How Many Bricks Do I Need? (Bricks per Square Foot & Mortar)
Part of Concrete & Masonry
Quick answer
Multiply the wall's length × height in feet, subtract any openings, then multiply by the bricks per square foot for your brick size. A standard modular brick with a 3/8-inch mortar joint is about 6.9 bricks per square foot, so a 20 × 8 ft wall (160 ft²) needs roughly 1,098 bricks — about 1,207 with 10% waste — plus 30-some bags of mortar.
Brick is ordered by the wall's face area. The only number you really need is the bricks per square foot for your brick size and mortar joint — everything else is multiplication.
The steps
- Wall area: length × height in feet, minus the area of doors and windows.
- Bricks per ft²: 144 ÷ ((brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint)). For a modular brick at a 3/8-inch joint that's 144 ÷ (8 × 2.625) = 6.86.
- Bricks: area × bricks per ft², times the bond multiplier (1.0 running, ~1.5 Flemish/English) and the number of wythes (1 for veneer, 2 for double).
- Waste: add about 10% for cuts and breakage, then round up.
- Mortar: about one 80 lb bag per 35 bricks at a standard joint.
Bricks per square foot by size
Face dimensions are length × height (the side that shows). Counts assume a standard 3/8-inch mortar joint and a running bond; bigger bricks cover more wall, so you need fewer.
| Brick size | Face (L × H) | Bricks per ft² |
|---|---|---|
| Modular | 7⅝ × 2¼" | 6.86 |
| Standard | 8 × 2¼" | 6.55 |
| Queen | 7⅝ × 2¾" | 5.76 |
| King | 9⅝ × 2¾" | 4.61 |
| Norman | 11⅝ × 2¼" | 4.57 |
| Utility | 11⅝ × 3⅝" | 3.00 |
How much mortar?
Plan on roughly one 80 lb bag of pre-mixed mortar per 35 bricks at a standard 3/8-inch joint — about 28 to 35 bags per 1,000 bricks. Thicker joints and rougher, more textured brick eat more mortar. Pre-mixed bags already contain the sand, so you only add water; if you mix your own, a 1,000-brick job takes roughly 6–7 bags of masonry cement and about a cubic yard of sand.
FAQs
How many bricks are in a square foot?
About 6.9 modular bricks (7⅝ × 2¼ inch face) per square foot of wall with a standard 3/8-inch joint — the Brick Industry Association rounds it to 6.75 for estimating. The formula is 144 ÷ ((length + joint) × (height + joint)).
How many bricks for a 10x10 wall?
A 10 × 10 ft wall is 100 ft². In modular brick at about 6.86 per square foot that's roughly 686 bricks, or about 755 with 10% waste, for a single-wythe (veneer) wall. Double the count for a two-wythe structural wall.
How much mortar do I need per 1,000 bricks?
Roughly 28 to 35 bags of 80 lb pre-mixed mortar per 1,000 bricks at a standard joint — about one bag per 35 bricks. Engineering references put the net mortar at about 8 cubic feet per 1,000 modular brick before waste.
Does brick size change the count a lot?
Yes. Because you're covering area, a larger brick means fewer pieces and fewer joints. Modular brick is about 6.9 per square foot; a queen is about 5.8 and a utility brick only 3.0 — less than half the count of modular for the same wall.