Brick Wall Calculator
Count the bricks or blocks for a wall — rectangle, gable end or total area — from the brick size, mortar joint, number of wythes, openings and waste, with mortar volume and bags, sand, courses, wall ties, pallets and the material cost.
How it works
wall area = length × height (+ length × gable rise ÷ 2) − openings · units = net area × units per sq ft × wythes · then × (1 + waste%), rounded up · mortar = units ÷ 1,000 × cu ft per 1,000 units (+ collar joints) × (1 + mortar waste%) · custom size: units per sq ft = 144 ÷ ((L + joint) × (H + joint))
A brick or block wall is counted by area, not by stacking individual pieces: each masonry unit covers a known share of a square foot once its mortar joint is included, so multiplying the net wall area — after subtracting doors and windows — by that per-square-foot figure gives the count for one wythe (one brick thick). The presets use the Brick Industry Association’s published quantities: standard brick runs 6.55 per square foot, modular 6.75, Norman 4.5 and an 8×16 concrete block 1.125. A double or triple wythe wall multiplies the count. Mortar is estimated the same way from the BIA’s cubic feet of mortar per 1,000 units for a 3/8 or 1/2 in joint, plus the collar joint between wythes and 15–25% mortar waste, then converted to bags of premixed mortar or to masonry cement and sand. A custom size is worked out from its face dimensions plus the joint. Courses come from the wall height and the unit’s course height, and a small waste allowance covers bricks broken on the saw and the odd cull.
Worked example
A 20 × 8 ft wall is 160 sq ft. In standard brick that is 160 × 6.55 = 1,048 bricks; add 5% breakage → 1,101 bricks. Mortar: 1,048 ÷ 1,000 × 14.5 cu ft = 15.2 cu ft, plus 20% waste = 18.2 cu ft — 29 bags of 80 lb premixed mortar. The wall rises 37 courses at 2 5/8 in. At $0.70 a brick and $9 a bag the materials cost $770.70 + $261 = $1,031.70. In 8×16 block the same wall is 160 × 1.125 = 180 blocks.
Sources: Brick Industry Association — Technical Note 10, Dimensioning and Estimating Brick Masonry · Quikrete Mortar Mix and Masonry Cement data sheets (bag yields)
Frequently asked questions
Does the count include mortar joints?
Yes. The per-square-foot figures already assume the mortar joint, which is why a standard brick about 8 in long counts as 6.55 rather than 8 per square foot — the joint takes up part of the face. Choosing a 1/2 in joint changes the mortar but not the BIA brick count, because brick made for wider joints is made slightly smaller.
How much mortar do I need for 1,000 bricks?
For modular brick with 3/8 in joints, about 8 cu ft of mortar before waste; for standard brick about 14.5 cu ft; and for 1/2 in joints 10–18 cu ft. Add 15–25% waste. In bags that is roughly one 80 lb bag of premixed mortar per 35–40 standard bricks or 12–13 concrete blocks, or one 70 lb bag of masonry cement mixed with about 240 lb of sand per 140 bricks.
Bricks or blocks for my wall?
Concrete block builds structural and foundation walls fast and cheap; face brick is chosen for appearance and is often a single-wythe veneer over block or framing, held with metal ties. Many walls use both — block for the structure, brick for the visible face.
How much waste should I add?
Five percent covers a straight wall with clean corners. Bump it to 10% where you have many openings, gable slopes, curves or a lot of cut bricks around windows and returns, and keep a few spare bricks from the same batch for repairs.
How many bricks are in one course?
Divide the wall length by the brick length plus one joint: about 29 standard bricks per course on a 20 ft wall. Three courses of modular brick rise exactly 8 in, so an 8 ft wall has 36 courses; standard brick with a 3/8 in joint rises 2 5/8 in per course.
Related calculators
Estimates only — add for waste and confirm against local building codes and supplier specs.