Brick Calculator

Calculate bricks and mortar needed for a wall by length, height, and brick size.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated October 2026 · Source: Brick Industry Association, Technical Note 10: Dimensioning and Estimating Brick Masonry · Methodology

ft
ft
Brick Size
in
%
Brick Veneer (needs wall ties)

Bricks Needed

1,651

Masonry Cement Bags

14

Material Cost

$993.50 - $2,644.50

Brick Calculation

Wall Area240 sq ft
Bricks per sq ft (standard)6.55
Bricks (before waste)1,572
Bricks Needed (with waste)1,651
Masonry Cement Bags14
Mortar Volume (with waste)13.9 cu ft

Cost Estimate

Bricks ($0.50 - $1.50 each)$825.50 - $2,476.50
Masonry Cement (~$12/bag, sand extra)$168.00
Total Material Cost$993.50 - $2,644.50

Quantities follow Brick Industry Association Technical Note 10 (675 modular or 655 standard bricks and 5.5 to 6.9 cubic feet of mortar per 100 sq ft; 8 bags of masonry cement per 1,000 bricks). Prices are rough assumptions; get local quotes.

Use the Brick Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only. Results are estimates from the numbers you enter and the assumptions described on this page; check them against local building codes, product specifications and current prices, and have structural, electrical or gas work designed or checked by a licensed professional.

How It Works

Pricing out a wall means knowing two numbers up front: how many bricks the job takes and how much mortar binds them. Feed in your wall dimensions and brick size, and the count lands before you place an order, which keeps you from hauling home pallets you'll never lay. DIY builders and trade professionals lean on the same figures for the same reason.

Brick count comes from multiplying the wall area (length × height, in feet) by a fixed bricks-per-square-foot figure for the brick size you choose, then adding the waste percentage you enter (5% by default) and rounding up. The bricks-per-square-foot figures are the Brick Industry Association's (Technical Note 10): 6.75 for modular brick and 6.55 for the non-modular 8-inch standard brick. Mortar is 5.5 cubic feet per 100 square feet with 3/8-inch joints or 6.9 with 1/2-inch joints, and masonry cement is estimated at TN10's 8 bags per 1,000 bricks, more with the wider joint (sand is extra). A veneer wall adds one tie for every 2.67 square feet, the most a tie may support under the residential code. Costs use $0.50-$1.50 per brick, about $12 per bag of masonry cement and $0.25 per tie, rough assumptions; labor is not included.

Build in that waste factor without exception, since breakage and miscuts catch even seasoned masons. Verify your brick dimensions before you commit, because non-standard sizes shift the final count considerably. Mortar formulations also differ from batch to batch, so confirm the mix ratio with your supplier before ordering material.

Example: 30 × 8 ft Garden Wall

  1. 1 Input: wall length 30 ft, height 8 ft, Standard brick (8 × 3.5 × 2.25 in), 5% waste, not a veneer wall (the calculator's defaults).
  2. 2 Wall area = 30 × 8 = 240 sq ft. At 6.55 standard bricks per sq ft: 240 × 6.55 = 1,572 bricks, plus 5% = 1,651 bricks (modular brick at 6.75 would need 1,701).
  3. 3 Mortar: 240 ÷ 100 × 5.5 = 13.2 cubic feet, 13.9 with waste. Masonry cement: 1,651 ÷ 1,000 × 8 = 13.2, rounded up to 14 bags, mixed with sand on site. With 80-lb bags of premixed mortar instead, which Quikrete rates at up to 37 standard bricks each, the wall would need about 45 bags.
  4. 4 Material cost: bricks $825.50-$2,476.50 plus masonry cement 14 × $12 = $168, a total of $993.50-$2,644.50, or about $4.14-$11.02 per square foot of wall before labor and sand.

Source: Brick Industry Association, Technical Note 10: Dimensioning and Estimating Brick Masonry · Last updated: October 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bricks do I need per square foot of wall?
A standard modular brick (3-5/8 x 2-1/4 x 7-5/8 inches) with standard 3/8 inch mortar joints requires about 6.75 bricks per square foot. Always order 5-10% extra for breakage and cuts.
How much mortar do I need per 1,000 bricks?
It depends on the bag. The Brick Industry Association cites a rough mason's rule of eight bags of masonry cement, mixed with sand, per 1,000 modular bricks. Premixed mortar already contains the sand, so a bag goes less far: Quikrete rates an 80-lb bag of its Mortar Mix at up to 37 standard bricks, or about 27 bags per 1,000. Wider joints or larger bricks will require more mortar.
How much does it cost to build a brick wall?
This calculator prices materials only: bricks at $0.50-$1.50 each, mortar at about $12 a bag and veneer ties at $0.25. For its default 30 × 8 ft wall of standard brick that is $1,054.50-$2,755.50, about $4.40-$11.50 per square foot. Labor is not included, so get quotes from local masons for installed prices.

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