This brick calculator estimates how many bricks a wall, patio or project needs from its area and the brick size — using coverage rates that already include standard mortar joints.
Rates assume ⅜″ mortar joints and a single-wythe wall. Double-wythe (two bricks thick) walls double the count. Mortar: roughly one 60–80 lb bag of premix per 35–45 modular bricks laid — check your product’s yield.
How Brick Estimating Works
Bricks are counted by coverage: each brick plus its share of the mortar joint covers a fixed patch of wall. Modular bricks — the US standard — cover at 6.55 bricks per square foot with ⅜″ joints. Multiply wall area by the coverage rate, add waste, and round up: that is the whole estimate. For the bigger-format cousin of this same job, see the Concrete Block Calculator; both live in our Construction Calculators collection.
Worked Example (Verified)
A 20 ft × 8 ft wall (160 sq ft) in modular brick:
- Bricks: 160 × 6.55 = 1,048 bricks
- With 5% waste/cuts: 1,101 bricks — order that (bricks are typically sold by the cube of ~500)
- That is a single-wythe wall; a double-wythe structural wall needs ~2,200
Brick Sizes at a Glance
| Size | Dimensions (in) | Per sq ft (⅜″ joints) |
|---|---|---|
| Modular | 3⅝ × 2¼ × 7⅝ | 6.55 |
| Standard | 3⅝ × 2¼ × 8 | 6.86 |
| Queen | 3 × 2¾ × 7⅝ | 5.76 |
| King | 3 × 2⅝ × 9⅝ | 4.55 |
| Roman | 3⅝ × 1⅝ × 11⅝ | 6.00 |
Ordering Wisdom
- Dye lots: bricks vary between production runs — order the whole project (plus waste) at once from one lot. Matching a second delivery to a finished wall is a classic heartbreak.
- Waste: 5% for plain walls, 10% for lots of cuts, arches or diagonal patterns.
- Openings: subtract big windows and doors from the wall area before calculating if the order must be tight — the default area × rate flow here uses gross area.
- Mortar color changes everything visually — and takes roughly a bag of premix per 35–45 modular bricks; mock up a small panel before committing.
Related Tools
- Concrete Block Calculator — CMU walls
- Construction Calculators — the full collection
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bricks are in a square foot of wall?
For modular bricks with ⅜″ mortar joints: 6.55. King-size bricks cover more per brick (4.55/sq ft); thin standard bricks take 6.86.
How many bricks do I need for a 200 sq ft wall?
Modular: 200 × 6.55 = 1,310, plus ~5% waste → about 1,376. Use the calculator with your exact brick size.
How much mortar do I need per 1,000 bricks?
Very roughly 22–28 bags of 60–80 lb premix for modular bricks at ⅜″ joints — actual yield depends on joint size and brick; always confirm against the mortar maker’s coverage chart.
What is a wythe?
One vertical layer of bricks — a single-wythe wall is one brick thick. Structural brick walls are often two wythes with a collar joint; veneer walls are one wythe over a framed backup wall.
Do pavers use the same math?
Yes, with their own rate: 4×8 pavers laid flat cover about 4.5 per sq ft with sand joints (the calculator’s paver option uses a conservative no-mortar figure — check tightness of your pattern).
Is this brick calculator free?
Yes — free, instant, no sign-up.