Exterior Walls & Cladding | Home Knowledge Library

VISUAL EXPLORER

Eight Research Families

Select a photographic research family. The selected subject opens directly below the gallery with its 14 topics and a detailed reading panel.

INTERACTIVE ARCHITECTURAL BLUEPRINT

What Is Behind the Wall?

Select a wall system, then click a numbered layer in the architectural cutaway to discover how it functions. Compare historic solid masonry, modern framing, and brick veneer.

OUTSIDEINSIDEConceptual assembly · Not to scale

Choose any numbered layer in the drawing, or use the component buttons.

SELECTED COMPONENT

Why it matters

STRUCTURE

Exterior Wall Types & Structural Systems

Explore the underlying construction principles and how they affect real residential buildings.

Solid masonry

Interconnected masonry wythes may support floors and roofs. Bonding and wall thickness matter.

Framed walls

Studs, plates, sheathing and connections provide structural support.

Brick veneer

Facing is supported and tied to structural backing, with drainage cavity and flashing.

Concrete and hybrid walls

Concrete masonry, poured concrete and engineered systems have distinct load paths.

MATERIALS

Masonry, Stone & Terra Cotta

Explore the underlying construction principles and how they affect real residential buildings.

Clay brick

Units vary by density, firing and moisture absorption; visible bonds do not prove construction.

Limestone

Stone bedding, mortar and exposure influence performance, especially in historic Missouri masonry.

Terra cotta

Fired architectural ceramic can provide ornament or enclosure components.

Historic mortar

Replacement mortar should be compatible in strength and permeability, not simply harder.

COVERINGS

Siding, Cladding & Finishes

Explore the underlying construction principles and how they affect real residential buildings.

Wood siding

Requires appropriate clearances, coatings and drainage.

Fiber cement and engineered wood

Installation, fastening and edge details affect durability.

Vinyl and metal

Thermal movement and flashing must be accommodated.

Stucco and EIFS

Similar appearance can conceal very different assemblies and drainage designs.

BUILDING SCIENCE

Water, Air, Heat & Vapor

Explore the underlying construction principles and how they affect real residential buildings.

Water control

Cladding sheds most rain; drainage planes, flashing and weeps manage incidental water.

Air control

Continuous air barriers reduce uncontrolled airflow.

Thermal control

Insulation reduces heat flow; framing may create thermal bridges.

Vapor control

Condensation and drying depend on climate, material and assembly configuration.

ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS

Exterior Elements & Functions

Explore the underlying construction principles and how they affect real residential buildings.

Lintels

Support masonry above openings and require corrosion-aware detailing.

Sills

Projecting or sloped details can direct water away from openings.

Parapets

Exposed wall tops require suitable copings and water protection.

Cornices

Historic ornament also needs sound attachment and weather detailing.

CONDITIONS

Observation, Maintenance & Repair

Explore the underlying construction principles and how they affect real residential buildings.

Spalling

May involve moisture, salts, freeze-thaw or material characteristics.

Cracking

Crack pattern alone does not diagnose structural cause or severity.

Efflorescence

Surface salts can indicate moisture transport through masonry.

Mortar loss

Compatible repointing may be appropriate after investigating causes.

Corroded lintels

Corrosion expansion can displace surrounding masonry.

Stucco or siding distress

Inspect substrates, joints, drainage and attachments.

HISTORY

Exterior Walls Through Time

All historical periods remain visible. Select one to explore changes in materials and methods.

LOCAL HISTORY

Greater St. Louis & Mississippi Valley Wall Traditions

811 Allen Avenue · Soulard

City historical documentation identifies German Fachwerk timber framing with brick infill.

110 Courtois Street · Carondelet

City documentation identifies a historic coursed-limestone house.

Charles Stockstrom House

Historic brick and architectural terra cotta illustrate decorative masonry.

Bauvais-Amoureux House

NPS documents vertical-log French colonial construction in Ste. Genevieve, outside the core metro.

Metro East Illinois

HARGIS and local surveys support future documented Illinois building case studies.

REFERENCES

Sources of Truth

Expandable research collections with direct institutional links. Cards remain ivory where institution-specific reusable imagery is not yet verified.

Building Codes & Standards