Brick Calculator

Find out exactly how many bricks you need for any wall, including mortar and wastage.

📖 What is a Brick Calculator?

A brick calculator estimates the number of bricks required to build a wall of given dimensions. Before purchasing materials for any brickwork project - be it a garden wall, boundary wall, room partition, or house wall - knowing the exact brick count prevents costly over-ordering or frustrating mid-project shortages.

Brick calculation is more nuanced than simply dividing wall area by brick area. You must account for: the mortar joints between bricks (typically 10mm), the wall thickness (which determines how many layers of bricks span the depth), and a wastage allowance for cutting, chipping, and breakage (typically 5-10%).

The standard Indian brick size is 230mm × 110mm × 76mm (length × width × height). With a 10mm mortar joint, a single brick unit occupies 240mm × 86mm in the wall face. A full brick thickness wall (230mm) uses twice as many bricks per unit area as a half-brick wall (115mm), since every unit has two bricks stacked through the thickness.

📐 Formula

Brick Unit (face) = (Brick Length + Mortar) × (Brick Height + Mortar)

Bricks per m² = 1 / Brick Unit area

Wall Area = Length × Height

Bricks Required = Wall Area × Bricks per m²

With Wastage = Bricks Required × (1 + Wastage %)

For standard 230mm brick with 10mm mortar: - Unit = (230+10) mm × (76+10) mm = 240mm × 86mm = 0.02064 m² - Bricks per m² = 1/0.02064 ≈ 48 per m² (half brick wall)

📖 How to Use This Calculator

Enter wall length and height in metres.

Select wall thickness - 115mm (half brick), 230mm (single), or 345mm (one and a half).

Set mortar joint thickness (default 10mm) and wastage % (default 5%).

Click Calculate - bricks required with and without wastage are shown.

💡 Example Calculations

Example 1 - Boundary wall

5m long × 2m high boundary wall, single brick (230mm), 10mm mortar, 7% wastage.

Wall area = 5 × 2 = 10 m²

Unit = 0.24 × 0.086 = 0.02064 m²

Bricks/m² ≈ 48.5

Total = 10 × 48.5 = 485 bricks

With 7% wastage = 520 bricks

Try this example →

Example 2 - Room partition (half brick)

4m × 2.7m wall, half brick (115mm), 5% wastage.

Bricks/m² ≈ 48.5 (same face area per brick)

Total = 4 × 2.7 × 48.5 ≈ 524 bricks

With 5% wastage = 551 bricks

Try this example →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bricks per square metre?+

For a standard Indian brick (230mm × 110mm × 76mm) with a 10mm mortar joint in a 230mm thick wall (1 brick), approximately 60 bricks are needed per square metre of wall face. This is a common rule-of-thumb for estimating.

What is a half-brick wall vs a one-brick wall?+

A half-brick wall uses bricks laid with their long face showing (stretcher bond), making the wall 115mm thick. A one-brick wall is 230mm thick, with every alternate course showing the end (header bond). Half-brick is used for partition walls; one-brick for external/structural walls.

What size mortar joint should I use?+

Standard mortar joint thickness is 10mm (3/8 inch). For aesthetic brickwork, 10mm is standard. Thin joints (6mm) are used in precision work. Thicker joints (12-15mm) are sometimes used in rustic or decorative styles.

How do I calculate bricks for a curved or arched wall?+

For a curved wall, calculate the surface area of the curve (arc length × height for a simple curve) and divide by the brick unit area. Add 15-20% extra wastage for curved walls since more cutting is required.

How much mortar do I need for brickwork?+

Approximately 1 m³ of mortar is needed per 1,000 bricks (using 1:4 cement-sand mortar, 10mm joints). The mortar volume is typically 30% of the total brick wall volume.

How many bricks are needed for 1 square metre of wall?+

For standard UK bricks (215 x 102.5 x 65 mm) with 10 mm mortar joints, approximately 60 bricks per square metre are needed for a half-brick (single leaf) wall. For a full-brick (double leaf) wall, approximately 120 bricks per square metre. For standard Indian bricks (230 x 115 x 75 mm), approximately 48-50 bricks per square metre. Always add 5-10% wastage allowance for cuts, breakage, and on-site losses.

What mortar mix is used for brickwork?+

The standard mortar mix for general brickwork is 1 part cement to 6 parts sand (1:6) by volume. For exposed or structural brickwork, a stronger 1:4 or 1:5 mix is used. For below-ground damp-proof course areas, 1:3 cement-sand mortar is recommended. Pre-mixed mortar bags (ready-mix) are convenient for small jobs. Mortar volume is approximately 15-20% of the total wall volume in standard brickwork.

How do I calculate bricks needed for a circular or curved wall?+

For a curved wall, calculate the wall area using the arc length formula: Arc Length = radius x angle in radians. Then multiply by wall height to get the area. Use the same bricks per square metre ratio as a straight wall. Curved walls typically need special cutting or radial (wedge-shaped) bricks, which increases waste by 10-15% beyond the standard 10% waste factor. Always add extra for cuts on curved sections.

How do I account for brick wastage in my estimate?+

Always add 10-15% wastage to your total brick count. Wastage comes from cuts at corners, door and window openings, damaged bricks, and breakage during transport. For complex designs with many openings or curves, use 15-20%. Enter your net brick count in the calculator, then multiply by 1.15 for a realistic order quantity.