Brick Calculator

This is an estimate, not professional advice. Check your inputs and verify the result against your plans and local building code before you build or order. See terms and disclaimer.

How this calculator works

Enter your dimensions and the result updates instantly. A waste allowance is included so you order slightly over rather than running short mid-pour, and ready-mix is rounded up to the nearest quarter yard, which is how it is sold.

Worked example

A 20 ft long by 8 ft high wall of single-wythe modular brick with a 10% waste allowance. Inputs: Wall length 20 ft, Wall height 8 ft, Waste allowance 10 %. Result: 1,208 .

Bricks for common wall sizes

Calculated for single-wythe modular brick with a 10% waste allowance. Tap a size to load it above.

Method & assumptions

A standard modular brick has a face of about 8 by 2.625 inches once you include the 3/8 inch mortar joint, which is roughly 21 square inches. That works out to about 6.86 bricks per square foot for a single-wythe wall. We multiply your wall area by 6.86, add the waste allowance, and round up to whole bricks.

For mortar, an 80 lb bag of pre-mixed mortar mix lays about 36 modular bricks at 3/8 inch joints, so roughly 28 bags per 1000 bricks. The old rule of seven bags per 1000 is for bags of masonry cement that you mix with sand on site, not pre-mixed mortar, so it under-counts the bags you buy. Tighter joints, larger bricks or a double-wythe wall change this, so treat the mortar figure as an estimate and buy in round numbers. Cuts at corners, sills and openings are counted as whole bricks, which the waste factor helps absorb.

This calculator handles modular, queen, king and utility brick: pick your size and the bricks per square foot adjusts (6.86, 6.0, 4.5 and 3.0), along with the mortar. It assumes a single wythe with no openings deducted. For double-wythe or structural brickwork, confirm the count against your drawings and follow local code, and remember veneer walls also need ties back to the structure. Plan your bond pattern as well: a running bond uses mostly full bricks across the field, while stack, English and Flemish bonds change how many cuts and headers you need at the edges and corners, which nudges the waste up.

Pro tips and common mistakes

• Confirm your brick size. Modular brick gives about 6.86 per square foot, but queen, king and utility brick cover more area each. Check the size before ordering, or the count will be off.
• Order from one batch. Brick color varies between production runs. Order all your brick at once from the same batch so the wall does not show a shade line halfway up.
• Keep joints consistent. Hold a steady 3/8 inch joint. Sloppy joints waste mortar, weaken the wall and throw off your coursing over the height.
• Do not forget ties. A brick veneer must be tied back to the structure with corrugated ties, usually one per 2.67 square feet. They are cheap and code-required.
• Protect fresh brickwork. Cover new walls from rain and do not lay in freezing weather. Wet or frozen mortar loses strength and can stain the brick face.

Frequently asked questions

References

• Brick (Wikipedia)
• ASTM C216 (facing brick spec)
• Brick Industry Association technical notes

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