Brick Calculator

Count the bricks for a wall from its size, brick type and openings, using Brick Industry Association quantities.

Rates verified Oct 26, 2026Formula explained below

Nominal sizes include the mortar joint. Brick makers list the nominal size of each product.

Extra for breakage and cuts. The table figures do not include waste. Leave at 0 for an exact count, or enter your own allowance.

Bricks needed

1,080

Bricks per square foot
6.75
Wall area after openings
160.0 sq ft

A wall of 160 sq ft, with 160 sq ft of brickwork after openings, needs about 1,080 bricks, including a 0% waste allowance.

Calculation breakdown

StepFormulaResult
Net wall area20 × 8 − 0 for openings160.00 sq ft
Bricks per square foot675 bricks per 100 sq ft ÷ 1006.75
Bricks160 sq ft × 6.75 × (1 + 0%), rounded up1,080

How it works

Enter the wall’s length and height, pick the brick size, and subtract the area of any doors and windows in the advanced options.

Net wall area = Length × Height − OpeningsBricks per sq ft = 144 ÷ (Nominal length × Nominal height), in inchesBricks = Net wall area × Bricks per sq ft × (1 + Waste ÷ 100), rounded up

The calculator uses the Brick Industry Association’s published bricks per 100 square feet: 675 for modular, 563 for engineer modular and 450 for closure modular.

Worked example

A wall 20 ft long and 8 ft high, modular brick, no openings and no waste allowance:

  1. Net wall area: 20 × 8 = 160 sq ft
  2. Bricks per square foot: 675 ÷ 100 = 6.75
  3. Bricks: 160 × 6.75 = 1,080 bricks

Rounding

Bricks are rounded up to whole bricks.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How many bricks do I need per square foot?

For modular brick with a nominal size of 4 by 2⅔ by 8 inches, the Brick Industry Association table gives 675 bricks per 100 square feet, which is 6.75 per square foot. Engineer modular brick takes 5.63 per square foot and closure modular 4.5.

How do you calculate bricks for a wall?

Multiply the net wall area, which is the gross area less doors and windows, by the number of bricks per square foot for your brick size. A 20 foot by 8 foot wall is 160 square feet, which takes 160 × 6.75 = 1,080 modular bricks.

What does nominal size mean?

A nominal dimension includes the thickness of the mortar joint, so the brick and one joint together equal the nominal length or height. The bricks per square foot is 144 divided by the nominal length times the nominal height, in inches.

Does the count include waste?

No. The Brick Industry Association quantities do not include waste, and neither does this calculator unless you enter your own allowance. The Association also lists correction factors for bond pattern and other conditions.

How much mortar do I need for bricks?

The Brick Industry Association gives a rough rule of thumb that eight bags of masonry cement will lay 1,000 modular brick, including an unspecified amount of waste. For bags of premixed mortar, see the mortar calculator on this site.

MortarBags for blocks and bricksSquare FootageArea of rooms and lotsConcreteCubic yards, bags & cost estimatePaver BaseSand & stone base

Estimates only. Quantities depend on the actual brick size, joint thickness and bond pattern, so confirm with your brick supplier.