What is the purpose of brick mold????

13 years ago

We are having our windows replaced and doing a full replacement with new jams. We are going with Marvin Infinity. The windows that are being replaced do not have brick mold around them. The installer doesn't feel it is necessary for brick mold to be added. I know nothing about this so need some insight? He said it is just cosmetic and for the future when someone wants to replace the windows it is easier. Thanks!

Featured Answer

B Mey

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

The term brickmold is used differently today than it was historically.
Today, "brickmold" for some window manufacturers means one specific
profile (about 3" wide with a barely there ogee profile at the edge).
Historically brickmold meant any piece of wood with a molded profile that ran
around the joint between brick and wood millwork. Brickmold profiles changed
with historic styles, so there's a difference between a Victorian brickmold and
bungalow brickmold. Some other current manufacturers will call this window
component "staff bead" or "back band," but really brickmold
is any piece of molding along the edge of brick at an opening.

Brickmold was the historic way to seal the joint between the wood sash
pocket and stops and the edge of the brick of the brick opening. The joint
might have been packed first with oakum, a tar impregnated rope, that would
have acted as a waterproof sealer. The oakum packed joint would then be covered
with a brickmold. Brickmolds aren't for function today. They're for aesthetics.
Since modern windows are so plain looking, brickmolds are a good way to add
some profile and depth to the way the window looks.

The curved profile in the picture is the brickmold and combined with some
plain stock (diagonal line) gives the window a nice proportion back from the
sill. You can see that without the brickmold there would be a gapped seam
between the window unit and the brick opening.

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Comments (11)

Jumpilotmdm
13 years ago
He may be right, but if you'd follow the way they were originally done, you could use a standard size window. At one time, that could have saved you some $$. Now, not so much.
The purpose of BM is to give the bricklayer something to brick to. It's heavy enough to withstand the bricklaying and does serve the purpose of hiding the joint between the rough and finished jambs. Today it is usually only for looks.
toddinmn
13 years ago
Brickmold is just a type of window and door casing and is used against many other substrates besides brick.
Typically you don't need any casing if you are residing or in some brick applications. It usually is easier to replace the window if there is a casing, since all you have to do is pop it off to access the nail flange. A lot of times house can look cheap if they don't have any casing on them.
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angeez
Original Author
13 years ago
Our current upstairs windows have no brick mold and the j channel is right up next to them and it looks very nice. Our down stairs windows (that the previous owner replaced) does have brick mold and it looks like crap. We can't use a standard size window because it isn't standard size even if there was brick mold. So basically it is just for looks and easier to replace windows down the road? If they did put in brick mold it wouldn't be brick, it would be wood does that make sense? Thanks!
brickeyee
13 years ago
To close any gap between the rough brick surface and the window jamb while keeping the window away from masonry contact.

When it was decent rot resistant wood it could last a long time.

Brick and masonry wick water very nicely, and having expensive windows in contact with masonry is only going to speed up their eventual decay.

Sheet metal underneath, and rot resistant brick mold beside and above keep the window away from the masonry.

Probably more of a decorative touch with a brick veneer house since their is wood to support the window, unlike a masonry house.
angeez
Original Author
13 years ago
So I am even more confused. Our house has vinyl siding. I am just wondering is the brick mold necessary or not?

Thanks!
millworkman
13 years ago
Not necessary in your application it would be used only as a trim and not a part of the weatherproofing.
cruzinpattis
12 years ago
Do you need brick mold if you get a pre-hung door?
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
12 years ago
Not necessarily but you do need some sort of trim detail to cover the jamb to rough opening connection.
lookintomyeyes83
11 years ago
Reviving an old thread as I'm still confused as have the same question as the original owner!

We are building using ICFs, and our exterior wall finishes will be stucco in some locations, and faux stone siding in others. One small section is also faux wood-timbered, hopefully with the faux wood level with the stucco.

For the faux stone section, we intend on insetting the windows so they mimic true stone walls. Would we absolutely need a brickmould here?

For the stucco, I'm thinking brickmould is NOT required?

For both of these windows, we wish to trim them in faux 1x4ish wood-look pvc/similar products, painted/stained to match the half timbering.

So I'm thinking we don't need brickmould? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
11 years ago
Don't need the 1x4 and brickmold. One or the other is fine.