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 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 single-wythe brick wall 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

To plan a brick wall, start with the brick count. A standard modular brick covers about 6.86 bricks per square foot of single-wythe wall, and you can also pick queen, king or utility, which the calculator adjusts to 6.0, 4.5 and 3.0 per square foot. We multiply your wall area by that figure, by the number of wythes, add the waste allowance, and round up to whole bricks. A modular course is about 2.667 inches high with the joint, and the course height adjusts with the brick size, so courses are the wall height divided by that.

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, and the calculator scales this with the brick size. The old seven-bags-per-1000 rule is for masonry cement mixed with sand on site, not pre-mixed mortar. Cuts at corners, sills and openings count as whole bricks, which the waste factor helps absorb. Use the wythe option for a double-wythe or cavity wall, which roughly doubles the brick count. Openings are not deducted.

A brick wall needs more than brick. Lay it on a level, cured footing, and a veneer wall must be tied back to the structure with corrugated ties, usually one per 2.67 square feet, plus weep holes and flashing at the base so water drains out of the cavity. Openings need lintels, and tall or structural brickwork needs engineering. Confirm the design and your brick size before ordering.

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

References

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

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