How to use the brick calculator
Enter the wall's length and height, subtract any openings, and choose the brick. The count is for one wythe (one brick thick), which is what a brick veneer on a house is; choose double wythe for a solid freestanding wall two bricks thick. The calculator adds your waste allowance and works out the mortar from QUIKRETE's coverage figure.
The formula
bricks per ft² = 144 ÷ (nominal length × nominal height)
bricks = (wall area − openings) × bricks per ft² × wythes × (1 + waste)
mortar bags = bricks ÷ 37, rounded up
The nominal size is the brick plus one mortar joint. A modular brick is 7⅝ in long; add a ⅜ in joint and it occupies 8 in. It's 2¼ in tall, and three courses with their joints make exactly 8 in, so each course is 2⅔ in.
Worked example: a 10 × 8 ft wall of modular brick
- Area: 10 × 8 = 80 ft².
- Bricks: 80 × 6.75 = 540.
- With 5% extra: 540 × 1.05 = 567 bricks.
- Mortar: 567 ÷ 37 = 15.3, so 16 bags of 80 lb mortar mix.
- Courses: 96 in ÷ 2⅔ in = 36 courses.
Bricks per square foot by type
| Brick | Nominal face | Per ft² |
|---|---|---|
| Modular | 8 × 2⅔ in | 6.75 |
| Engineer modular | 8 × 3.2 in | 5.63 |
| Queen (non-modular) | 5 courses = 16 in | 5.50 |
| King (non-modular) | 5 courses = 16 in | 4.55 |
| Norman | 12 × 2⅔ in | 4.50 |
| Utility | 12 × 4 in | 3.00 |
Counts are from the Brick Industry Association's Technical Note 10 (Tables 4 and 5) for ⅜ in joints. Brick sizes vary by maker and region. If your supplier lists a "bricks per square foot" figure for the product, it's the best number to use.
Planning tips
- Lay out in whole bricks. Wall lengths that are multiples of 8 in (for modular) avoid cut bricks at corners and openings.
- Mix from several pallets as you lay, so color variation spreads evenly across the wall.
- Veneer needs ties and flashing. Brick veneer is tied to the structure behind with metal ties, with flashing and weep holes at the base and over openings. Those are code items; check your local requirements.
- Footing. A brick wall or veneer needs a footing or a brick ledge. See the footing calculator.
Common mistakes
- Using the actual brick size. 7⅝ × 2¼ gives 8.4 per ft² and overbuys by about 25%. Always use the nominal size including the joint.
- Forgetting the second wythe on garden walls built two bricks thick.
- Too little mortar. 37 bricks per bag is a best case. Buy a couple of extra bags.
Questions people ask
How many bricks are in a square foot?
6.75 modular bricks, laid in running bond with ⅜ in mortar joints. A modular brick lays out at 8 in long and 2⅔ in high including the joint (three courses make 8 in), and 144 ÷ (8 × 2⅔) = 6.75.
How many bricks do I need for a 10 x 8 wall?
80 square feet × 6.75 = 540 modular bricks, or about 570 with 5% for cuts and breakage.
How much mortar do I need for bricks?
QUIKRETE says an 80 lb bag of its Mortar Mix or Mason Mix lays up to 37 standard bricks. 540 bricks would take about 15 bags. Wider joints, deep tooling and waste use more.
What size is a standard brick?
In the US the most common is the modular brick: 7⅝ × 2¼ × 3⅝ in actual size, with a nominal size of 8 × 2⅔ × 4 in once the mortar joint is added. Queen, king and Norman bricks are longer or taller.
Do I subtract windows and doors when counting bricks?
Yes, subtract their full area, then add the extra percentage, which covers the cut bricks around the openings.
Sources and assumptions
- Brick Industry Association Technical Note 10: dimensioning and estimating brick masonry (modular brick 6.75 per ft²)
- QUIKRETE Mason Mix (No. 1136) data sheet: an 80 lb bag lays up to 37 standard bricks
- Counts per ft² for each brick type are BIA TN10 figures with ⅜ in joints. For 'Other size', the count is 144 ÷ ((length + joint) × (height + joint)).
Last reviewed 27 October 2026. Every formula on this page is checked against the worked example above in our automated tests. Found a problem? Tell us.