Brick Calculator — How Many Bricks for a Wall?
Find how many bricks a wall takes. Enter the wall size and brick type, and this calculator returns the brick count (with waste) and the bags of mortar to lay them.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the wall length and height in feet (for openings, subtract their area first).
- Choose the brick type — modular brick runs about 7 per square foot of wall face.
- Keep a 10% waste allowance for cuts, breakage, and corners.
- Mortar is estimated at about 30 bricks per 80 lb bag; see the mortar calculator for block walls.
The formula
Brick counts are driven by how many bricks cover a square foot of wall face.
Bricks = wall area × bricks per sq ft × (1 + waste). A standard modular brick face is about 7 per square foot.
Mortar ≈ bricks ÷ 30 (an 80 lb bag of mortar lays roughly 30 standard bricks).
Worked example
A 20 ft × 8 ft wall in modular brick, 10% waste.
Area = 20 × 8 = 160 sq ftBricks = 160 × 7 × 1.10 = 1,232 bricksMortar = 1,232 ÷ 30 = 41.1 → 42 bags
A 20×8 ft modular brick wall needs about 1,232 bricks and 42 bags of mortar.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks per square foot?
A standard modular brick covers about 7 bricks per square foot of wall face including the mortar joints. Larger utility or jumbo bricks need fewer — around 4.5 per square foot.
How many bricks do I need for a wall?
Multiply the wall area by about 7 (for modular brick) and add 10% for waste. A 160 sq ft wall needs roughly 1,230 bricks.
How much mortar for a brick wall?
Plan about one 80 lb bag of mortar mix per 30 standard bricks. A 1,200-brick wall needs roughly 40 bags.