Brick & Mortar Estimator
Calculate how many bricks a wall needs, plus the mortar volume and either premix bags or the cement and sand for a site mix. Deduct openings, add a waste allowance, and estimate at a standard 3/8 inch joint.
How to Estimate Brick and Mortar for a Wall
A brick order comes down to two things: how many bricks cover the wall face, and how much mortar fills the joints between them. Measure the wall length and height in feet, subtract the door and window openings, and pick a brick. The calculator above returns the brick count with a waste allowance, the mortar in cubic feet and cubic yards, and either premix bags or the cement and sand for a site mix. Add several walls together for a full elevation.
Bricks per Square Foot by Type
Brick count depends on the face size and the joint. Divide 144 by the brick length plus the joint, times the height plus the joint. At a standard 3/8 inch joint the common types work out to:
| Brick Type | Face Size (actual) | Bricks per Sq Ft | Mortar (cu ft / sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modular | 7 5/8 x 2 1/4 in | 6.75 | 0.22 |
| Standard | 8 x 2 1/4 in | 6.86 | 0.22 |
| Queen | 7 5/8 x 2 3/4 in | 5.76 | 0.20 |
How Much Mortar You Need
A single wythe running bond wall uses about 0.20 to 0.22 cubic feet of mortar per square foot of face at a 3/8 inch joint, so 100 square feet takes roughly 22 cubic feet. That rule already allows for normal joint waste, which is why the mortar figure does not carry a separate waste margin the way the brick count does.
For premix, one 80 pound bag of Type S or Type N mortar places about 0.60 cubic feet, so divide the total mortar by 0.60 and round up. A 320 square foot modular wall needs about 70 cubic feet, or roughly 118 bags.
Site Mix: Cement and Sand for Mortar
Mixing on site, a Type S recipe is about 1 part portland cement, half a part lime, and 4.5 parts masonry sand by volume. As a quick material rule, plan about 0.20 cubic feet of cement and 0.90 cubic feet of sand for every cubic foot of finished mortar. A 94 pound bag of portland cement is about 1 cubic foot, and a cubic yard of masonry sand weighs roughly 1.4 tons, so order the sand by the ton with the gravel and stone calculator.
Block, CHB, and Repointing
Concrete block and CHB lay far fewer units per square foot than brick, about 1.125 standard blocks per square foot, but the wider bed and head joints mean a block wall uses a similar amount of mortar per square foot, so the same 0.20 to 0.22 rule is a fair starting point.
Repointing is the opposite: you only refill the raked out face of the joints, not the full bed. Joints are normally cut back 3/4 inch, which is about a fifth of the depth of a 3 5/8 inch brick, so plan on roughly 0.04 to 0.05 cubic feet of mortar per square foot of wall. A 100 square foot wall takes 4 to 5 cubic feet, which is 7 or 8 bags of 80 pound premix, and a full 1,000 square foot elevation comes to about 45 cubic feet or 75 bags. Run the wall through the calculator for the new build mortar figure and take a fifth of it for a repointing order.
Per thousand bricks, 1,000 modular bricks cover about 148 square feet, which at 0.22 cubic feet per square foot is about 33 cubic feet of mortar. That is 50 to 55 bags of 80 pound premix, or for a site mix about 7 bags of portland cement with 1.1 cubic yards of masonry sand. Manufacturer bag yields quoted at 37 bricks per bag assume tight joints and no waste, which is where the lower figure of about 27 bags per thousand comes from.
Brick and Mortar FAQ
At a 3/8 inch mortar joint, a modular brick lays about 6.75 per square foot of wall face, a standard brick about 6.86, and a queen brick about 5.76. Multiply the figure by your net wall area, then add 5 to 10 percent for cuts and breakage. A 320 square foot modular wall needs about 2,312 bricks with a 7 percent allowance.
A single wythe running bond wall uses about 0.20 to 0.22 cubic feet of mortar per square foot of face at a 3/8 inch joint. So 100 square feet takes roughly 22 cubic feet. That figure already allows for normal joint waste, so you do not add a separate mortar waste margin on top.
One 80 pound bag of premix Type S or Type N mortar yields about 0.60 cubic feet placed. Divide your total mortar cubic feet by 0.60 and round up. A 320 square foot modular wall needs about 70 cubic feet of mortar, which is about 118 bags.
Type S mortar is roughly 1 part portland cement, half a part lime, and 4.5 parts masonry sand by volume. For a site mix, plan about 0.20 cubic feet of cement and 0.90 cubic feet of sand per cubic foot of finished mortar. A 94 pound bag of portland cement is about 1 cubic foot, and a cubic yard of sand weighs roughly 1.4 tons.
Type N is a general purpose mortar for above grade veneer and interior walls. Type S is stronger and bonds better, so it suits load bearing walls, foundations, and anything below grade or exposed to heavy weather. Both yield about 0.60 cubic feet per 80 pound bag.
Concrete block and CHB lay far fewer units per square foot than brick, roughly 1.125 standard blocks per square foot, but each bed and head joint is wider, so a block wall uses a similar amount of mortar per square foot. Use the same net area and a 0.20 to 0.22 cubic feet per square foot rule as a starting point.
Repointing only refills the raked out face of the joint, normally 3/4 inch deep, so it takes about a fifth of the mortar of new brickwork. Plan on 0.04 to 0.05 cubic feet per square foot of wall. A 100 square foot wall needs 4 to 5 cubic feet, which is 7 or 8 bags of 80 pound premix. Take the new build mortar figure from the calculator and divide by 5 for a repointing order.
1,000 modular bricks cover about 148 square feet of wall and use about 33 cubic feet of mortar at a 3/8 inch joint, which is 50 to 55 bags of 80 pound premix with normal waste. For a site mix that is about 7 bags of portland cement and 1.1 cubic yards of masonry sand. The 27 bags per thousand figure on some bag labels assumes tight joints and no waste.