Brick Calculator
How many bricks a wall takes — based on the standard US modular brick with a ⅜ in mortar joint, the way masons actually count.
Result
| Wall area | |
| Bricks per ft² |
Units & conversions used
The count assumes the US modular brick (3⅝ × 2¼ × 8 in) laid with a ⅜ in mortar joint, so each brick covers 8⅜ × 2⅝ in of wall face — 6.55 bricks per square foot. Metric wall dimensions are converted to feet first; the brick itself is a US unit product.
Formula & source
Bricks = wall length(ft) × wall height(ft) × 6.55 × (1 + waste%)
Source: modular brick dimensions and the ⅜ in standard mortar joint are the long-standing US masonry convention; 6.55 bricks/ft² is the figure masonry estimating references publish for this brick-and-joint combination. Other brick sizes (queen, king, engineered) cover different areas — if your brick is not modular, measure its face, add ⅜ in to length and height, and divide into 144 the same way.
Worked example (you can verify by hand)
Input: 10 ft × 8 ft wall, 10% waste.
- Wall area: 10 × 8 = 80 ft²
- Bricks before waste: 80 × 6.55 = 524
- With 10%: 524 × 1.1 = 576.5 → round up
Expected output: 577 bricks to buy.
Limitations — what this cannot do
- Single-wythe wall (one brick thick). A double-wythe structural wall needs twice the count; veneer over framing is single-wythe.
- Openings (windows, doors) are not subtracted — measure them separately and deduct their area from the wall before calculating, or keep the excess as your cutting stock.
- It counts bricks only. Mortar for the job is in our mortar calculator; structural design (ties, lintels, reinforcement) follows local code.
FAQ
How many bricks are in a cube (pallet)?
A standard cube of modular bricks is commonly about 500 bricks (varies by manufacturer, roughly 500–530). Our example wall (577 bricks) is a little over one cube — order by the cube to get pallet pricing and delivery.
How many bricks do I need for a house?
It depends on the bricked area, not the house size: measure each wall (length × height), subtract windows and doors, multiply by 6.55, add 10%. A typical single-story brick veneer home often lands in the 6,000–10,000 brick range, but measure — do not guess from square footage of floor area.
How much do bricks cost?
Standard modular clay bricks commonly run about $0.50–$1.00 each at retail in the US (2025–2026), with face brick and specialty colors higher; per-cube pricing is lower per brick. Mortar, sand and delivery are separate — budget them with our mortar calculator.
Why 10% waste — can I use less?
Bricks are cut at every corner, opening and course end, and some arrive chipped. Experienced masons on simple rectangular walls can work with 5–7%; first-timers and patterned work should keep 10% or more. Leftover bricks are also your future repair stock — matching a discontinued color later is nearly impossible.