Example 1 — Wall with openings
- 15 m² − 2 m² openings
- face 0.09 m² + 5% waste
152 bricks
This is a good starting point for a simple wall or partition when you want a quick sense of the material scale.
Brick requirement calculator
Enter wall area and brick face (with joint) — we’ll count bricks with cutting waste and an optional cost.
Quick estimate: net area ÷ brick face, plus waste for cuts. Still need wall square footage? Wall area. Painting? Paint. Floors? Floor area.
Results
Enter data and click Calculate.
How the results are calculated
Count: ceil(((area − openings) ÷ face) × (1 + waste/100)).
Example: (15 − 2) / 0.09 × 1.05 → 152.
Chart: the same wall at 5% / 10% / 15% waste (e.g. 210 / 220 / 230 for 20 / 0.1).
How to use this calculator
- Enter wall area (ideally from the wall calculator) and face area including the joint.
- Set waste % and — if you want — openings and price per brick.
- Hit Calculate to see brick count, cost, and the waste chart.
- Keep openings consistent with the wall or paint calculator for the same room.
Usage examples
Example 2 — No openings
- 10 m² / 0.08 m²
- +10% waste
138 bricks
After adding reserve, the result reflects real purchasing more accurately because some bricks may be damaged, cut, or lost during the work.
Example 3 — Waste ladder
- 20 m² / 0.1 m²
- chart: 5/10/15% → 210/220/230
220 bricks (10%)
On a larger wall, even a small change in dimensions or reserve can noticeably increase the required brick count.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get the brick count?
N = ceil(((area − openings) ÷ face) × (1 + waste/100)). Then optionally × price per brick.
What is “brick face with joint”?
The visible face including the mortar joint (length × height with joint). A typical modular brick is about 0.09 m² with joint.
Why does the count sometimes jump up by one?
We round up to whole bricks — and guard against floating-point noise (e.g. 200 × 1.1 ≈ 220.000…003) so clean ratios don’t get a bonus brick.
What about a wall with no openings?
Just divide the full area by the face and add waste — nothing to subtract.
What does the waste chart show?
Brick counts at 5%, 10%, and 15% waste for the same wall and brick size.
Where do the area units come from?
From the page header — fields follow whatever you set there. Math runs in SI inside. Wall area is easiest from the wall calculator.
Do I really need waste?
Usually yes — some bricks chip, get cut, or get rejected. Without spare, you’re often reordering.
Partition or solid wall — does this still work?
Yes, as a quick planning aid. Just keep dimensions and assumptions matched to the real wall.