Brick Calculator
Count bricks for a wall from its area and the brick-plus-joint module size.
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What this tool does
Count bricks for a wall from its area and the brick-plus-joint module size. Default module is the published modular brick module: a 7⅝ × 2¼ in modular brick laid with a ⅜ in joint gives an 8 × 2⅔ in module = 6.75 bricks per sq ft. Change the module dimensions for other brick sizes.
How to use the Brick Calculator
- Enter or select length in ft.
- Enter or select height in ft.
- Enter or select brick module length incl. joint in in.
- Enter or select brick module height incl. joint in in.
- Enter or select wall thickness (wythes/leaves).
- Enter or select waste allowance (%).
- Read the calculated result; change any measurement to compare alternatives.
Formula
bricks per sq ft = 144 / (module length × module height); bricks = ceil(wall area × per-sq-ft × wythes × (1 + waste/100))
- length
- Length (ft, before metric conversion)
- height
- Height (ft, before metric conversion)
- brickL
- Brick module length incl. joint (in, before metric conversion)
- brickH
- Brick module height incl. joint (in, before metric conversion)
- wythes
- Wall thickness (wythes/leaves)
- waste
- Waste allowance (%)
Default module is the published modular brick module: a 7⅝ × 2¼ in modular brick laid with a ⅜ in joint gives an 8 × 2⅔ in module = 6.75 bricks per sq ft. Change the module dimensions for other brick sizes.
Worked example
For brick calculator, the following measurements illustrate the exact method: Length: 20; Height: 8; Brick module length incl. joint: 8; Brick module height incl. joint: 2.667; Wall thickness (wythes/leaves): 1; Waste allowance (%): 10.
Inputs
- Length20 ft
- Height8 ft
- Brick module length incl. joint8 in
- Brick module height incl. joint2.667 in
- Wall thickness (wythes/leaves)1
- Waste allowance (%)10
Result
- Bricks to buy1,188
- Bricks per square foot6.75
- Wall area160 sq ft
Common brick modules (⅜ in joint)
| Brick | Module (in) | Bricks / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Modular | 8 × 2.667 | 6.75 |
| Standard | 8 × 2.625 | 6.86 |
| Queen | 8 × 3 | 6 |
| King | 9.625 × 3 | 4.98 |
| Utility | 12 × 4 | 3 |
Results explained
- Bricks to buy
- Bricks to buy from the formula above. Default module is the published modular brick module: a 7⅝ × 2¼ in modular brick laid with a ⅜ in joint gives an 8 × 2⅔ in module = 6.75 bricks per sq ft. Change the module dimensions for other brick sizes.
- Bricks per square foot
- Bricks per square foot from the formula above. Default module is the published modular brick module: a 7⅝ × 2¼ in modular brick laid with a ⅜ in joint gives an 8 × 2⅔ in module = 6.75 bricks per sq ft. Change the module dimensions for other brick sizes.
- Wall area
- Wall area from the formula above, expressed in sqft before metric conversion. Default module is the published modular brick module: a 7⅝ × 2¼ in modular brick laid with a ⅜ in joint gives an 8 × 2⅔ in module = 6.75 bricks per sq ft. Change the module dimensions for other brick sizes.
Frequently asked questions
With the default modular module (8 × 2⅔ in including the ⅜ in mortar joint) it is 144 ÷ 21.33 = 6.75 bricks per sq ft of wall face.
80 sq ft × 6.75 = 540 modular bricks for a single-wythe wall before waste; the default 10% waste brings the order to 594.
Bricks are counted by the module they occupy — brick plus one joint. A thicker joint makes each module bigger, so fewer bricks (and more mortar) cover the same wall.
One vertical leaf of brickwork. A single-wythe veneer uses the count shown; a double-wythe structural wall needs twice as many bricks — set wythes to 2.
5% for straight walls with few cuts, 10% typical, 15% for arches, soldier courses and lots of openings. Bricks from one production run match in colour, so order enough the first time.
Roughly 500 modular bricks per cube, but it varies by size and maker — divide your count by your supplier's pack size to get cubes.