Brick Calculator
Estimate how many bricks a wall takes from its length and height, using the bricks-per-square-foot for your brick size, plus a waste allowance.
How it works
First we find the wall's face area: length times height. A 20-foot wall that's 8 feet tall is 160 square feet of surface you need to cover with brick.
Then we multiply by how many bricks fill a square foot. A standard modular brick with a normal mortar joint takes about 6.86 bricks per square foot for a single wythe — one brick thick. So 160 square feet needs roughly 1,098 bricks.
Real jobs break and cut bricks, especially at corners and openings, so we add your waste percentage on top and round up. At 10 percent that 1,098 becomes about 1,208 bricks to order.
Frequently asked questions
Why 6.86 bricks per square foot?
That's the figure for a standard modular brick — about 8 inches long by 2⅔ inches tall — with a 3/8-inch mortar joint, laid a single wythe thick. Different brick sizes change the number, so the field is editable to match yours.
Does this account for mortar joints?
Yes — the bricks-per-square-foot figure already assumes a normal mortar joint between bricks. That's why it isn't just wall area divided by the face size of a bare brick; the joints take up real space in the wall.
What if my wall is more than one brick thick?
This estimates a single wythe. For a double-wythe wall, roughly double the count, and for cavity or veneer construction check your specific detail. When in doubt, order about 10 percent extra to cover cuts and breakage.