This calculator estimates bricks and a rough mortar allowance for a straight rectangular wall from its dimensions, brick size, joint width, and waste. Use it for early planning of a garden wall, single-leaf wall, or brick veneer before asking a merchant for pallet quantities. It does not design foundations, check wall thickness or stability, subtract openings automatically, count special shapes, or include lintels, ties, coping, reinforcement, delivery, and labour. US mode accepts feet and inch brick sizes, while UK mode uses metres and millimetres; standard brick dimensions and joint conventions differ between the two markets. Give the result, bond pattern, and wall drawing to your brick supplier or mason so they can confirm pack quantities, matching batches, mortar type, and extra units for corners.
How this is calculated
Bricks per row is the wall length divided by brick length plus one mortar joint. Rows are wall height divided by brick height plus joint. Multiply and add waste for cuts at ends and openings.
Mortar is highly variable — mix design, joint width, and porous brick all change it. The mortar line is a planning figure based on roughly one bag per 120 bricks for standard work.
Openings for doors and windows should be subtracted from the wall rectangle before you trust a shopping count. Leaving them in is how people over-order by a whole pallet corner.
Bond pattern matters at corners and ends more than in the middle of a long run. Soldier courses and decorative bands need a separate count if they use a different brick size.
Formula & methodology
Bricks per row = floor(Length ÷ (brick + joint)). Rows = ceil(Height ÷ (brick + joint)). Total = rows × bricks per row × (1 + waste %).
Worked example
A 20 ft × 8 ft wall, standard US modular brick
1.Brick + joint ≈ 8 in ÷ 12 + 3/8 in ÷ 12 ≈ 0.70 ft per brick horizontally
Enter your dimensions below. Results update as you type. Costs are planning ranges — confirm with a local supplier before you order.
Wall dimensions
ft
ft
in
Standard UK: 215 mm
in
Add cost details
in
%
$
Results
Wall area
160 ft²
Bricks to order
1088 bricks
Mortar
10 mortar bags (approx.)
Rough guide — one bag per ~120 bricks
Estimated brick cost
$636 – $778
Frequently asked questions
What brick size should I enter?
Use the nominal size printed on the spec sheet. US modular is often 8 × 2.25 in; UK standard is 215 × 65 mm plus a 10 mm joint.
Does this work for veneer?
Yes for a single wythe or veneer layer. Cavity walls and structural block cores need a separate count for the inner leaf.
How accurate is the mortar estimate?
It is a rough order-of-magnitude for pre-mixed mortar bags. Site-mixed lime mortar or wide joints will differ.
What about windows and doors?
This assumes a solid rectangle. Subtract openings manually or reduce the wall length/height to net dimensions before calculating.
Why add waste?
Cuts at corners, damaged bricks on delivery, and mismatched colour lots all eat into a tight count. 5% is a minimum; 10% is safer on small walls.
Single wythe vs double?
Run the calculator once per leaf if both sides are brick. A brick-on-block wall only needs a count for the outer brick layer.
Garden wall vs house wall?
The count math is the same. Structural thickness, piers, and caps are design choices — confirm with a mason for anything retaining soil or carrying load.
Does this include pointing only?
No. For re-pointing an existing wall, see the mortar quantities guide — you are filling joints, not buying whole bricks.
Last updated 2026-09-01. Formulas are planning methods — confirm with a supplier before you order. See how we calculate and the disclaimer.