Resources
Stone Veneer vs Brick in Florida
Brick is rare in South Florida for reasons that have nothing to do with how it looks. Here they are.
By Miami Stone Veneer Specialists · Updated July 14, 2026
People move here from the Northeast and Midwest and ask Miami Stone Veneer Specialists why nobody builds in brick. It's a fair question with a fairly boring answer.
Why brick is rare in South Florida
Three reasons, none aesthetic.
Construction method. South Florida builds in concrete block for hurricane resistance. Block is already the structure and the weather barrier. In brick regions the brick outer leaf does part of that job; here it would be a purely decorative layer on top of a wall that doesn't need it.
Freight. There's no significant brick industry in South Florida. It ships from Georgia and the Carolinas, and brick is heavy. That cost sits on top of a decorative-only layer.
Structural support. Full-bed brick needs a foundation ledge and wall ties. That's an engineering decision on a new build and frequently impossible on a retrofit.
Side by side
| Manufactured stone | Thin brick | Full-bed brick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed per sq ft | $22 – $38 | $18 – $30 | $35 – $60 |
| Weight | 11 – 15 psf | 8 – 12 psf | 40+ psf |
| Needs footing | No | No | Yes |
| Retrofit friendly | Yes | Yes | Rarely |
| Lifespan | 50+ years | 50+ years | 100+ years |
Thin brick — the middle option
If you want the brick look, this is the answer in Florida. Thin brick is a brick-format facing installed exactly like stone veneer — lath, scratch coat, set in mortar. No footing, no ties, no engineer.
Our Deli Brick is a 15¾ by 3 15/16-inch concrete thin brick with a kiln-fired appearance. You see a lot of it in Wynwood and the Design District where the industrial look sells and nobody wants to build a real brick wall to get it.
Which to choose
- You want the brick look — thin brick. Cheapest, lightest, retrofits onto anything.
- You want texture and material presence — stone veneer. More formats, more colour range, far more design flexibility.
- You're building new and genuinely want full-bed brick — possible, but budget the structural work and the freight, and get it into the design early.
For most South Florida projects the honest answer is that brick is a look, not a performance advantage, and a look is cheaper to buy as a facing.