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CalcTheBuild

Brick Calculator

Planning a garden wall, a brick veneer or an extension? Enter the size of your wall, subtract doors and windows, pick your brick size and get the number of bricks, the mortar you need and a cost estimate in seconds.

ft
ft
sq ft

Total area of openings to subtract.

in
%
$
$

Your estimate

Bricks needed
1,578 bricks
Estimated total cost
$1,340.70
Net wall area
219 sq ft
Bricks without waste
1,503 bricks
Mortar volume
22.9 cu ft
Mortar bags
35 bags
Brick cost
$1,025.70
Mortar cost
$315.00

Assumes a single-wythe (half-brick) wall laid in running bond.

How to use this calculator

  1. Measure the length and height of the wall and enter them in feet or metres.
  2. Add up the area of any doors, windows or other openings and enter the total.
  3. Choose your brick size and mortar joint thickness (⅜″ in the US, 10 mm in the UK and Australia).
  4. Set a waste allowance. 5% suits most jobs; use 10% if you will make lots of cuts.
  5. Enter local prices for bricks and mortar bags to see the full material cost.

How the brick calculation works

Each brick covers its own face plus half of the mortar joint around it. The number of bricks per square metre is therefore 1 ÷ ((brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint)). A US modular brick with a ⅜″ joint works out at about 6.75 bricks per square foot; a UK standard brick with a 10 mm joint at about 60 bricks per square metre.

Mortar volume is the volume of the wall minus the volume of the bricks themselves. We increase it to allow for filled frogs and cores and for mortar dropped during laying, then divide it by the yield of a typical bag of premixed mortar to give you the number of bags.

Pro tips

  • Order all your bricks from the same batch. Colour can vary noticeably between production runs.
  • Double-wythe (full brick) walls need twice the bricks and a little over twice the mortar.
  • Wall ties are typically needed every 2.67 sq ft (0.25 m²) for brick veneer over a timber frame.

Frequently asked questions

How many bricks are in a square foot?

With US modular bricks and a ⅜″ mortar joint you need about 6.75 bricks per square foot. Queen size bricks need about 5.5 and utility bricks about 3.

How many bricks are in a square metre?

A single-skin wall of UK standard bricks (215 × 65 mm) with 10 mm joints uses roughly 60 bricks per square metre. Australian standard bricks need about 48.

How much mortar do I need for 1,000 bricks?

For modular bricks with ⅜″ joints, plan on roughly 20–25 bags of 80 lb premixed mortar per 1,000 bricks, or about 7 bags of masonry cement mixed with sand on site. Larger bricks or thicker joints need more.

How much waste should I allow for bricks?

5% is standard for straightforward walls. Use 10% for walls with many openings, corners or decorative bonds, as these need more cut bricks.

These results are estimates for planning and budgeting. Actual quantities depend on site conditions, products and workmanship. Check structural and code requirements with a licensed professional before you build.