Brick Calculator: How Many Bricks Do You Need for Any Wall?

Ordering too few bricks is a problem — dye lots vary between production runs, so bricks ordered later may not perfectly match your existing ones. Order way too many and you're stuck with pallets of unused material. Getting the count right before you order matters.

The CalcHub Brick Calculator calculates brick quantity from wall dimensions, adjusts for mortar joint size, and adds a waste factor automatically.

How Brick Quantity Is Calculated

The basic approach: figure out the area of the wall, then divide by the area covered by a single brick (including its mortar joint).

Bricks Needed = Wall Area ÷ (Brick Face Area + Mortar Joint Area)

For a standard US modular brick (3⅝" × 2¼" × 7⅝") with a ⅜" mortar joint:

• Brick face: 3.625" × 2.25" = 8.16 sq in


• With joint: 4.0" × 2.625" = 10.5 sq in


• Coverage per brick: 10.5 sq in ÷ 144 = 0.073 sqft per brick


• Bricks per sqft: 1 ÷ 0.073 = ~6.75 bricks per sqft (single wythe)

Most calculators round this to 7 bricks per sqft for standard modular brick.

Common Brick Sizes

Brick Type	Nominal Size (L×H×W)	Bricks per Sqft (single wythe)
Modular (US standard)	7⅝" × 2¼" × 3⅝"	~6.75
Queen	9⅝" × 2¾" × 3⅝"	~5.0
King	9⅝" × 2¾" × 4"	~4.5
Engineer	7⅝" × 2¾" × 3⅝"	~5.76
Jumbo	11⅝" × 3⅝" × 3⅝"	~3.5
Norman	11⅝" × 2¼" × 3⅝"	~4.5

For double-wythe walls (two brick widths thick), multiply by 2. For cavity walls, the calculation depends on your specific construction detail.

Example: Single-Car Garage Wall

You want to brick a garage wall 20 ft wide × 8 ft tall, single wythe. There's a 3 ft × 7 ft door opening.

1. Gross wall area: 20 × 8 = 160 sqft
2. Door opening: 3 × 7 = 21 sqft
3. Net area: 160 − 21 = 139 sqft
4. Using standard modular brick at 6.75/sqft: 139 × 6.75 = 938 bricks
5. Add 10% waste: 938 × 1.10 = 1,032 bricks

Round up to the next full pallet (typically 500 bricks) — you'd order 2 pallets (1,000 bricks) and supplement with a small additional order.

Mortar Estimation

For every 100 bricks, you'll need roughly:

• 3.5 cubic feet of mortar for standard modular brick with ⅜" joints


• A standard bag of mortar mix (70 lb) yields about 0.5 cubic feet


• So: ~7 bags of mortar per 100 bricks

For 1,032 bricks: approximately 72 bags of mortar mix.

Waste Factor Guidelines

Application	Recommended Waste Addition
Straight wall (simple)	5%
Wall with corners and openings	7–10%
Curved walls	10–15%
Herringbone or diagonal pattern	15–20%
Brick steps	10%

Always buy extra — having 5–10 leftover bricks is fine. Running out and needing to match from a different dye lot is not.

How do I account for multiple wall sections with windows and doors?

Calculate each wall section separately, subtract all opening areas, sum the net areas, then apply the waste factor to the total. The calculator lets you add multiple sections and openings.

What about brick for patios and driveways?

Flat-laid brick (pavers) uses a different calculation because you're covering an area, not a vertical face. For standard 4" × 8" pavers, you need about 4.5 bricks per sqft. The calculator has a paving mode for this.

How much does a pallet of bricks typically weigh?

Approximately 2,700–3,000 lbs depending on brick size and density. Make sure your delivery location and vehicle access can handle pallet delivery.

Related Tools

• Concrete Calculator — for footings and foundations below the brickwork
• Mortar Calculator — detailed mortar volume for masonry projects
• Tile Calculator — ceramic or stone tile for interior surfaces