A 20 × 8 ft brick wall
Brick, wall length 20 ft, wall height 8 ft, openings (doors, windows) 0 ft², brick length 7.625 in, brick height 2.25 in, mortar joint 0.375 in.
Bricks to buy, including waste
1,152 bricks
- Bricks incl. 5% waste: 1,152
Brick & Block Calculator
This brick and block calculator counts how many bricks or concrete blocks a wall needs from its size, the unit size and the mortar joint, with a waste allowance.
Last updated
How many bricks do I need for a 20 × 8 ft wall?
The wall is 160 ft². At 6.86 bricks per square foot that is 1,098 bricks, or 1,152 with a 5% allowance for breakage.
Bricks to buy, including waste
1,152 bricks
- Wall area (net)
- 160 ft²
- Bricks per ft²Including the mortar joint.
- 6.86
- Bricks needed (no waste)
- 1,098
- Bricks incl. 5% waste
- 1,152
Inputs
- Unit type: Brick
- Wall length: 20 ft
- Wall height: 8 ft
- Openings (doors, windows): 0 ft²
- Brick length: 7.625 in
- Brick height: 2.25 in
- Mortar joint: 0.375 in
- Waste / overage: 5 %
- • Mortar, ties, lintels, reinforcement and cut corners are not included. Ask your supplier or mason.
- • For a poured concrete wall instead, use Wall in the concrete calculator.
Results are estimates for planning only. Supplier specifications, product yields, site conditions and local codes vary. Confirm quantities with your supplier or a qualified professional before you buy or build.
How this is calculated
Formulas
- Net wall area = length × height − openings.
- Area per unit = (unit length + joint) × (unit height + joint).
- Units = net wall area × (1 + waste %) ÷ area per unit, rounded up.
Assumptions
- A single-skin wall, one unit thick, in a regular running bond.
- Default sizes: modular brick 7⅝ × 2¼ in with a ⅜ in joint (about 6.86 per ft²) and a standard 8×8×16 block (about 1.13 per ft²). UK sizes use 215 × 65 mm bricks and 440 × 215 mm blocks with a 10 mm joint.
- Mortar, ties, lintels, reinforcement and special corner or half units are not included.
Worked examples: common projects
A 6 × 2.4 m brick wall
Brick, wall length 6 m, wall height 2.4 m, openings (doors, windows) 0 m², brick length 215 mm, brick height 65 mm, mortar joint 10 mm.
Bricks to buy, including waste
896 bricks
- Bricks incl. 5% waste: 896
A 30 × 4 ft garden wall in concrete block
Concrete block, wall length 30 ft, wall height 4 ft, openings (doors, windows) 0 ft², block length 15.625 in, block height 7.625 in, mortar joint 0.375 in.
Blocks to buy, including waste
142 blocks
- Blocks incl. 5% waste: 142
A 12 × 8 ft brick wall with a 21 sq ft opening
Brick, wall length 12 ft, wall height 8 ft, openings (doors, windows) 21 ft², brick length 7.625 in, brick height 2.25 in, mortar joint 0.375 in.
Bricks to buy, including waste
540 bricks
- Bricks incl. 5% waste: 540
Quick reference
Units per square foot or metre
Including the mortar joint.
| Unit | Joint | Per unit area |
|---|---|---|
| Modular brick, 7⅝ × 2¼ in | ⅜ in | 6.86 per sq ft |
| Standard block, 15⅝ × 7⅝ in | ⅜ in | 1.13 per sq ft |
| UK brick, 215 × 65 mm | 10 mm | 59.3 per m² |
| Metric block, 440 × 215 mm | 10 mm | 9.88 per m² |
Bricks and blocks by wall size
Wall height 8 ft, 5% waste, no openings, standard sizes.
| Wall length | Wall area | Bricks | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | 80 sq ft | 576 | 95 |
| 20 ft | 160 sq ft | 1,152 | 189 |
| 30 ft | 240 sq ft | 1,728 | 284 |
| 50 ft | 400 sq ft | 2,880 | 473 |
Before you order bricks or blocks
Use the actual size of the unit, not its nominal name. A standard 8 × 8 × 16 inch block is really about 7⅝ × 7⅝ × 15⅝ inches, and the mortar joint makes up the difference. The calculator adds the joint to each side to find how much wall each unit covers.
Bricks and blocks are sold per piece or per pallet, so round up and keep spares for cuts. For the footing under the wall, use the concrete calculator, and for reinforcement in a slab, the rebar calculator.
Footings, openings and bonds
A masonry wall sits on a footing, sized to the wall and the soil. Estimate that with the Footing option in the concrete calculator. Openings need lintels, which are separate pieces, and the units around them need cutting, so the waste allowance matters more on walls with lots of doors and windows. A different bond pattern changes how many cut units you need but not the average count.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are in a square foot?
About 6.86 for standard modular brick with a ⅜ inch joint. So 100 square feet of wall needs roughly 686 bricks before waste.
How many concrete blocks are in a square foot?
About 1.13 for a standard 8 × 8 × 16 block, so 100 square feet of wall takes about 113 blocks before waste.
How many bricks per square metre?
About 59 for UK standard 215 × 65 mm bricks with a 10 mm joint. Switch to metric to see the figure for your sizes.
How much mortar do I need?
It depends on the joint, the unit and the mix, so it is not calculated here. Ask your supplier for the coverage of your mortar product and use the wall area from this calculator.
How many blocks for a 30 × 4 ft wall?
The wall is 120 square feet. At 1.13 blocks per square foot that is 135 blocks, or 142 with a 5% allowance for breakage.
Do I need to count the mortar joints?
The calculator does it for you by adding the joint to each unit's size. Just enter the joint thickness you plan to use.
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Results are estimates for planning only. Supplier specifications, product yields, site conditions and local codes vary. Confirm quantities with your supplier or a qualified professional before you buy or build.