Brick Calculator: Estimate Total Bricks and Cost for Your Wall
Planning a brick wall, veneer, or facade project? Use this brick calculator to quickly find out how many bricks you need and the total material cost based on your wall dimensions, brick size, and mortar joint thickness.
Brick Calculator Formula
The calculation works in three steps: find the wall area, find the effective area of a single brick (including its mortar joint), then divide.
Step 1: Wall Area
Step 2: Effective Brick Dimensions
Add the mortar joint thickness to both the brick length and brick height, since each brick "occupies" extra space on the wall for its surrounding mortar.
Step 3: Total Bricks Required
Always round this up to the next whole brick, since you can't buy a fraction of a brick.
Step 4: Total Cost
Optional: Waste Allowance
Most contractors add 5–10% extra bricks to account for cuts, breakage, and corners.
Worked Example
Let's calculate bricks and cost for a standard exterior wall:
Wall Length: 17 ft
Wall Height: 10 ft
Brick Length: 8 in
Brick Height: 2.25 in
Mortar Joint Thickness: 0.375 in
Price per Brick: $0.50
Step 1 — Wall Area:
17 ft × 10 ft = 170 sq ft = 24,480 sq in
Step 2 — Effective Brick Area:
Effective Length = 8 + 0.375 = 8.375 in
Effective Height = 2.25 + 0.375 = 2.625 in
Effective Brick Area = 8.375 × 2.625 = 21.984375 sq in
Step 3 — Total Bricks:
24,480 ÷ 21.984375 = 1,113.5 → rounded up to 1,114 bricks
Step 4 — Total Cost:
1,114 × $0.50 = $557.00
With 10% waste allowance:
1,114 × 1.10 = 1,225.4 → rounded up to 1,226 bricks
1,226 × $0.50 = $613.00
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bricks do I need per square foot of wall?
For a standard modular brick (8" × 2.25") with a 3/8" mortar joint, you'll need roughly 6.5 bricks per square foot. This number changes with brick size and joint thickness, so it's best to run the exact calculation for your project.
Why do I add mortar joint thickness to the brick size?
Each brick on a wall is surrounded by a mortar joint on its top and side, which adds to the space it occupies. Ignoring the joint thickness would underestimate your effective coverage per brick and lead to buying fewer bricks than you actually need.
Should I subtract door and window openings from the wall area?
Yes. For accurate results, subtract the area of doors, windows, and any other openings from your total wall area before calculating bricks. This calculator gives you the gross wall estimate; net it down for openings on your actual project.
How much waste allowance should I add for bricks?
5% is typical for simple rectangular walls with few cuts. 10% or more is safer for walls with corners, arches, or a lot of custom cutting.
Does brick size affect the mortar joint calculation?
No, the mortar joint thickness is independent of brick size. It typically stays consistent (often 3/8 inch) across a project regardless of the brick dimensions used.