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You should generally drill into the mortar joints when installing shutters on brick. Mortar is softer, which makes drilling easier and puts less strain on your tools. It also lowers the risk of cracking a brick—something that’s a lot harder to fix. Mortar holds fasteners well enough for standard shutters, and if you ever need to patch the holes later, it’s a much simpler job than dealing with damaged brick. Just keep in mind that if your mortar joints are too thin or the hardware calls for brick anchoring, you'll need to check the manufacturer’s recommendations and adjust accordingly.

Two types of masonry are veneer masonry and solid masonry. Veneer masonry is thin brick or stone material attached to the face of a building. With veneer masonry, the walls support the weight of the masonry products rather than the masonry being built on a concrete footing. Solid masonry is a wall or other brick or stone structure built on a concrete footing, and the masonry supports itself.

The cost to install or replace brick or stone siding generally ranges from $10 to $50 per square foot. The final price depends on several factors, including the specific material type, local labor rates, and any necessary preparation work, such as removing old siding. For example, different types of stone have varying costs per square foot: natural stone ($4.50–$35), stone veneer ($11–$13), faux stone ($6–$9), and cultured or manufactured stone ($5–$8).

Yes, you can cut patio stones with a circular saw. Similar to using an electric grinder, you will need to use a diamond blade as this is the most effective blade for cutting a material like stone. The stone must be wet when using a circular saw to ensure the cut is smooth.