Brick Calculator

Bricklaying is precise work, and the material order should be too. Bricks are bought in large quantities, mortar in bags, and both are heavy to move and awkward to return, so an accurate estimate up front saves real money and effort. This calculator works from the wall face area and a bricks-per-square-foot figure to give you the brick count and the mortar that goes with it.

How brick quantity is calculated

The figure that does the work is bricks per square foot of wall face. For a standard modular brick laid with a 3/8 inch mortar joint, that number is about 6.86. Different brick sizes change it — a larger brick covers more wall, so fewer are needed per square foot.

Measuring the wall

• Face area: length × height of the visible wall surface.
• Openings: for large windows and doors you can subtract their area, but for a buffer many builders leave small openings in and rely on the waste factor instead.
• Single versus double thickness: the default assumes a single-brick-thick wall. Double the bricks for a double-wythe wall and add for header courses.

Common brick coverage figures

A worked example

A 20×6 ft garden wall, single thickness, standard modular brick, 5% waste:

• Wall area = 20 × 6 = 120 sq ft
• Bricks = 120 × 6.86 × 1.05 = about 865 bricks
• Mortar = 865 ÷ 110 = roughly 8 bags

Mortar, foundations and the full job

Brickwork needs a sound footing — usually a concrete foundation sized by the related concrete calculator — and the right mortar mix for the application. Standard Type N mortar suits most above-grade walls; Type S is stronger for structural and below-grade work. You will also need sand for site-mixed mortar, which the related sand calculator can size. Order a little extra mortar; it is cheap relative to the bricks and the labour.

Building straight and strong

A good brick wall is built level and plumb, course by course, with consistent joints and proper bonding so vertical joints do not line up between courses. Control the mortar joint thickness, because it directly affects the brick count — thicker joints mean fewer bricks but a different look and less strength. For anything structural or load-bearing, follow local code and consider professional help; for a garden or screen wall, careful work and an accurate material list go a long way.

Mortar mixes and which to use

Brick is only as good as the mortar holding it, and the mix matters. Type N is the general-purpose mortar for most above-grade walls, balancing strength and workability. Type S is stronger, for structural walls, below-grade work and anywhere facing more stress. Type M is the strongest, reserved for heavy loads and retaining work, while Type O is soft, for interior and historic repointing. Using too strong a mortar in the wrong place can actually damage the brick over time, as the joints become harder than the masonry. Match the mortar type to the application, and order a little extra — it is cheap relative to the bricks and the labour.

Bond patterns and their effect

The way bricks are laid — the bond — affects both appearance and how many bricks you need. A running bond, the most common, offsets each course by half a brick and uses the standard count. Patterns like Flemish or English bond alternate headers (bricks laid end-on) with stretchers, which looks traditional and ties a double-thickness wall together but changes the count and uses more bricks. Decorative patterns and basket-weaves in paving also shift the quantity. The calculator assumes a standard single-wythe running bond; for elaborate bonds or double-thickness walls, increase the count and add header bricks accordingly.

Foundations and the first course

Brickwork needs a solid, level footing — usually a concrete foundation extending below the frost line for anything structural — sized by the related concrete calculator. The first course is the most important you will lay, because every course above follows it: get it dead level and straight, with consistent joints, and the wall rises true. Set up a line and gauge rod to keep courses level and evenly spaced as you build. Rushing the base course to save time is a false economy that shows in every course above it.

Joints, weather and longevity

Tool the mortar joints as they firm up — a concave or weathered joint sheds water far better than a flush or raked one, which is why joint profile is a durability choice, not just an aesthetic one. Do not lay brick in freezing conditions, when mortar cannot cure properly, or in the full heat of summer without keeping it damp, when it dries too fast and weakens. Protect fresh work from rain and frost while it cures. Well-built brickwork with sound mortar and tooled joints lasts for generations; the material order is the easy part, and an accurate count simply ensures the job is not interrupted by a supply run.

Estimating cost and labour

Brick itself ranges widely in price — standard common brick is inexpensive, while specialty, reclaimed and handmade bricks cost far more — but on most jobs the labour dwarfs the material, because bricklaying is slow, skilled work. To the brick and mortar add sand for site-mixed mortar, a concrete footing, wall ties and any reinforcement, and the tools to lay and tool the joints. The calculator's brick and mortar counts let you price the material and judge the scale of the job. A small garden or screen wall is achievable for a patient DIYer willing to learn to lay level, plumb courses with consistent joints; a large or structural wall is a job for an experienced mason. Whichever route, an accurate brick count avoids the twin problems of running short mid-course — which leaves an ugly cold joint — and over-ordering heavy, awkward-to-return brick that then clutters the site.