Brick Calculator
Estimate the number of bricks and mortar needed for your masonry project.
How to Use the Brick Calculator
Planning a construction project requires precision to avoid overspending on materials or running out of supplies mid-build. This brick calculator helps you determine exactly how many bricks you need based on your wall dimensions and the specific size of the bricks you are using.
The Calculation Formula
To calculate the number of bricks, we follow these mathematical steps:
- Step 1: Calculate the area of a single brick including the mortar joint:
(Brick Length + Mortar Joint) × (Brick Height + Mortar Joint) - Step 2: Calculate the total area of the wall:
Wall Length × Wall Height - Step 3: Divide the Wall Area by the Brick Area to get the base count.
- Step 4: Multiply by the number of skins (1 for a simple garden wall, 2 for a structural house wall).
- Step 5: Add a wastage factor (usually 5-10%) to account for cuts and breakages.
Standard Brick Sizes
While brick sizes vary globally, the standard UK metric brick is 215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm. When combined with a standard 10mm mortar joint, you typically need 60 bricks per square meter for a single-skin wall.
Practical Example
If you are building a garden wall that is 4 meters long and 1.5 meters high (Area = 6m²):
- Using standard bricks (60 per m²), you would need 360 bricks.
- Adding 10% wastage (36 bricks), your total order would be 396 bricks.
- If the wall is double-skin, you would double that to 792 bricks.
Important Considerations
Don't forget to subtract the area of large openings like windows or doors from your total wall area calculation. Also, ensure you account for the "frog" (the indentation in the brick) when calculating mortar volume, as this can significantly impact the amount of sand and cement required.