Estimate bricks per square foot by brick size, plus mortar bags for walls, veneers and planters.
Quick answer: Brick counts depend on brick size and joint width. A standard modular brick with a 3/8 inch joint covers about 6.9 bricks per sq ft, so a 200 sq ft veneer wall needs roughly 1,380 bricks, or about 1,450 with a 5 percent waste allowance, plus about 50 bags of mortar.
How do you want to enter the area?
sq ft
%
Cutting waste is normally 5–10%; diagonal layouts need 15%.
$
Brick veneer typically costs $0.50–$1.20 per brick, or $6–$12 per sq ft of wall.
Brick to order
1,469
bricks
Estimated material cost
$1,102
200 sq ft + 7% waste = 214 sq ft
Also on the shopping list
Mortar46 × 80 lb bags (typical rate about 30–35 bricks per bag)
Wall ties81 ties for veneer over framing (per manufacturer's spacing)
Sand27.54 cu yd of masonry sand
Ordering one extra brick beats a mid-job shortage: dye lots, tile calibre and wallpaper print runs change between batches, so a later top-up may not match what you already installed.
Every coverage figure here is typical, not exact: box sizes, sheet sizes, roll widths and bag yields change between brands. Check the label on the product you actually buy and round up — a second trip costs more than a spare box.
Core facts
Modular brick
about 6.9 per sq ft with a 3/8 in joint
Queen brick
about 5.8 per sq ft, typical
Mortar
an 80 lb bag lays roughly 25–30 bricks
Waste allowance
5–10% for cuts and breakage
What is Brick Calculator?
Brick is one of the few materials where the count is driven as much by the mortar joint as by the unit itself. Add a 3/8 inch joint around a modular brick and it covers roughly 6.9 bricks per square foot; use larger bricks or wider joints and the number falls quickly. The three brick types you will meet most are modular, queen and king, each with a different face size and a different coverage rate. Mortar is estimated separately, from a published yield per bag that depends on joint width and brick type. Always check the supplier's coverage chart, because regional brick sizes genuinely differ.
Common uses for Brick Calculator
Count bricks for a veneer wall or a garden planter
Compare modular, queen and king brick coverage rates
Add mortar bags to the same brick order
Work out material for a brick mailbox or outdoor kitchen
Estimate a brick job from wall area in square feet
Nominal size versus actual size
Every brick has two sets of dimensions: actual, which is the fired unit, and nominal, which adds the mortar joint. A modular brick is 3-5/8 by 2-1/4 by 7-5/8 inches actual, and 4 by 2-2/3 by 8 inches nominal with a 3/8 inch joint. Coverage charts work in nominal sizes. Confusing the two is the most common reason a brick estimate comes out short.
Mortar, ties and the other pieces
Mortar is only part of what holds a brick wall together. Wall ties, reinforcement and flashing matter structurally, and they are separate line items. Mortar yield depends on joint width, since thicker joints consume noticeably more, and mixing on site adds sand and cement to the shopping list. If you buy preblended mortar, use the yield printed on the bag.
Ordering brick and the cost of a shortfall
Brick is sold by the piece, by the cube or by the pallet, and it is heavy. Pallet quantities are often quoted at around 500 modular bricks. Because a second delivery of a few dozen units carries the same freight cost as the first, rounding up by 5 to 10 percent is cheap insurance. Leftover brick also gives you spares if one is later chipped or drilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bricks are in a square foot?
About 6.9 for a standard modular brick with a 3/8 inch joint, around 5.8 for a queen brick and roughly 4.5 to 5 for larger king or engineer sizes. Bigger units and wider joints both reduce the count. Suppliers publish coverage charts for the exact brick they sell, and it is worth using theirs.
How many bricks does a bag of mortar lay?
An 80 lb bag of preblended mortar typically lays about 25 to 30 modular bricks, though the yield depends on joint width, brick type and how much mortar is lost to waste. Larger bricks use more mortar per unit. Check the yield printed on the bag and round the bag count up rather than down.
How much brick waste should I allow?
Five percent for a straightforward wall with few cuts. Ten percent for anything with corners, arches, openings, soldier courses or a curved planter, since cut bricks cannot be reused. Brick is heavy and arrives on pallets, so a second order for a handful of units is expensive and slow to arrange.
Which brick sizes are most common in the US?
Modular is the most widely used, with a face about 3-5/8 by 2-1/4 inches. Queen bricks are taller and thinner, and king bricks are larger again. Both are used where a different look or fewer units matter. Nominal dimensions include the mortar joint, actual dimensions do not, so check both before ordering.
Does this work for a brick paver patio?
Partly. Pavers are estimated by area like wall brick, but they are laid flat with sand joints rather than set in mortar, so the count per square foot is different and there is no mortar line to add. Use the paver calculator for flat paving and this one for walls, veneers and anything mortared in place.