Brick Calculator: Bricks, Mortar and Cost

1. Enter the wall length and height in feet or meters.
2. Choose a brick size preset (standard modular, queen, king or utility) or select Custom and enter your own dimensions.
3. Set the mortar joint width (default is 3/8 inch) and waste percentage (default is 10%).
4. Enter the number of doors and windows with their sizes to subtract from the wall area.
5. Optionally enter cost per brick and mortar bag cost to see a total estimate.
6. Toggle cavity wall to include wall tie calculations for double-wythe construction.

A brick calculator is a tool that estimates how many bricks and how much mortar you need to build a wall or complete a masonry project. It saves time by turning wall dimensions, brick sizes and mortar joint widths into a materials list before you visit the supplier.

The calculation is straightforward geometry: the net wall area divided by the effective face area of one brick (brick plus mortar joint) gives the brick count. A waste factor covers cuts, breakage and spares. Mortar volume is estimated from industry averages tied to the joint thickness and number of bricks.

Whether you are building a garden wall, a house extension or a commercial facade, getting the brick count right avoids costly return trips and reduces leftover waste. See the construction calculators hub for more building tools.

The calculator follows four steps: compute the net wall area, find the brick coverage rate, multiply for total bricks (with waste), then estimate mortar bags.

1. Multiply wall length by wall height to get gross area in square feet.
2. Subtract the area of every door and window opening to get net wall area.
3. Add the mortar joint width to both the brick length and height to get the effective face dimensions in inches.
4. Divide 144 (square inches per square foot) by the effective face area to get the bricks-per-square-foot rate.
5. Multiply net area by the rate and by the waste factor, then round up.
6. Estimate mortar at 7 bags of 70-lb mix per 1,000 bricks.

Why 144?

One square foot equals 12 inches by 12 inches, which is 144 square inches. Dividing 144 by the effective face area of one brick (in square inches) gives the number of bricks that fit in one square foot of wall face.

Take a wall that is 20 feet long and 8 feet high with one 3 x 7 foot door opening.

Gross area: 20 x 8 = 160 sq ft.

Door area: 3 x 7 = 21 sq ft.

Net area: 160 - 21 = 139 sq ft.

Effective brick face: Standard modular brick (7.625 in long, 2.25 in high) with a 3/8 inch mortar joint gives an effective face of 8.0 x 2.625 inches = 21.0 sq in.

Bricks per sq ft: 144 / 21.0 = 6.86 bricks per sq ft.

Total bricks: 139 x 6.86 x 1.10 (10% waste) = 1,048.6, rounded up to 1,049 bricks.

Mortar bags: 1,049 / 1,000 x 7 = 7.34, rounded up to 8 bags of 70-lb mortar mix.

If bricks cost $0.75 each and mortar bags cost $8.00 each, the estimated material cost is (1,049 x $0.75) + (8 x $8.00) = $786.75 + $64.00 = $850.75.

Bricks come in several standard sizes defined by the Brick Industry Association (BIA). The size affects how many bricks you need per square foot and how the wall looks.

Standard modular is by far the most common in residential construction. Queen bricks are taller and give a different coursing pattern, while king bricks are longer and reduce the brick count per square foot. Utility bricks are large format units used in commercial and industrial walls.

The mortar joint width changes the effective face area of each brick, which directly affects the brick count per square foot.

A wider joint means each brick takes up more wall face, so you need fewer bricks but more mortar. A narrower joint gives a tighter look and uses more bricks. The 3/8-inch joint is the industry standard for most residential and commercial masonry.

The calculator gives a solid baseline, but several real-world factors move the final number up or down.

Bond Pattern

A running bond (the most common) wastes the least. Flemish bond, English bond and herringbone patterns require more cuts at corners and edges, increasing waste to 12 to 15 percent.

Wall Openings

Arched or rounded openings waste more bricks than rectangular ones because of the cuts needed to follow the curve.

Wall Length and Corners

Short walls and walls with many corners need more cuts per unit area, which pushes the waste percentage higher.

Brick Quality

Lower-grade bricks may have a higher breakage rate on site, warranting a waste allowance of 12 to 15 percent instead of 10.

Mortar Joint Consistency

Uneven joints use more mortar per brick. The 7-bags-per-1,000-bricks figure assumes a clean, consistent 3/8-inch joint laid by an experienced mason.

Brick and concrete block are both unit-masonry products, but they differ in size, weight, cost and application.

Use the concrete block calculator if your project calls for CMU instead of clay brick.

Planning a New Wall

Before buying materials, run the calculator to get a bill of quantities so you can compare supplier quotes and budget accurately.

Estimating Project Cost

Enter the cost per brick and per mortar bag to see a ballpark material cost. Add labour separately based on local rates.

Checking a Contractor Quote

If a mason quotes you a certain number of bricks, run the calculator yourself to verify the estimate matches the wall dimensions and waste allowance.

DIY Garden or Landscape Walls

Small walls, planters and barbecue surrounds are common DIY projects. The calculator helps you buy the right amount without multiple trips to the yard.

1. Forgetting to Subtract Openings

Doors and windows can remove 10 to 20 percent of the wall area. Skipping them inflates the order and wastes money.

2. Using Zero Waste

Every masonry project has cuts, breakage and off-spec units. At least 5 percent waste is unavoidable; 10 percent is safer for running bond.

3. Confusing Brick Depth with Height

Brick depth (the bed dimension) does not affect the face area. Only length and height determine how many bricks cover a square foot.

4. Ignoring the Mortar Joint

The joint adds to the effective face size. Without it, you overcount by about 7 to 10 percent.

5. Mixing Metric and Imperial

A brick that is 230 mm long is 9.06 inches, not 230 inches. Always work in one unit system or convert carefully.

The geometry is exact for a flat, rectangular wall face with rectangular openings. Real-world conditions introduce variation.

With a standard modular brick (7.625 x 2.25 inches) and a 3/8-inch mortar joint, you need about 6.86 bricks per square foot of wall face. Larger bricks or wider joints lower that number.

Multiply wall length by height to get the gross area, subtract door and window openings, then multiply the net area by the bricks-per-square-foot rate and add your waste percentage.

A standard modular brick in the United States is 7.625 inches long, 2.25 inches high and 3.625 inches deep. With a 3/8-inch mortar joint the nominal face is 8 x 2.667 inches.

About 7 bags of 70-lb mortar mix per 1,000 bricks when using a standard 3/8-inch mortar joint. Wider joints or inconsistent application increase mortar use.

Ten percent is standard for running bond on a simple rectangular wall. Use 12 to 15 percent for complex patterns, many corners, or lower-quality bricks.

Running bond offsets each course by half a brick, which is stronger and the most common pattern. Stack bond aligns every course vertically, which is weaker but used for decorative effect.

For a cavity wall, plan on one wall tie per 2.67 square feet of wall area. A 100-square-foot wall needs about 38 ties.

Yes. Switch to metric mode and enter wall dimensions in meters and brick dimensions in millimeters. The calculator converts internally and reports results in the same way.

Material cost depends on brick price (typically $0.50 to $1.50 each) and mortar ($6 to $12 per bag). Enter your local prices to see an estimate. Labour is additional.

A double-wythe (cavity) wall needs roughly twice the bricks of a single wythe. Calculate each wythe separately, then add wall ties. Toggle the cavity-wall option in the calculator for tie estimates.

• BIA Technical Note 3B - Brick Masonry Material Properties (Brick Industry Association; standard brick sizes, coursing tables and mortar joints).
• NCMA TEK Notes - Concrete Masonry Units (National Concrete Masonry Association; masonry construction standards and best practices).
• Quikrete - Mortar Mix Coverage (Quikrete; mortar bag coverage and application guidelines for masonry projects).
• TMS 402/602 Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures (The Masonry Society; structural masonry design and specification standards).