Quick Calculators · Free to use
Brick & Block Calculator
Estimate brick or concrete masonry units from joint-inclusive face coverage.
Your estimate
Enter your measurements to see the estimate.
Estimated whole masonry units
units- Joint-inclusive coverage per unit
- sq ft
- Area with waste
- sq ft
Uses one face module per unit, including one horizontal and one vertical joint.
Area-based estimate for one layer/wythe. Openings, bond, corners, edge joints, reinforcement, special units, and wall construction affect actual counts. Mortar bags, structural adequacy, and reinforcement design are excluded.
How to Use This Calculator
Estimate brick or concrete masonry units from joint-inclusive face coverage.
Decimals and fractions accepted for dimensions. Unmarked values use the labeled unit; explicit feet/inches are converted. For example, 10' 6 1/4" is an explicit length; 10.6 means 10.6 of the labeled unit. Rates, prices, counts and areas use numbers only.
Inputs and where to find them
Masonry unit. Choose brick or block so the labels match the units being counted. Keep separate dimensions for each product. The calculator remembers the dimensions you enter for each selection rather than assuming a universal brick or block size.
Net wall surface area (sq ft). Enter the net face area of the wall being built with this unit, in square feet. Deduct openings as appropriate and calculate each layer or wythe separately. Wall thickness is not inferred from this area.
Brick actual face length (in). Measure the actual horizontal length of the brick or block face. A nominal dimension may already include a mortar joint, so adding the entered joint to it again would overstate coverage and undercount units.
Brick actual face height (in). Measure the actual vertical height of the same brick or block face. Use dimensions from the selected product or a representative unit. The joint field adds the mortar bed separately.
Mortar joint width (in). Enter the intended mortar joint thickness used between adjacent units and between courses. The same thickness is used in both directions here. Special bond patterns, different bed and head joints, and edge conditions require a more detailed takeoff.
Waste allowance (%). Enter the percentage you want to add for cutting, handling loss or other conditions specific to this work. Apply it to the measured quantity rather than enlarging the measurements as well. The suggested value is editable, not a universal recommendation; enter zero when no allowance is needed.
Results, example and assumptions
The face module includes one entered mortar joint in each direction. Required wall area includes waste, and the unit count rounds the corresponding coverage demand upward. Treat the result as an area-based quantity for one layer of masonry, then review bond, corners, openings, special units and edge conditions separately.
Module area (sq ft) = (actual face length + joint) × (actual face height + joint) ÷ 144.
Units = round up(net wall area × (1 + waste ÷ 100) ÷ module area).
Worked example: For an arithmetic brick example, a 7.5 × 2.5 in face with 0.5 in joints has an 8 × 3 in module, or ⅙ sq ft. A 100 sq ft wall with 10% waste needs 660 bricks. A different block example, 15.625 × 7.625 in with 0.375 in joints, has a 16 × 8 in module; 100 sq ft with 10% waste needs 124 blocks.
Area-based estimate for one layer/wythe. Openings, bond, corners, edge joints, reinforcement, special units, and wall construction affect actual counts. Mortar bags, structural adequacy, and reinforcement design are excluded.