How many bricks per square foot?
The Brick Industry Association's estimating table gives these counts for a single wythe — one brick thick — with 3/8 in mortar joints:
| Brick | Actual size (W × H × L) | Bricks per sq ft | Per 100 sq ft | Mortar per 1,000 bricks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modular | 3-5/8 × 2-1/4 × 7-5/8 in | 6.75 | 675 | 8.1 cu ft |
| Standard (non-modular) | 3-5/8 × 2-1/4 × 8 in | 6.55 | 655 | 14.5 cu ft |
| Queen | 2-3/4 × 2-3/4 × 7-5/8 in | 5.5 | 550 | 12.2 cu ft |
| Engineer modular | 3-5/8 × 2-13/16 × 7-5/8 in | 5.63 | 563 | 8.5 cu ft |
| King | 2-3/4 × 2-5/8 × 9-5/8 in | 4.55 | 455 | 14.2 cu ft |
| Norman | 3-5/8 × 2-1/4 × 11-5/8 in | 4.5 | 450 | 11.2 cu ft |
| Utility | 3-5/8 × 3-5/8 × 11-5/8 in | 3.0 | 300 | 12.3 cu ft |
Queen and king sizes are common on the brick veneer of newer houses; modular is the classic size for garden walls, planters and fireplaces. Brick names vary by manufacturer, so check the actual dimensions on the pallet tag.
Why you'll see 6.86 elsewhere
Many calculators divide a square foot by the brick's actual height plus a 3/8 in joint (2-5/8 in), which gives 6.86. BIA instead uses the modular height of 2-2/3 in — three courses to exactly 8 in, the way masons lay out a modular wall — which gives 6.75. The difference is 11 bricks per 1,000; your breakage allowance covers it either way.
Brick calculator for a wall
- Measure each wall face: length × height.
- Subtract about 21 sq ft for each door and 15 sq ft for each window.
- Multiply by bricks per square foot for your size.
- Add 5% for a plain running-bond wall, 10% or more for corners, piers, openings, soldier courses or a pattern bond.
A 20 ft × 8 ft garden wall with one window opening is 145 sq ft of brick, which is 979 modular bricks exactly and about 1,028 with 5%. A double-wythe wall — two bricks thick — needs twice that, plus wall ties or header courses between the layers.
Building a block wall with a brick face? Count the block backup separately with the concrete block calculator. Every brick wall that isn't veneer over a house also needs a footing below the frost line.
Mortar for brick
The calculator gives mortar two ways:
- Premixed bags — QUIKRETE rates an 80 lb bag of Mortar Mix at up to 37 standard bricks, so 1,000 bricks takes about 27 bags. This is what most DIY projects use.
- Masonry cement and sand — BIA quotes the masons' rule of thumb that eight bags of masonry cement lay 1,000 modular bricks, each bag mixed with about three cubic feet of sand. Larger bricks with more joint per brick scale up from there.
The mortar calculator works it backward from a brick count if you already know how many you're laying. Our advice for a first brick project: buy one more bag than the estimate, because running out halfway through a course leaves a visible color change in the joints.
