Bricks and mortar
Type feet and inches like 12'6" or just 12.5. Add each wall with its doors and windows. Tick Subtract for a big opening, like a garage door. Everything is saved on this device.
About the brick calculator
This free brick calculator tells you how many bricks you need for a wall. Enter the length and height of each wall and how many doors and windows it has. Pick your brick size — US modular, UK, European or Australian — and the mortar joint.
You get the number of bricks with an extra for cuts and breaks, the bags of mortar mix, the wall area and the cost. It works for a garden wall, a brick veneer on a house, a barbecue or a planter.
Features
- Bricks to buy — wall area ÷ (brick + joint), with 5–10% extra, rounded up
- 9 brick sizes — US modular, standard, engineer, king and utility, UK, European NF and DF, Australian, or your own
- Doors and windows — counted per wall and taken off; change their size under More options
- One or two bricks deep — single wythe (veneer) or double wythe (solid wall)
- Mortar — the volume of the joints plus extra for waste, in 80 lb, 60 lb, 25 kg or 20 kg bags
- Any wall — plain walls and gable walls with a peak; subtract a big opening
- Cost — price per brick and per bag, with a total
- Saved on this device — the list is still there at the brickyard
Bricks per square foot and per square metre
One brick covers its face plus one joint. These counts are for a wall one brick deep:
| Brick | Face size | Joint | Bricks per sq ft | Bricks per m² | Mortar per 1,000 bricks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US modular | 7 5/8 × 2 1/4 in | 3/8 in | 6.86 | 73.8 | 8.1 cu ft (228 L) |
| US standard | 8 × 2 1/4 in | 3/8 in | 6.55 | 70.5 | 8.4 cu ft (237 L) |
| US engineer modular | 7 5/8 × 2 13/16 in | 3/8 in | 5.65 | 60.8 | 8.5 cu ft (241 L) |
| US king | 9 5/8 × 2 3/4 in | 3/8 in | 4.61 | 49.6 | 8.3 cu ft (235 L) |
| US utility | 11 5/8 × 3 5/8 in | 3/8 in | 3.00 | 32.3 | 12.3 cu ft (348 L) |
| UK / metric | 215 × 65 mm | 10 mm | 5.51 | 59.3 | 10.5 cu ft (297 L) |
| European NF | 240 × 71 mm | 10 mm | 4.59 | 49.4 | 13.0 cu ft (369 L) |
| European DF | 240 × 52 mm | 10 mm | 5.99 | 64.5 | 12.3 cu ft (347 L) |
| Australian | 230 × 76 mm | 10 mm | 4.50 | 48.4 | 12.3 cu ft (348 L) |
The mortar column is the joints only, with no waste. Many US brick tables say 6.75 modular bricks per sq ft, because they count three courses as exactly 8 in. With a real 3/8 in joint the math gives 6.86.
Worked example
The page opens on a 20 × 8 ft wall with one window, in US modular brick with 3/8 in joints:
- Wall: 20 × 8 = 160 sq ft, minus one window (15 sq ft) = 145 sq ft
- Bricks: 145 × 6.86 = 994 before the extra
- With 5% for cuts and breaks: 1,044 bricks
- Mortar: 994 bricks × 8.1 cu ft per 1,000 = 8.0 cu ft, plus 25% for waste = 10.0 cu ft
- Bags: 10.0 ÷ 0.67 → 15 bags of 80 lb mortar mix
For the same wall two bricks deep, you need 2,087 bricks and about 39 bags: twice the bricks, plus the joint between the two layers.
In metric, a 6 × 2.5 m wall with one window (1.4 m²) in UK bricks with 10 mm joints is 13.6 m². That is 847 bricks with 5% extra and about 24 bags of 25 kg mortar mix.
What is a wythe?
A wythe is one layer of bricks, one brick deep. A brick veneer on a house is one wythe, tied to the wall behind it. A solid garden or retaining wall is often two wythes with a mortar joint between them. Pick Two bricks deep for that and the tool doubles the bricks and adds the middle joint to the mortar.
Mortar is an estimate
The tool works out the space between the bricks and adds 25% for waste (you can change it). Real use can be higher: mortar falls off the trowel, joints are not all the same, and bricks with holes or a frog take more. Read the yield on your bag — it may differ from the sizes here — and buy one or two extra bags.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are in a square foot?
About 6.86 US modular bricks with a 3/8 in joint (brick tables often say 6.75). A US standard brick gives 6.55 and a utility brick 3.00.
How many bricks are in a square metre?
About 59–60 UK bricks (215 × 65 mm) with 10 mm joints, for a wall one brick deep. A wall two bricks deep needs twice as many.
How many bricks for a 10 × 10 ft wall?
100 sq ft × 6.86 = 686 modular bricks, or 720 with 5% extra, and about 11 bags of 80 lb mortar mix.
How much mortar do I need for 1,000 bricks?
About 8 cu ft for US modular bricks with 3/8 in joints, before waste. With 25% extra that is 10 cu ft, or about 15 bags of 80 lb mortar mix.
Do I take off doors and windows?
Yes. Type how many doors and windows each wall has. The tool takes off 21 sq ft for a door and 15 sq ft for a window. Change these sizes under Mortar, prices, doors and windows.
Can I use metres and centimetres?
Yes. Switch to Metres & cm. The tool opens on UK bricks with 10 mm joints and 25 kg mortar bags.
Related tools
- Concrete Calculator — a concrete footing under the wall
- Paver Calculator — pavers, base and sand for a patio
- Drywall Calculator — sheets for an inside wall
- Paint Calculator — paint for walls, with a setting for brick
- Square Footage Calculator — the area of any shape
How to use it
- Choose Feet & inches or Metres & cm
- Enter the length and height of each wall, and its doors and windows
- Use Add another wall for more walls, and Subtract for a big opening
- Pick the brick size (or type your own) and check the mortar joint
- Pick one or two bricks deep and the extra for cuts and breaks
- Pick the mortar bag, add prices if you like, and press Copy the list
