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Brick Calculator: How Many Bricks Per Square Foot?
The Quick Answer
Standard modular bricks with 3/8” mortar joints: 6.86 bricks per square foot of wall.
That’s the number most masons use. The exact count varies slightly by mortar joint width and brick size, but 7 bricks per square foot is the working number for estimating.
How the Number Breaks Down
A standard modular brick measures 3-5/8” x 2-1/4” x 7-5/8” (width x height x length). With a 3/8” mortar joint, the nominal size is 4” x 2-2/3” x 8”.
Per square foot: 12” / 8” wide = 1.5 bricks per row. 12” / 2.667” tall = 4.5 rows per foot of height. 1.5 x 4.5 = 6.75 bricks. With a small correction for the head joint at the end of each course: 6.86.
Round to 7 for estimating. Multiply by 1.05-1.10 for waste. So the real working number is 7.5 bricks per square foot.
Other Brick Sizes
Not every brick is modular. Common sizes and their count per square foot (with 3/8” joints):
| Brick Type | Size (W x H x L) | Per Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| Standard modular | 3-5/8” x 2-1/4” x 7-5/8” | 6.86 |
| Queen | 3-1/8” x 2-3/4” x 9-5/8” | 4.61 |
| King | 2-3/4” x 2-5/8” x 9-5/8” | 4.86 |
| Roman | 1-5/8” x 1-5/8” x 11-5/8” | 6.16 |
| Utility | 3-5/8” x 3-5/8” x 11-5/8” | 3.0 |
| Norman | 3-5/8” x 2-1/4” x 11-5/8” | 4.57 |
The difference matters. A 500 sq ft wall takes 3,430 standard modular bricks or 2,305 queen bricks. That’s 1,125 fewer bricks, which at $0.80 each is $900 in material savings (offset somewhat by the higher per-brick cost of queen size).
A Real Wall Example
Brick veneer on the front of a house: 30 feet wide, 9 feet tall, with a 6 x 4 ft window and a 3 x 7 ft door.
Gross wall area: 30 x 9 = 270 sq ft Subtract openings: (6 x 4) + (3 x 7) = 24 + 21 = 45 sq ft Net wall area: 225 sq ft
Bricks: 225 x 7 = 1,575 bricks With 10% waste: 1,733 bricks
Standard modular bricks come on pallets of 500-534. You’d order 4 pallets (2,000+ bricks) and have about 300 left over for the back porch columns or a future mailbox project.
At $550-700 per pallet: $2,200-2,800 for the brick alone.
Mortar
Bags Per 100 Bricks
With 3/8” joints, figure 7-8 bags of Type S mortar (80 lb bags) per 1,000 bricks. Or roughly 1 bag per 125-140 bricks.
For our 1,733-brick wall: 1,733 / 130 = 13.3 bags. Buy 14.
At $8-10 per bag: $112-140 in mortar.
Mortar Type
Type S is standard for exterior walls and anything below grade. Type N works for interior and above-grade exterior where wind and seismic loads are low. Type M is the strongest and goes below grade and in retaining walls. IBC Table 2105.5.2.2 specifies which types are required for different applications.
Most masons use Type S for everything residential. It’s simpler than keeping two types on the job.
Brick Pavers
Pavers laid flat (on a sand bed, no mortar) have a different count.
A standard modular brick laid flat (4” x 8” face up, 2-1/4” thick): 4.5 bricks per square foot with 1/8” sand joints.
A 12 x 15 foot patio: 180 sq ft x 4.5 = 810 pavers.
Herringbone pattern: 15% waste. 810 x 1.15 = 932 pavers. Running bond: 10% waste. 810 x 1.10 = 891 pavers. Basketweave: 5% waste. 810 x 1.05 = 851 pavers.
Herringbone wastes the most because every border cut is angled and the offcuts are triangles. Running bond is the most efficient.
Paver bricks cost more than wall bricks ($1.50-3.00 each vs $0.60-1.00) because they’re denser and rated for ground contact and freeze-thaw cycling.
Veneer vs Structural
Modern residential brick is almost always veneer: a single wythe (4” thick) tied to a wood-framed wall with metal brick ties. The wood frame carries the structural load. The brick is cosmetic and weather protection.
Structural brick (two wythes thick, 8” total, with a collar joint between) is rare in new residential construction. You’ll see it in commercial, institutional, and historic restoration. Structural brick uses twice the material of veneer for the same wall area.
A double-wythe wall: 14 bricks per square foot. Our 225 sq ft wall would need 3,150 bricks instead of 1,575. You’ll probably never estimate a double-wythe residential wall, but if someone asks about an old building, that’s why.
Soldier Courses and Rowlock
A soldier course (bricks standing on end, long face out) over a window or door header changes the count for that section.
Soldier bricks per linear foot: 12” / 2.667” = 4.5 bricks per foot.
A 6-foot window header: 27 soldier bricks.
Rowlock (bricks on edge, short face out): 12” / 3.625” = 3.3 per foot. Common for window sills and wall caps.
These specialty courses don’t add many bricks to the total estimate, but they’re the kind of detail that separates a complete estimate from one that comes up short at the end of the job.
Running the Numbers
SiteCalc has a brick calculator that handles wall area to brick count (with mortar joint width and brick size options), plus mortar bags, waste factor, and paver calculations for flatwork. The show formula feature displays the per-square-foot math, and the budget calculator tells you how much wall or patio a dollar amount covers.