Calcmeister

Brick calculator

Select your brick size and application (wall or patio), then enter the length and height (for wall) or length and width (for patio) in feet. Adjust the mortar joint thickness and waste factor to estimate the number of bricks and material cost.

ft

Length of the wall or patio.

ft

For wall, enter the height. For patio, enter the width.

in

Typical mortar joint is 3/8 inch.

%

Recommended 10% for walls, 15% for patios.

$ per thousand

Cost per 1000 bricks.

Bricks needed
– bricks
Area
– ft²
Brick material cost
– $

    How It Is Calculated

    This calculator estimates the number of bricks needed for a wall or patio based on the dimensions you provide. The calculation follows these steps:

    1. Select the brick size from the options. Each brick has three dimensions: length, height, and width. For a wall, the exposed face is length × height; for a patio, the exposed face is length × width.
    2. Add the mortar joint thickness to both face dimensions to get the effective dimensions per brick.
    3. Compute the effective area per brick in square inches: El × Eh (wall) or El × Ew (patio), where El = face length + joint, Eh = face height + joint, and Ew = face width + joint.
    4. Calculate bricks per square foot: 144 ÷ effective area per brick.
    5. Calculate total area in square feet: L × H (wall) or L × W (patio), where L is length, H is height, and W is width.
    6. Raw bricks = area × bricks per square foot.
    7. Apply waste factor: total bricks = raw bricks × (1 + Wf/100), rounded up to the nearest whole number, where Wf is the waste percentage.
    8. Material cost = (total bricks ÷ 1000) × P, where P is the brick price per thousand, rounded to two decimals.

    Formulas:

    Effective area per brick (in²) = (face length + joint) × (face height or width + joint)

    Bricks per ft² = 144 ÷ effective area per brick

    Area (ft²) = length × height (wall) or length × width (patio)

    Raw bricks = area × bricks per ft²

    Total bricks = ceil(raw bricks × (1 + waste / 100))

    Material cost = (total bricks / 1000) × brick price per thousand

    Assumptions

    Worked Example

    Suppose you are building a wall (Application = Wall) using Modular bricks (3.5" × 2.25" × 7.5"). The wall is 10 ft long and 8 ft high. Mortar joint thickness is 0.375 in, waste factor is 10%, and brick price is $500 per thousand.

    1. Face dimensions for wall: length = 7.5 in, height = 2.25 in.
    2. Effective length = 7.5 + 0.375 = 7.875 in; effective height = 2.25 + 0.375 = 2.625 in.
    3. Effective area per brick = 7.875 × 2.625 = 20.671875 in².
    4. Bricks per ft² = 144 ÷ 20.671875 ≈ 6.966.
    5. Area = 10 × 8 = 80 ft².
    6. Raw bricks = 80 × 6.966 ≈ 557.28.
    7. With 10% waste: 557.28 × 1.10 ≈ 613.01, rounded up to 614 bricks.
    8. Material cost = (614 ÷ 1000) × 500 = 0.614 × 500 = $307.00.

    Results: Bricks needed = 614 bricks, Area = 80.0 ft², Brick material cost = $307.00.

    Practical Tips

    Questions and answers

    How do I measure the length and height of my wall?

    Measure the total length of the wall from end to end, and the height from the foundation to the top where bricks will end. Use a tape measure and record in feet.

    What if my wall has windows or doors?

    The calculator assumes a solid rectangular area. For openings, subtract their area from the total area before using the calculator, or manually adjust the final brick count.

    Can I use this calculator for a brick patio?

    Yes, select 'Patio' as the application. The calculator then uses the brick's length and width as the exposed face, and you enter the patio's length and width.

    Why is the waste factor recommended at 10% for walls and 15% for patios?

    Walls typically have fewer cuts and less breakage, while patios often require more cutting around edges and obstacles, leading to higher waste.

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    Last reviewed: 2026-10-15. Results are estimates for planning. Check them before you rely on them for design, purchase or safety decisions.