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How the Brick Calculator works
This calculator answers how many bricks and 80 lb bags of mortar you need for a single-wythe wall in running bond, such as a brick veneer or a garden wall, in modular, standard, queen or king brick.
Net wall area = length × height minus doors and windows. Multiply by the bricks per square foot for your size with 3/8" joints, from the Brick Industry Association (Technical Note 10): modular 6.75, standard 6.55, queen 5.50, king 4.55. Add waste and round up. Mortar is estimated at about 37 standard bricks per 80 lb bag of mortar mix (Quikrete), scaled up for larger bricks.
Example: a modular brick wall 30' long and 8' high is 240 sq ft; minus 40 sq ft of doors and windows leaves 200 sq ft. 200 × 6.75 = 1,350 bricks, plus 5% waste = 1,417.5, so 1,418 bricks. Mortar: 1,418 ÷ 37 = 38.3, so 39 bags of 80 lb.
The BIA recommends adding at least 5% for breakage and cutting, which is the default; use more for a wall with many cuts, soldier courses or arches. The count is for one wythe; a double-wythe wall needs about twice as many. Wall ties, flashing, lintels and weeps are not included, and actual brick sizes vary by maker, so check the size on the pallet.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks per square foot?
With 3/8" mortar joints: about 6.75 modular bricks per square foot (675 per 100 sq ft), 6.55 standard, 5.5 queen and 4.55 king, according to the Brick Industry Association. These are for a single wythe in running bond, before waste.
How many bricks can I lay with one bag of mortar?
About 37 standard bricks per 80 lb bag of mortar mix according to Quikrete (Sakrete says about 35 for its Type S), or roughly 2.7 bags per 100 bricks. Larger bricks such as king size take more mortar each. Joint size and dropped mortar change the real number, so the result is an estimate.
What size is a modular brick?
A modular brick is 3 5/8" × 2 1/4" × 7 5/8"; its nominal size with the joint is 4" × 2 2/3" × 8", so three courses rise 8". A standard brick is 3 5/8" × 2 1/4" × 8", a queen 3" × 2 3/4" × 8" and a king 3" × 2 3/4" × 9 3/4".
How much extra brick should I order?
The Brick Industry Association recommends at least 5% over the net count for breakage and cutting, and the calculator starts at 5%. Go higher for lots of cuts, corners or openings. A few extra bricks from the same lot also help match the color for later repairs.