Brick Wall 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.

Worked example

A 20 ft long by 8 ft high single-wythe brick wall with a 10% waste allowance. Inputs: Wall length 20 ft, Wall height 8 ft, Waste allowance 10 %. Result: 1,188 .

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

To plan a brick wall, start with the BIA Technical Note 10 tables. They list 675 modular, 550 queen, 455 king and 300 utility bricks per 100 square feet of single-wythe wall. The same document gives the vertical coursing modules: modular is three courses per 8 inches, while queen and king are five courses per 16 inches, or 3.2 inches per course. We divide the entered height by the applicable module and round up.

Mortar yield comes from the product rather than an unsupported estimate by brick size. Sakrete Type N publishes 35 standard bricks per 80 lb bag and QUIKRETE No. 1102 publishes 37. Use a preset only when it matches the brick, joint and wythe detail being laid; otherwise enter the applicable yield or leave it at zero. Mortar loss has its own allowance because extra bricks ordered for breakage do not consume mortar. Confirm ties, bond and collar-joint material from the wall drawings.

A brick wall needs more than brick. Follow the approved support, ties or anchors, flashing, drainage, openings, reinforcement and movement-joint details for the selected wall system. Confirm actual brick dimensions and mortar yield before ordering; this calculator does not quantify or design structural support and accessories.

Pro tips and common mistakes

• Start off a true footing. A brick wall shows every error. Pour a level, cured footing and dry-lay the first course to set spacing before you spread mortar.
• Tie a veneer to the structure. Brick veneer is not self-supporting at height. Use corrugated ties back to the wall behind it, roughly one per 2.67 square feet, as code requires.
• Add weep holes and flashing. Water gets behind brick. Flashing at the base and open weep holes every couple of feet let it drain instead of rotting the wall.
• Order one batch, lay from several. Brick color shifts between runs. Order all of it at once, then pull from several pallets as you lay so any shade difference blends.
• Keep joints and leads tight. Build corners first, run a line, and fill to it with a steady 3/8 inch joint. Consistent joints keep the wall plumb and on coursing.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and references

These references and structured source records support the method and material data used on this page.

• BIA Technical Note 10: Dimensioning and Estimating Brick Masonry (Table 4)
• Sakrete Mortar Mix Type N data sheet (35 standard bricks per 80 lb bag)
• QUIKRETE Mortar Mix No. 1102 data sheet (37 standard bricks per 80 lb bag)

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