Brick calculator
How many bricks a wall takes, by brick size — plus the mortar and sand to lay them.
Calculator
Detailed breakdown
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How to use this calculator
Measure
Measure the wall in feet and subtract the square footage of any doors or windows.
Calculate
Once you hit calculate, results update as you type. Change any number to compare options instantly.
Order
Print the estimate and take it to your supplier. Quantities are rounded up so you don't come up short.
Order the whole wall in one delivery
Brick is estimated per square foot of wall face, and the figure depends on the brick size and the mortar joint. A modular brick with a 3/8 inch joint takes 6.86 bricks per square foot of single-wythe wall. Standard is 6.55, queen 5.76, king 4.61 — the bigger the brick, the fewer you need and the less mortar you mix.
A 20 by 8 foot wall is 160 square feet, which in modular brick comes to 1,098 bricks before waste. At the usual 10 percent that's 1,208 bricks to order, plus about 21 bags of 70 lb mortar mix.
Ten percent is a higher waste factor than most materials need, and it's not padding. Brick is cut at every opening and corner, some arrives broken, and bricklayers pull from several pallets at once to blend color. That blending is also why you should order the whole job in one delivery: brick color varies between production runs, and a reorder three weeks later rarely matches the wall you already built.
The joint size changes the count more than people expect. These figures assume a 3/8 inch joint, which is the North American standard. A 1/2 inch joint means fewer bricks and more mortar; a tight 1/4 inch joint means more brick. If your mason works to a different joint, ask before you order.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks per square foot?
About 6.86 modular bricks per square foot of wall with a 3/8 inch mortar joint. Standard brick is 6.55, queen 5.76 and king 4.61.
How many bricks for a 20 by 8 foot wall?
About 1,098 modular bricks before waste, or roughly 1,208 with the usual 10 percent added for cuts and breakage.
How much mortar do I need per 1,000 bricks?
About 17 bags of 70 lb premixed mortar mix at a 3/8 inch joint. Premixed mortar already contains the sand — you add only water. If you are using masonry cement instead, you need far fewer bags plus roughly a third of a cubic yard of sand.
Why do I need 10 percent waste on brick?
Cuts at openings and corners, breakage in transit and handling, and color blending across pallets. It's a genuine allowance, not padding.
Can I order more brick later?
You can, but color varies between production runs, and a later batch often won't match. Order the whole job at once.
Does joint size change how many bricks I need?
Yes. These figures assume the 3/8 inch joint that is standard in North America. A 1/2 inch joint means fewer bricks and more mortar; a tight 1/4 inch joint means more brick. Ask your mason what joint they work to before you order.
Sources
Formulas and material assumptions on this page follow published industry guidance: