Brick Calculator

The formula

Coverage and yield assumptions

The defaults describe a US modular brick: 7-5/8 in long, 2-1/4 in high, laid with 3/8 in joints. The Brick Industry Association's Technical Note 10 lists about 6.75 modular bricks per square foot for running bond, because three courses fit exactly 8 in; our simple face-area method gives about 6.9, slightly conservative. Queen, king and utility sizes use fewer bricks per square foot.

Common brick sizes

Modular (3-5/8 × 2-1/4 × 7-5/8 in) is the most common in the US. Queen size (about 2-3/4 × 7-5/8 in face) and king size (2-5/8 × 9-5/8 in face) cover more area with fewer units. Utility brick (3-5/8 × 11-5/8 in face) lays up fast for large walls. Thin brick veneer is 1/2–3/4 in deep and estimated the same way by face size.

Bond patterns

Running bond, where each course is offset by half a brick, is standard for veneer. Flemish, English and stack bonds use the same number of bricks per square foot of face but add header units or cut pieces in solid walls. Decorative patterns such as herringbone in walls or paths increase cutting waste.

Mortar quantity

Plan roughly 7 bags of 70–80 lb masonry cement mix per 1,000 modular bricks with 3/8 in joints as a starting point, then follow the manufacturer's data. Type N mortar is typical for above-grade veneer; type S for below grade and higher strength needs.

Veneer details

• Leave a 1 in air space behind veneer with weep holes at the base and above openings.
• Tie the veneer to the frame with corrugated ties at the spacing code requires.
• Use flashing at the base, sills and heads of openings.
• Wet-saw or use a masonry blade with water to control silica dust.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using a generic bricks-per-square-foot figure without checking the brick size.
• Forgetting to subtract large doors and windows.
• Leaving out weep holes and flashing in veneer walls.
• Laying very dry bricks in hot weather without pre-wetting when the maker recommends it.
• Counting one wythe for a double-thick wall.

Waste factor

5% covers broken units and cuts in running bond. Use 10% for walls with many openings, corners or arches, or when bricks are cut for decorative bonds, and 15% for salvaged bricks with more rejects.

Imperial and metric

Switch the toggle above the inputs to enter ft ↔ m, in ↔ cm, sq ft ↔ m². The page converts metric entries to imperial before calculating, using NIST factors (1 ft = 0.3048 m, 1 in = 2.54 cm), and shows key results in both systems.

Worked examples

House wall with a window

Inputs: wall length 30 ft; wall height 8 ft; openings to subtract 20 sq ft; brick length 7.625 in; brick height 2.25 in; mortar joint 0.375 in; waste factor 5%.

Result: You need 1,584 bricks.

• Units to buy (rounded up): 1,584 bricks
• Net wall area: 220 sq ft (20.4 m²)
• Bricks per sq ft: 6.86

Garden wall, queen brick

Inputs: wall length 24 ft; wall height 3 ft; openings to subtract 0 sq ft; brick length 7.625 in; brick height 2.75 in; mortar joint 0.375 in; waste factor 10%; cost per unit $0.85.

Result: You need 457 bricks.

• Units to buy (rounded up): 457 bricks
• Net wall area: 72 sq ft (6.7 m²)
• Bricks per sq ft: 5.76
• Estimated material cost: $388.45

Fireplace surround

Inputs: wall length 6 ft; wall height 5 ft; openings to subtract 9 sq ft; brick length 7.625 in; brick height 2.25 in; mortar joint 0.375 in; waste factor 10%.

Result: You need 159 bricks.

• Units to buy (rounded up): 159 bricks
• Net wall area: 21 sq ft (2 m²)
• Bricks per sq ft: 6.86

Quick reference for common sizes

The table repeats the first worked example at smaller and larger sizes, keeping every other setting the same, so you can see how the brick calculator result scales.

Limitations

This counts one wythe (one brick thick). Double the count for a two-wythe wall. Arches, sills and soldier courses need separate counts.