which allows your building to fit Savannah’s historic character or stand out with a more modern look. Legendary Masonry Savannah sources modular, oversized, and thin brick units from regional manufacturers, so lead times are manageable and colors fit our local architectural palette. You can choose traditional reds that complement downtown squares, warm earth tones that fit suburban office parks, or darker ironspot blends for a contemporary facade.
We help you select bond patterns that match your design goals and your budget. Running bond is usually the most economical and fastest to install, while stack bond, Flemish bond, or accent banding can add depth and interest near entries or at parapets. We can introduce soldier courses over windows, rowlock sills, or projected brick details at columns and corners to break up large wall surfaces without significantly increasing structural requirements.
For businesses that want the old Savannah look without waiting decades, we can recommend tumbled or textured bricks, as well as carefully planned color blends. We mock up sample panels on site so you can see the actual brick, mortar color, and joint profile in your natural lighting conditions. This step prevents surprises once hundreds or thousands of square feet are installed.
We also consider practical issues, such as impact resistance at loading docks, grease or food staining near restaurant entrances, and graffiti resistance for more exposed urban locations. Where needed, we integrate sacrificial coatings or breathable sealers that do not trap moisture in our humid climate but still make cleaning easier.
Moisture, Movement, and Coastal Climate Challenges
Savannah’s hot summers, salt air, and heavy rainfall create challenges that many generic commercial brick veneer details do not address. At Legendary Masonry Savannah, we design each veneer system around moisture management first. We make sure there is a continuous drainage plane behind the brick, with properly lapped flashing and open weeps at the base of walls, at window heads, and at shelf angles. We also verify that the air space is not filled with insulation that could trap water against the backup wall.
Movement joints are another key issue near the coast, where thermal swings and differential movement between steel, concrete, and brick can lead to cracks. We plan vertical expansion joints at building corners, long wall runs, and changes in height, and we align them with control joints in the backup structure whenever possible. We use high quality sealants rated for UV exposure and coastal conditions so these joints stay flexible.
Salt laden air can accelerate corrosion of metal components behind the veneer. This is why we use stainless or hot dipped galvanized anchors, lintels, and fasteners on commercial brick veneer projects that are closer to the riverfront or more exposed to coastal winds. It is a small percentage of the overall budget that pays for itself in reduced maintenance.
We also time the work to our climate. Brick veneer can be installed year round in Savannah, but extreme summer heat and sudden thunderstorms require planning. We protect fresh mortar from being washed out by afternoon downpours and from rapid drying that can cause shrinkage cracks. On particularly hot days, we may adjust mix water, shade work areas, or start earlier in the morning to maintain consistent curing.
Pricing, Timelines, and What Affects Your Investment
Commercial brick veneer cost in Savannah depends on more than just the square footage of wall. At Legendary Masonry Savannah, we look at access (scaffolding height, lifts, and site restrictions), veneer height, brick selection, and the complexity of the detailing. A simple single story warehouse facade with running bond and minimal openings will be less per square foot than a multi story mixed use building with multiple window types, decorative bands, and corners.
Material choices also affect pricing. Higher end brick blends, textured units, or larger formats can cost more per unit and may slow production. Stainless steel anchors and heavy duty shelf angles add to initial cost, but they are often justified in our coastal environment. The type and color of mortar, as well as any specified cleaning or protective treatments, can also influence the final number.
We typically provide a preliminary budget range after an on site visit or a review of your drawings, then refine that number as details are finalized. For new construction, we coordinate our schedule with the general contractor’s sequence, so we arrive when the backing walls, windows, and flashed openings are ready. For retrofits, we plan around your operating hours, staging areas, and customer access, often phasing the work so portions of your building remain open.
Project timelines vary based on scale, but for many commercial brick veneer jobs in Savannah, active field work may run from a few weeks for a small retail building to several months for large multi story complexes. Weather delays are built into our planning, especially during hurricane season, so we do not rush critical flashing or structural tie installations just to meet an unrealistic date.
What to Ask Before You Hire a Commercial Brick Veneer Contractor
Before you commit to a commercial brick veneer contractor in Savannah, there are a few questions that will protect your investment. Ask how they will handle moisture management, including specific flashing types, weep locations, and cavity clearance. Have them show you a typical wall section detail or mockup. At Legendary Masonry Savannah, we welcome these discussions and can walk you through our standard assemblies and the adjustments we make for your particular building.
Ask about experience with projects near the coast or in similarly humid climates. Brick veneer that performs well inland can fail quickly in our environment if the wrong metals or sealants are used. Request local references and, if possible, visit completed projects a few years old to see how the veneer has aged. We can provide addresses of buildings we have worked on in and around Savannah so you can evaluate our workmanship firsthand.
You should also confirm licensing, insurance, and safety practices. Commercial brick veneer systems often require scaffolding, lifts, and work at height over active businesses or sidewalks. We maintain proper insurance and safety training for our crews and coordinate with other trades on site to minimize conflicts and hazards.
Finally, make sure your contractor is comfortable coordinating with architects, engineers, and inspectors. Commercial work in Savannah often goes through plan review and field inspections. Legendary Masonry Savannah is used to supplying submittals for brick, anchors, flashing, and mockups, and we respond quickly to RFI and inspection notes so your project keeps moving without quality shortcuts.
