Brick Calculator
Find out how many bricks and how many bags of mortar you need for a wall.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Brick coverage | |
| Mortar, 80 lb bags | 0 |
| Mortar, 60 lb bags | 0 |
| Estimated brick cost |
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How the brick calculator works
Each brick plus one mortar joint takes up a fixed spot on the wall. The calculator adds your joint thickness to the brick's length and height, divides that into 144 square inches per square foot, and multiplies by the wall area left after subtracting doors and windows.
Mortar scales with how much joint area each brick needs. It is based on a manufacturer's figure that one 80 lb bag of mortar mix lays up to 37 standard bricks, then adjusted for your brick size and joint thickness. The extra-mortar setting covers spills and thicker joints.
Worked example: a 20 ft x 8 ft wall with one door
The wall is 160 sq ft. A door takes out about 20 sq ft, leaving 140 sq ft. Modular bricks with 3/8 inch joints cover 6.86 bricks per square foot, so you need about 960 bricks. Adding 5% for cuts and breakage gives 1,008 bricks. Mortar comes to about 28 bags of 80 lb mix with 10% extra.
Bricks per square foot, 3/8 inch joints
| Brick | Face size (in) | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Modular | 7-5/8 x 2-1/4 | 6.86 |
| Standard | 8 x 2-1/4 | 6.55 |
| Roman | 11-5/8 x 1-5/8 | 6.00 |
| Engineer | 7-5/8 x 2-13/16 | 5.65 |
| King | 9-5/8 x 2-5/8 | 4.80 |
| Norman | 11-5/8 x 2-1/4 | 4.57 |
| Utility | 11-5/8 x 3-5/8 | 3.00 |
Actual brick sizes vary slightly by manufacturer. Check the size on your brick.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are in a square foot of wall?
With modular bricks and 3/8 inch joints, about 6.9. Standard bricks need about 6.5, and larger bricks like Norman need about 4.6.
How much extra brick should I buy?
Five to ten percent is typical for cuts, chips and breakage. Add more for patterns, curves or lots of corners.
How many bricks does one bag of mortar lay?
One manufacturer states that an 80 lb bag of mortar mix lays up to 37 standard bricks. Real jobs often use more, so the calculator adds a mortar allowance. Always buy a spare bag.
Does a double wall need twice the bricks?
Yes. A double layer needs twice the bricks and about twice the mortar. Choose Double under Wall layers.
Estimates only. Confirm quantities with your supplier or mason, especially for structural or load-bearing walls.