Brick Calculator
Calculate how many bricks and how much mortar you need for a wall, patio or chimney.
The brick calculator returns the brick count and mortar estimate for any masonry wall - garden walls, chimneys, retaining walls or facing on a stud wall. Enter the wall length, height and brick size, and the calculator accounts for the mortar joint thickness, which affects how many bricks fit per square foot. A 3/8 inch joint is the industry standard. Modular brick at 3/8 inch joints averages 6.86 bricks per square foot of wall face - so a 20 x 6 ft wall takes about 825 bricks plus 10% waste. Mortar usage runs about 7 bags of 70lb premix per 1000 modular bricks.
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Frequently asked questions
Modular brick with a 3/8 inch joint: 6.86 bricks per sq ft of wall. Standard brick: 6.55 per sq ft. Queen brick: 4.61 per sq ft. King brick: 4.82 per sq ft. Add a 5-10% waste factor for cuts, breakage and a buffer for repairs. Larger bricks (queen, king) finish a wall faster but cost more per brick.
A 20 ft x 6 ft wall is 120 sq ft. With modular brick at 6.86 per sq ft, you need about 823 bricks, or 905 including 10% waste. Mortar runs about 7 bags of 70lb mortar mix per 1000 bricks - so plan on 7 bags for this wall plus 1 cubic yard of sand if mixing from scratch.
Roughly 7 bags of 70lb premixed mortar (Type N) per 1000 modular bricks at a 3/8 inch joint. Smaller bricks need more mortar per square foot of wall - king brick uses ~9 bags per 1000. Type N mortar is standard for above-grade walls; Type S for below-grade or load-bearing brickwork.
3/8 inch is the industry standard for residential and commercial brickwork. 1/4 inch joints are sometimes used with precision-cut brick for a tighter modern look but require very straight bricks. 1/2 inch joints are common in older masonry and rustic builds where brick size varies.
Yes for any wall over 4 ft tall, exterior walls and any wall doing structural work. Brick veneer walls need corrugated metal ties every 16 inches into the stud wall behind. Freestanding masonry walls over 4 ft need rebar and typically a concrete-block back-up wall faced with brick - check local code.