Brick Calculator
Enter your wall’s length, height, and openings to find out how many bricks and mortar bags you need. The calculator adjusts for modular, queen, and king brick sizes.
Total area of doors, windows or other openings to subtract.
Covers cuts, breakage and layout waste. 5–10% is normal.
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Ordering tips
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Coverage & waste
Material profile
For a 20 ft × 8 ft wall (160 sq ft) with 20 sq ft of openings, you need 140 sq ft of net brick coverage. Using standard modular brick at 0.116 sq ft each, that comes to 1,328 bricks with a 10% waste allowance, plus 11 mortar bags — about $995.20 total at $0.65 per brick and $12 per mortar bag.
How many bricks do common wall sizes need?
These figures use standard modular brick (0.116 sq ft each) and a 10% waste allowance.
| Wall size | Openings | Units needed | Mortar bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft × 4 ft | 0 sq ft | 380 bricks | 4 bags |
| 15 ft × 6 ft | 10 sq ft | 759 bricks | 7 bags |
| 25 ft × 8 ft | 25 sq ft | 1,660 bricks | 14 bags |
| 30 ft × 9 ft | 30 sq ft | 2,276 bricks | 19 bags |
| 40 ft × 10 ft | 40 sq ft | 3,414 bricks | 28 bags |
| 50 ft × 12 ft | 50 sq ft | 5,216 bricks | 42 bags |
Brick sizes and coverage per unit
| Type | Coverage / unit | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard modular brick (3.625 x 2.25 x 8in) | 0.116 sq ft | 3.625 x 2.25 x 8in | Veneer walls, standard construction |
| Queen size brick (3 x 2.75 x 9.625in) | 0.135 sq ft | 3 x 2.75 x 9.625in | Modern veneer, fewer joints |
| King size brick (2.75 x 2.75 x 9.625in) | 0.163 sq ft | 2.75 x 2.75 x 9.625in | Contemporary veneer |
How to calculate how many bricks you need
- Measure the wall Multiply length by height in feet to get gross wall area.
- Subtract openings Deduct the square footage of windows, doors, and any other unbricked openings.
- Add your waste allowance Multiply net area by 1 plus your waste percentage (10% is typical) to cover cuts and breakage.
- Divide by coverage per brick Divide by the coverage of your chosen brick size — 0.116 sq ft for modular, 0.135 for queen, 0.163 for king — and round up.
- Calculate mortar bags Divide the brick count by roughly 125 bricks per mortar bag and round up.
Worked example
Here’s the math for a 20 ft × 8 ft wall with 20 sq ft of openings using standard modular brick.
- Wall length × height20 ft × 8 ft = 160 sq ft
- Openings deducted20 sq ft
- Net brick area140 sq ft
- Area with 10% waste154 sq ft
- Bricks needed (0.116 sq ft each, modular)1,328 bricks
- Mortar bags (1 per 125 bricks)11 bags
- Estimated material cost1,328 × $0.65 + 11 × $12 = $995.20
Typical wall sizes and brick quantities
| Wall size | Net area | Quantity needed |
|---|---|---|
| Small planter wall (8×2 ft) | 16 sq ft | 131 bricks |
| Mailbox column (3×4 ft) | 12 sq ft | 98 bricks |
| Garden wall (20×3 ft) | 60 sq ft | 489 bricks |
| House veneer accent wall (25×8 ft, opening) | 185 sq ft | 1,508 bricks |
| Fire pit surround wall (12×2 ft) | 24 sq ft | 196 bricks |
Ordering brick by the pallet
Standard modular brick typically ships around 500 bricks per pallet, or roughly 350–400 for larger queen or king sizes. Order from the same production run when possible — brick color and texture can shift noticeably between batches, and mismatched brick on a finished wall is hard to fix. Always add a few extra bricks beyond your calculated total for future repairs.
- Small jobs (under 500 bricks)Order from a single lot to guarantee color match
- Medium jobs (500–2,000 bricks)Confirm pallet count and reserve extra from the same run for repairs
- Large jobs (2,000+ bricks)Order by the full pallet and ask your supplier to hold the lot number
Common mistakes
- Not deducting window and door openingsOpenings reduce the net wall area that actually needs bricking
- Using the wrong coverage figure for brick sizeModular, queen, and king bricks have different sq ft coverage — mixing them up skews the count significantly
- Underestimating waste for cuts and returnsCorners, half-bricks, and pattern cuts use more material than a flat running-bond wall
- Ignoring mortar joint widthWider joints (over 3/8 in) reduce coverage per brick and increase mortar usage
- Mixing brick from different lotsColor and firing variation between batches shows clearly on a finished veneer wall
- Skipping extra bricks for future repairsDiscontinued brick styles make matching repairs difficult years later — order 3–5% extra and store them
What this calculator assumes
Adjust your result if your project differs from these.
- Coverage per brick (0.116 sq ft for modular, 0.135 for queen, 0.163 for king) assumes a standard 3/8 in mortar joint.
- Openings for doors, windows, and vents are subtracted from gross wall area before waste is applied.
- The default 10% waste allowance covers cuts, breakage, and corner returns.
- Mortar bags are estimated at roughly 1 per 125 modular bricks; larger brick sizes need proportionally fewer bags per unit.
- Brick and mortar counts are rounded up to the nearest whole unit.
- Pricing is a regional estimate — confirm current brick and mortar prices with your supplier.
Common questions
How many bricks per square foot?
Standard modular brick needs about 8.6 bricks per sq ft (1 ÷ 0.116), including a standard mortar joint.
Modular vs queen vs king brick – how does size change the count?
Queen brick needs about 14% fewer bricks than modular, and king brick needs about 29% fewer, since each unit covers more wall area.
How much mortar do I need per brick?
Roughly 1 mortar bag covers 125 modular bricks, though this varies with joint width and mortar type.
How many bricks come on a pallet?
Standard modular brick typically ships around 500 bricks per pallet.
Should I deduct window and door openings?
Yes. Subtract the total square footage of all openings from your gross wall area before calculating brick count.
How much waste should I add for brick?
10% is standard for straightforward running-bond walls. Increase to 15% or more for walls with lots of corners, returns, or pattern work.
How is the 0.116 sq ft brick coverage calculated?
It’s based on a standard modular brick face (3.625 × 2.25 in) plus a 3/8 in mortar joint, converted to sq ft.
What mortar joint width does the calculator assume?
A standard 3/8 inch joint, which is typical for most residential brick veneer.
How much do bricks cost per square foot installed?
At $0.65 per brick and roughly 8.6 bricks per sq ft, material alone runs about $5.60 per sq ft before labor and mortar.
Can I mix brick sizes on one wall?
It’s possible but uncommon — mixing sizes complicates coursing and mortar joints. Most walls use a single brick size throughout.
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Project
| Wall size | — |
| Openings deducted | — |
| Net area | — |
| Material | — |
| Waste allowance | — |
Shopping list
| Units needed | — |
| Mortar / mix | — |
| Estimated total cost | — |
Notes
Estimate generated by materialcalculate.com. Confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering.