Brick Calculator

How It Works

This calculator figures out how many bricks you need based on the area to cover and the brick size (including mortar joints). It supports standard, modular, and queen brick sizes and adds a 10% waste allowance for cutting and breakage.

The Formula

Variables

• Area_sqft — Length x Height (wall) or Length x Width (patio) in square feet
• BrickL — Brick length in inches (8" standard, 7.625" modular, 8" queen)
• BrickH — Brick height in inches (2.25" standard/modular, 2.75" queen)
• Mortar — Mortar joint width in inches (standard is 3/8")
• 144 — Square inches per square foot

Example

A 20 ft x 6 ft wall using standard bricks (8" x 2.25") with 3/8" mortar joints: area = 120 sq ft, ~6.55 bricks/sqft = 786 bricks. With 10% waste, order 865 bricks plus 7 bags of mortar.

Tips

• Standard bricks work for most residential projects -- modular bricks are slightly smaller and cheaper.
• Queen bricks have a taller face and create a more dramatic look with fewer courses per foot of height.
• Pre-soak bricks before laying them so they do not draw moisture out of the mortar too fast.
• Mortar joints can be tooled (shaped) for different looks: concave, V-joint, raked, or flush.
• For a patio, bricks are laid flat without mortar on a sand bed -- use the paver calculator pattern instead for dry-laid work.