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Home improvement

Brick Calculator

Bricks and mortar for a wall, at any common brick size.

Your measurementsEvery assumption editable01

Depends on the brick size, including the mortar joint.

Covers breakage, cuts at openings and rejected bricks.

Bricks requiredCalculated live02

Result

1208bricks

1208 bricks for 160 sq ft

Wall area20 ft × 8 ft
160 sq ft
Bricks per square footincluding the mortar joint
6.86
With waste allowance
+10%
Bricks required
1208
Mortar mixabout one 70 lb bag per 125 bricks
≈ 10 bags

The per-square-foot figures already include a standard three-eighths inch mortar joint, which is why they are not simply the brick face area. A different joint thickness changes the count.

This is for a single-wythe wall. A double-wythe wall needs twice the brick plus ties, and a cavity wall is a different assembly again.

Order all bricks in one delivery from one batch. Clay colour varies between firings and a patch of later brick is permanently visible on a face wall.

Enter the wall dimensions and pick your brick size, and it returns the brick count plus an estimate of the mortar mix needed. The per-square-foot figures already include a standard mortar joint, which is why they are not simply the brick face area.

Why use this tool?What it does differently03

Why use this tool?

Four common sizes

Modular, standard, queen and king, each with its established bricks-per-square-foot figure including the joint.

Mortar estimated

Roughly one 70 lb bag per 125 bricks laid — the consumable most often underestimated.

Joint already included

The coverage figures account for a standard three-eighths inch mortar joint rather than treating bricks as touching.

Single-wythe stated

The calculation is for one leaf. A double-wythe or cavity wall is a different assembly and the notes say so.

How this worksThe method04

How this brick calculator works

Wall area times the bricks-per-square-foot figure for your brick size, plus the waste allowance. Those coverage figures — 6.86 for modular, 6.55 for standard, 5.76 for queen, 4.61 for king — already account for a three-eighths inch mortar joint around each brick.

Mortar follows at roughly one 70 lb bag of mix per 125 bricks. That is a working figure rather than a specification, and it moves with joint thickness and how much you waste on the board.

The waste allowance covers breakage in transit, cuts at openings and corners, and bricks rejected for colour or chips. Ten per cent is standard; a wall with many openings or a decorative bond needs more.

How to use itStep by step05

How to use it

  1. Step 1: Measure the wall

    Length and height of the face. For a wall with openings, calculate the gross area — the cuts around openings waste roughly what the openings save.

  2. Step 2: Pick the brick size

    Modular is the most common in new work. Check what your supplier stocks, since the coverage figures differ by nearly a third across the range.

  3. Step 3: Set the waste allowance

    Ten per cent for a straightforward wall. More for decorative bonds, curves or a wall with many openings.

  4. Step 4: Order in one delivery

    Clay colour varies between firings, and a later patch of brick is permanently visible on a face wall.

Example usageWorked figures06

Example usage

A 20 by 8 garden wall
160 square feet in modular brick at 6.86 per square foot, plus 10% waste, is 1,208 bricks and about 10 bags of mortar mix.
The same wall in king size
At 4.61 bricks per square foot the count drops to 812 — a third fewer units to lay, which is most of why larger formats exist.
A double-wythe wall
Double the brick count and add wall ties. Two leaves of 160 square feet each need roughly 2,416 modular bricks, and the tie spacing is a structural requirement rather than a preference.
Frequently asked questionsCommon questions07

Frequently asked questions

How many bricks per square foot?

About 6.86 for modular, 6.55 for standard, 5.76 for queen and 4.61 for king size. Those figures already include a standard three-eighths inch mortar joint.

How much mortar do I need for brickwork?

Roughly one 70 lb bag of mortar mix per 125 bricks laid. That shifts with joint thickness and how much ends up on the board rather than the wall, so round up.

Should I deduct windows and doors?

For small openings, generally not — the cuts around an opening waste about what the opening saves. For large openings, deduct the area but raise the waste allowance to cover the cutting.

How much waste should I allow for brick?

Ten per cent for a straightforward wall. Fifteen or more for decorative bonds, curved walls, or anywhere with a lot of cutting. Breakage in delivery is normal and is part of what the allowance covers.

Does this cover a cavity wall?

No. This calculates a single wythe. A cavity wall has two leaves plus ties and insulation between them, and the outer and inner leaves are often different materials entirely.

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