shelf 52 extends from an edge of rear plate 50 and abuts side 41 of the holding guide 36 shelf 52 has facial contact with a portion of thin brick tile 26 and provides direct vertical support the rear plate 50 and shelf 52 combine to provide significant direct facial contact with the thin brick tile 26 proving firm support portion 51 includes teeth 56 which extend from an edge of shelf 52 into the mortar area between individual brick tiles 26 teeth 56 are alternately angled from shelf 52 to form rows allowing the teeth in each row to be spaced from each other and to resist loads applied to the brick facing 39 each tooth 56 is embedded in the mortar 28 on three sides to ensure that portion 51 is locked into the mortar 28 the backing member 22 has a longitudinal dimension defined by the holding guides 36 extending along a longitudinal axis and has a uniform cross section along the entire longitudinal dimension since backing member 22 has a uniform cross section along the entire longitudinal dimension channels 38 can be cut directly into the original sheet of material by a hot wire cutting process this design and process allows the backing member 22 to be easily and inexpensively mass produced preferably backing members 22 includes tongue and groove joints along the edges to improve structural integrity each backing member 22 includes a tongue 58 extending from one edge an adjacent backing member 22 includes a groove 60 on a corresponding edge which aligns to receive tongue 58 preferably the original sheet of material.