# first floor brick 2nd floor siding



## gilette (Jul 26, 2016)

Probably going to seem like a dumb question to some of you, but I've googled, asked my realtor, etc but cannot come up with a definite answer.

A house I am looking at buying is brick on the bottom, solid brick construction with headers, but the second floor has siding. Built in 1920s. All the nearby homes are similar, brick on the bottom and siding on the 2nd floor.

Does this mean that the 2nd floor is likely not brick? 
Or is it common to put siding over the brick on the 2nd floor for some reason?
If not brick on the 2nd floor, is it studs sitting on top of the first floor brick?

I do not have a picture of the home currently but will go back in a day or 2 to take some if needed. Any help is much appreciated.


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## oldognewtrick (Jul 26, 2016)

It's very unlikely that there is brick behind the siding. There is most likely a stud wall with the siding attached.  And  to House Repair Talk!


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## kok328 (Jul 26, 2016)

The brick is not structural. 
In other words it is not load bearing to the second floor. It is an exterior cover like siding.


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## gilette (Jul 26, 2016)

oldognewtrick said:


> It's very unlikely that there is brick behind the siding. There is most likely a stud wall with the siding attached. And  to House Repair Talk!


 That is what I was thinking. I guess that's a common thing? Is it because it's less expensive to construct? 

Thanks for the welcome


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## gilette (Jul 26, 2016)

kok328 said:


> The brick is not structural.
> In other words it is not load bearing to the second floor. It is an exterior cover like siding.


 
What makes you think that it is not structural? It has headers in it indicating that it's a 2 wythe wall, which I thought would be structural. It sits directly on top of the basement wall (which is partly exposed above the ground).

I appreciate any follow-up on this, I am just trying to learn


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## nealtw (Jul 26, 2016)

It could be a brick house with second story addition ?


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## gilette (Jul 26, 2016)

nealtw said:


> It could be a brick house with second story addition ?


 
Probably not, all the houses on the block are the same, brick bottom and sided 2nd floor. All built around the same time.


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## nealtw (Jul 26, 2016)

Knock on doors up the street and ask what they know about the construction and what complaints they have. Any same problems in other houses can be expected or at least looked for.


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## Sparky617 (Jul 26, 2016)

Brick can be structural.  It generally isn't in homes built in the last 50 years or so, but it was a common building technique up until the early 1950's.  A double layer of brick, with lath and plaster on the inside.  Most brick homes built in the last 50 years are wood framed with a brick veneer.  Homes in my childhood neighborhood were built in the early to mid-1950s and were of masonry construction that is a double layer of brick.

My parent's last house, built circa 1900 was masonry on three sides and framed on the back.  We tore out all the old plaster and lath in the 1980's and rebuilt the thing from the brick inwards with framing, insulation, and drywall.


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## gilette (Jul 26, 2016)

Sparky617 said:


> Brick can be structural. It generally isn't in homes built in the last 50 years or so, but it was a common building technique up until the early 1950's. A double layer of brick, with lath and plaster on the inside.


 
Thanks, this is what I suspect this house is. Was built in the 1920s.

So 2 layers of brick, then lathe and plaster. Would there typically be studs between the brick and the lathe? How about insulation?

Does anyone know how they frame the 2nd floor, just put the bottom sill on top of the brick and secure it somehow?


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## nealtw (Jul 26, 2016)

This is an addition but it would be much the same build the floor above the brick and add walls.
http://architecturetourist.blogspot.ca/2012/01/top-popped-adding-2nd-floor-in.html


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## gilette (Jul 26, 2016)

nealtw said:


> This is an addition but it would be much the same build the floor above the brick and add walls.
> http://architecturetourist.blogspot.ca/2012/01/top-popped-adding-2nd-floor-in.html


 
Awesome find, thanks!

I'm convinced that is how those houses are structured. Probably furring strips and no insulation followed by lath/plaster


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## Sparky617 (Jul 27, 2016)

In our case, there was just furring strips nailed to the brick and no insulation.  When we remodeled the place we built stud walls and updated the plumbing, electrical and insulation.  Your second floor is likely framed on top of the brick walls if the house is true masonry construction.  The brick provides a decent thermal mass, but once it gets cold in the winter, it stays pretty much cold if you are in a cold climate.  Being built in the 1920's unless someone upgraded the house over the years you probably have minimal insulation anywhere.


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