Brick Calculator
Estimate how many bricks you need for any wall. Enter wall size and brick type, subtract door and window openings, and get a brick count plus material cost in seconds.
A brick calculator estimates the number of bricks required to build or face a wall, based on the wall area, the size of the brick, and the thickness of the mortar joints between bricks. Masons, contractors, and DIYers use it to order the right quantity before a project, avoiding both shortages mid-build and costly leftover pallets.
This calculator divides the net wall area (after subtracting door and window openings) by the installed size of one brick, which is the brick face plus its mortar joint. It supports the common US brick sizes (modular, standard, queen, king, engineer, Roman, Norman) and UK metric brick, with a custom option for any other size. The default mortar joint is the US standard 3/8 inch, adjustable in the advanced section along with the waste factor.
A brick calculator estimates the number of bricks required to build or face a wall, based on the wall area, the size of the brick, and the thickness of the mortar joints between bricks. Masons, contractors, and DIYers use it to order the right quantity before a project, avoiding both shortages mid-build and costly leftover pallets.
This calculator divides the net wall area (after subtracting door and window openings) by the installed size of one brick, which is the brick face plus its mortar joint. It supports the common US brick sizes (modular, standard, queen, king, engineer, Roman, Norman) and UK metric brick, with a custom option for any other size. The default mortar joint is the US standard 3/8 inch, adjustable in the advanced section along with the waste factor.
How to Use This Calculator
Step 1: Measure your wall
Enter the total length and height of the wall you are bricking. For multiple walls, add their areas by calculating each separately, or enter a combined length at a consistent height. Units can be feet, inches, meters, centimeters, or millimeters.
Step 2: Choose your brick size
Select your brick from the dropdown. Modular (7.625 by 2.25 inches) is the most common US brick and the default. The dropdown also covers standard, queen, king, engineer modular, Roman, Norman, and UK metric. If your brick is not listed, choose Custom and enter its face dimensions in the advanced section.
Step 3: Subtract openings
Enter the number of doors and windows in the wall. The calculator deducts standard sizes (20 sq ft per door, 12 sq ft per window) from the wall area so you do not over-order. Leave both at zero for a solid wall with no openings, such as a garden or retaining wall.
Step 4 (optional): Add cost per brick
Enter your price per brick to get a total material cost. Common brick runs about $0.35 to $0.90 each, while face brick and specialty units can be $0.90 to $2.00 or more.
Step 5 (optional): Adjust the mortar joint and waste
Open the advanced section to change the mortar joint thickness (default 3/8 inch, the US standard) or the waste factor (default 10 percent). Use a 10mm joint for UK metric brick. Raise the waste factor to 12 to 15 percent for decorative bonds, walls with many openings, or curved work where more bricks get cut.
Reading the results
Bricks Needed is the quantity to order. Net Wall Area shows the surface being covered after openings, and the bricks per square foot figure lets you sanity-check against supplier estimates. Use the copy button to send the result to a material order or quote.
How the Calculation Works
The brick calculator works by comparing the area you need to cover with the area one installed brick occupies. The key idea is that each brick takes up its own face area plus the mortar joint around it.
Step 1: Wall area
Wall area = Wall length × Wall height
Step 2: Subtract openings
Net area = Wall area - (doors × door area) - (windows × window area)
This calculator uses standard US openings: a 36 by 80 inch door (20 sq ft) and a 36 by 48 inch window (12 sq ft).
Step 3: Installed brick size
A brick does not occupy just its face. Add the mortar joint to both the length and the height to get the installed (nominal) size:
Module area = (brick width + joint) × (brick height + joint)
For a modular brick (7.625 by 2.25 inches) with a 3/8 inch (0.375) joint: (7.625 + 0.375) × (2.25 + 0.375) = 8 × 2.625 = 21 square inches.
Step 4: Bricks per square foot
Bricks per sq ft = 144 / module area in square inches
For the modular example: 144 / 21 = 6.86 bricks per square foot, which is why the rule of thumb for modular brick is about 7 bricks per square foot.
Step 5: Total bricks with waste
Bricks needed = ceiling(Net area × bricks per sq ft × (1 + waste))
The result is always rounded up to the next whole brick.
Cost (optional):
Total cost = Bricks needed × Cost per brick
A note on bond patterns: This formula assumes a running (stretcher) bond, where only the long face of each brick shows. Decorative bonds that turn bricks to show their ends (Flemish, English, header bonds) use more bricks per square foot because the exposed face is smaller. For those, increase the waste factor or treat the result as a minimum.
Single wythe vs double wythe: The calculator estimates a single layer (wythe) of brick, which covers brick veneer and most modern construction. For a solid double-wythe wall (two layers thick), multiply the result by two.
Worked Example
Scenario: Brick veneer on a 20 by 8 foot wall with one door and two windows
You are facing the front wall of an addition with modular brick. The wall is 20 feet long and 8 feet high, with one standard entry door and two standard windows. You plan to use a 3/8 inch mortar joint and a 10 percent waste allowance, and brick is quoted at $0.60 each.
Step 1: Wall area
Wall area = 20 × 8 = 160 sq ft
Step 2: Subtract openings
Door: 1 × 20 sq ft = 20 sq ft. Windows: 2 × 12 sq ft = 24 sq ft.
Net area = 160 – 20 – 24 = 116 sq ft
Step 3: Bricks per square foot
Modular brick module = (7.625 + 0.375) × (2.25 + 0.375) = 8 × 2.625 = 21 sq in
Bricks per sq ft = 144 / 21 = 6.86
Step 4: Raw brick count
116 × 6.86 = 795 bricks
Step 5: Add 10% waste
795 × 1.10 = 874.5, rounded up to 875 bricks
Step 6: Cost
875 × $0.60 = $525
Final estimate: Order 875 modular bricks (round up to two cubes if your yard sells in 500-brick cubes), budget about $525 for brick. Add separate budget for mortar: a single wythe of modular brick needs roughly 7 bags of mortar per 1,000 bricks, so plan on about 6 to 7 bags here, plus sand.
Understanding the Variables
Wall Length and Wall Height
The overall dimensions of the wall face you are bricking. Measure the full rectangle and let the calculator subtract openings, rather than trying to deduct them by hand. For gable ends or irregular shapes, break the wall into rectangles and triangles, estimate each, and add them.
Brick Size
The type of brick determines how much wall each unit covers. The face dimensions (width by height) of common US bricks:
- Modular: 7.625 by 2.25 inches (most common, about 7 per sq ft)
- Standard: 8 by 2.25 inches
- Queen: 7.625 by 2.75 inches (covers more, fewer per sq ft)
- King: 9.625 by 2.625 inches (largest common face, about 4.6 per sq ft)
- Engineer Modular: 7.625 by 2.8125 inches
- Roman: 11.625 by 1.625 inches (long and thin, about 7.7 per sq ft)
- Norman: 11.625 by 2.25 inches
- UK Metric: 215 by 65 mm
Select Custom to enter any other face size in the advanced section.
Doors and Windows
The number of openings to deduct from the wall area. Standard deductions are 20 sq ft per door (36 by 80 inches) and 12 sq ft per window (36 by 48 inches). For a wall with no openings, leave both at zero. Garage doors and large picture windows remove much more area, so for those, treat the opening as multiple standard units or reduce your wall dimensions accordingly.
Cost per Brick
The price you pay per brick. Common (building) brick is typically $0.35 to $0.90 each. Face brick runs $0.50 to $1.00, and handmade, glazed, or specialty brick can exceed $2.00. Reclaimed brick varies widely. This input is optional and only affects the cost output.
Mortar Joint (advanced)
The thickness of mortar between bricks, which adds to each brick’s effective footprint. The US standard is 3/8 inch. UK and metric work typically uses 10mm. A thicker joint means fewer bricks per square foot, a thinner joint means more. Because the joint is added to both dimensions of every brick, even a small change measurably affects the total on a large wall.
Waste Factor (advanced)
The percentage added for breakage, cutting at corners and openings, and color-matching reserves. Defaults to 10 percent. Use 5 to 8 percent for simple, large, rectangular walls with hard brick, 10 percent for typical jobs, and 12 to 15 percent for decorative bonds, soft brick, many openings, or curved walls.
Industry Standards & References
ASTM C216 (Facing Brick)
The standard specification for facing brick (solid masonry units made from clay or shale) used where appearance matters. ASTM C216 defines grades for weather resistance (SW, MW) and types for appearance tolerance (FBS, FBX, FBA). Most residential brick veneer uses Grade SW facing brick.
ASTM C62 (Building Brick)
Covers building brick (common brick) for general structural use where appearance is not the primary concern, such as backup wythes and foundations. Graded SW, MW, and NW for weathering exposure.
ASTM C652 (Hollow Brick)
The specification for hollow brick, which has larger cored voids than solid brick (between 25 and 60 percent void area). Used in reinforced and grouted masonry where vertical steel and grout pass through the cores.
ASTM C270 (Mortar for Unit Masonry)
Governs the mortar that bonds the brick. Defines mortar types by strength and use: Type M (highest strength, below grade), Type S (good strength and bond, exterior at or below grade), Type N (general purpose, exterior above grade, the most common for veneer), and Type O (low strength, interior or non-load-bearing). Choosing the right mortar type matters as much as the brick itself.
Brick Industry Association (BIA) Technical Notes
The BIA publishes the Technical Notes on Brick Construction, the leading reference for brick sizing, bond patterns, modular coordination, flashing, and movement joints in North America. Technical Note 10 covers dimensioning and estimating, including the modular coordination system on which standard brick sizes are based.
Modular coordination: Standard US brick sizes are designed around a 4 inch module. A modular brick plus its 3/8 inch joint produces nominal dimensions that fit a 4 inch grid, so three courses of brick equal 8 inches in height. This is why brick coursing aligns predictably with door and window heights, and why using nominal (face plus joint) dimensions is correct for estimating.
Frequently Asked Questions
For standard modular brick (7.625 by 2.25 inch face) with a 3/8 inch mortar joint, about 6.9 bricks per square foot, commonly rounded to 7. Larger bricks like king size drop to roughly 4.6 per square foot, while thin Roman brick rises to about 7.7. The calculator above computes the exact figure for your brick size and joint.
A 10 by 10 foot wall is 100 square feet. With standard modular brick at about 6.9 bricks per square foot, that is roughly 690 bricks before waste, or about 760 bricks with a 10 percent waste allowance. Subtract any door or window openings using the calculator above for a precise count.
Because each brick occupies its own face plus the mortar around it. A modular brick face is 7.625 by 2.25 inches, but with a 3/8 inch joint it installs as 8 by 2.625 inches. Ignoring the joint overestimates how many bricks fit in a wall, which is why proper estimating uses the nominal (face plus joint) size.
Brick material alone is the brick count times the price per brick. Common brick is about $0.35 to $0.90 each, face brick $0.50 to $1.00, so a 116 square foot veneer wall (about 875 bricks) costs roughly $300 to $700 in brick. Add mortar, sand, ties, and labor. Professional installed brick veneer typically runs $10 to $20 per square foot all in.
Brick is the fired clay masonry unit. Mortar is the cement, sand, and lime paste that bonds bricks together. Concrete is a structural mix of cement, sand, and gravel used for footings and slabs, not for bonding brick. For a full explanation of how these materials differ and when to use each, see our concrete vs cement vs mortar guide.
A rough rule is 7 bags of mortar mix per 1,000 modular bricks for a single wythe with a 3/8 inch joint, plus about 1 cubic foot of sand per bag if mixing from Portland and lime. Thicker joints and larger bricks change this. Always buy a little extra, since running out mid-course is worse than a leftover bag.
A running (stretcher) bond is the standard pattern where each brick shows its long face and courses are offset by half a brick. This calculator assumes a running bond. Decorative bonds such as Flemish or English turn some bricks to show their short ends (headers), which exposes less face per brick and requires more bricks per square foot. For those patterns, add to the waste factor.
Brick is usually sold by the cube, often around 500 bricks, sometimes bundled on pallets. Round your total up to the next full cube rather than ordering loose, and keep the extras. Bricks from a later batch can differ slightly in color, so having reserves from your original order helps with future repairs and additions.