Brick Calculator
This brick calculator estimates brick quantity and mortar for any wall from its length, height and thickness. It uses standard brick sizes with a 10 mm (⅜ in) mortar joint.
Choose a half-brick wall (single wythe, typical for partitions and veneers) or a one-brick wall (double wythe, for load-bearing walls), then add waste for cuts and breakage.
Enter valid values to see the results.
Formula
Standard rates: 60 bricks/m² for a half-brick wall and 120/m² for one brick (metric, 215×102.5×65 mm brick with 10 mm joints). Imperial: about 7 bricks/ft² single wythe, 14/ft² double (modular brick with ⅜ in joints). Mortar: ~0.02 m³ per m² single, ~0.05 m³ per m² double.
How to measure
- Measure wall length along the centreline and height from footing to top course.
- Subtract large openings (doors, windows) from the area, or use the Wall Area Calculator first and enter the net area here via length × height.
- Decide the wall thickness before ordering — a one-brick wall uses exactly twice the bricks of a half-brick wall.
Worked example
Practical tips
- Order bricks from a single batch — colour varies between kiln runs and patches show on finished walls.
- Keep 5% of bricks aside for future repairs; matching the same brick years later is often impossible.
- Mortar joints should be 10 mm (⅜ in); thicker joints waste mortar and weaken the wall.
- Store bricks off the ground and covered — wet bricks cause efflorescence (white salt stains).
Waste allowance
Use 5% waste for simple straight walls and 10–15% for walls with many corners, piers or arches where cutting is heavy.
Bricks per unit area (standard brick, 10 mm joints)
| Wall type | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Half brick (120 mm) | 60 / m² | 7 / ft² |
| One brick (250 mm) | 120 / m² | 14 / ft² |
| One-and-a-half (380 mm) | 180 / m² | 21 / ft² |
| Two bricks (510 mm) | 240 / m² | 28 / ft² |
Common mistakes
- 1 Forgetting to subtract door and window openings — on some facades openings are 15–20% of the area.
- 2 Counting a one-brick wall with half-brick rates, which doubles the order.
- 3 Ignoring breakage: expect 3–5% of delivered bricks to arrive chipped or cracked.
- 4 Mixing brick formats — standard, modular and queen bricks have different per-area rates.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are in 1 m² of wall?
About 60 standard bricks (215×102.5×65 mm) for a half-brick wall with 10 mm mortar joints, and 120 for a one-brick wall.
How many bricks do I need for a 3 m × 2.6 m wall?
Area is 7.8 m². Half-brick: 7.8 × 60 = 468 bricks; with 10% waste order about 515. One-brick: double that, about 1,030.
How much mortar per 1,000 bricks?
Roughly 0.5–0.6 m³ of mortar per 1,000 standard bricks in a half-brick wall — about 40 bags of 25 kg dry mortar mix.
What is a wythe?
A wythe is a single vertical layer of bricks. A half-brick wall is one wythe thick; a one-brick wall is two wythes bonded together.
Can I use this for pavers or blocks?
No — pavers and concrete blocks have different sizes and rates. Use the Pavers Calculator for paving and check block manufacturer rates for blockwork.