Brick Calculator

Brick and Mortar Calculator

The Brick Calculator estimates the number of bricks and amount of mortar required for rectangular walls. It calculates the gross wall area, deducts doors and windows, and uses the selected brick dimensions and mortar-joint thickness to determine the brick quantity.

The calculator supports Imperial/US and metric measurements. It includes common US, UK and Australian brick-size presets, custom brick dimensions, multiple identical walls, separate waste allowances for bricks and mortar, mortar bag estimates and an optional brick material cost.

Brick Calculator Results

The main result is the estimated number of bricks to order after the selected brick waste allowance has been added. Whole bricks are always rounded up because partial bricks cannot be purchased as complete units.

The complete results include:

• Estimated bricks before waste
• Additional bricks included for waste
• Total bricks to order
• Gross wall area
• Area deducted for doors, windows and other openings
• Net brick area
• Bricks required per square foot or square meter
• Wet mortar volume in cubic feet and cubic meters
• Estimated mortar bags based on the entered bag yield
• Optional brick material cost

The optional cost result covers bricks only. Mortar, delivery, labor, equipment, reinforcement and other project expenses are not included.

Brick Quantity Formula

The calculator first determines the total wall area and deducts the combined opening area:

Gross wall area = wall length × wall height × number of identical walls

Net brick area = gross wall area − total openings

The exposed face of each brick includes its length, height and surrounding mortar joint:

Modular brick face area = (brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint)

The brick quantity before waste is then calculated:

Bricks needed = net brick area ÷ modular brick face area

The selected waste allowance is added before the final order quantity is rounded up:

Bricks to order = bricks needed × (1 + waste percentage ÷ 100)

Brick Calculation Example

Consider one wall measuring 20 feet long and 8 feet high with no openings. The gross and net wall area is:

20 × 8 = 160 square feet

A US modular brick measuring 7⅝ inches long and 2¼ inches high with a ⅜-inch mortar joint has a modular face size of 8 inches by 2⅝ inches.

Modular face area = 8 × 2.625 = 21 square inches

Convert the modular face area to square feet:

21 ÷ 144 = 0.145833 square feet

Calculate the unrounded brick quantity:

160 ÷ 0.145833 = approximately 1,097.14 bricks

The calculator rounds this to 1,098 bricks before waste. With a 10% waste allowance:

1,097.14 × 1.10 = approximately 1,206.86 bricks

The suggested order quantity is therefore 1,207 bricks. This includes 109 additional bricks compared with the rounded quantity before waste.

Brick Sizes and Mortar Joints

Brick dimensions vary by country, manufacturer and product. The calculator includes US modular, US queen, UK standard and Australian standard presets. A custom option is available for products with different dimensions.

The mortar joint affects the number of bricks required per unit of wall area. A wider joint creates a larger modular brick face and reduces the calculated number of bricks. Use the planned joint thickness rather than assuming that every brick project uses the same joint.

Mortar Volume and Bag Estimate

The mortar estimate assumes a single-wythe wall with a depth equal to the entered brick depth. The calculator estimates the wall volume and subtracts the volume occupied by the calculated bricks:

Mortar before waste = net wall volume − brick volume

The selected mortar waste allowance is then added. Estimated bags are calculated using the entered product yield:

Mortar bags = waste-adjusted mortar volume ÷ yield per bag

Mortar bags are rounded up to whole bags. Product yields differ, so the value printed on the selected mortar packaging should be used for a more relevant estimate.

Brick Waste Allowance

A brick waste allowance helps cover cuts, breakage, damaged units, color sorting and minor measurement differences. The required percentage depends on the wall layout, bond pattern, number of corners, openings and special details.

The calculator allows separate waste percentages for bricks and mortar. Waste should not be used to compensate for incorrect wall measurements or unsuitable brick dimensions.

Important Brick Estimate Limitations

This calculator is intended for standard rectangular wall faces. Its mortar calculation assumes a single-wythe wall. Double-wythe walls, cavity walls, piers, columns, corners, returns, arches, curved walls and sections with different dimensions may require separate calculations.

Bond patterns, brick frogs, perforations, recessed joints, cut bricks and workmanship can change actual brick and mortar use. The calculator does not determine wall thickness, structural capacity, reinforcement, foundations, wall ties, movement joints or compliance with local building requirements.

Confirm brick dimensions, packaging, mortar yield, bond details and final order quantities with the brick supplier, mason, contractor or project designer before purchasing materials.