How Many Bricks Per Square Foot?
The bricks per square foot depends on the brick size and the mortar joint. Here is the figure for every common brick - modular, standard, queen, king and utility - plus the per square metre figures for UK and Australian bricks, with the formula behind them.
By the Calculate My Reno Team / Published
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The bricks per square foot (or per square metre) is the one number that turns a wall area into a brick count. It depends entirely on the brick size and the mortar joint - a bigger brick or a thicker joint means fewer bricks cover the same wall.
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The brick calculator shows the per-area figure for whatever brick size and joint you enter, then turns your wall sizes into a brick count with the mortar. This guide is the reference table behind it.
The formula
area per brick = (brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint)
bricks per sq ft = 144 ÷ area per brick (in sq in)
bricks per m² = 1 ÷ area per brick (in m²)
A brick only covers its face plus one joint on each axis - the bed joint above it and the head joint beside it - so you always work from the nominal (coordinating) size, not the bare brick.
Bricks per square foot, by US brick size
All figures are for a single-skin wall with a 3/8 in mortar joint:
| Brick | Nominal face (with joint) | Bricks per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Modular | 8 × 2-2/3 in | 6.86 |
| Standard | 8 × 2-1/4 in | 6.55 |
| Queen | 8 × 2-3/4 in | 5.76 |
| King | 9-5/8 × 2-3/4 in | 4.7 |
| Roman | 12 × 2 in | 6.0 |
| Norman | 12 × 2-2/3 in | 4.57 |
| Utility | 12 × 4 in | 3.0 |
The taller or longer the face, the fewer bricks per square foot. Modular and standard sit around 6.5 to 6.9; the big utility and norman bricks roughly halve that.
Bricks per square metre, by metric brick size
For a single skin with a 10 mm joint:
| Brick | Size (L × H) | Bricks per m² |
|---|---|---|
| UK metric | 215 × 65 mm | ~60 |
| Australian | 230 × 76 mm | ~48 |
| Maxi / 90 mm | 290 × 90 mm | ~37 |
| India modular | 190 × 90 mm | ~50 |
Standard, double skin and paving
- Double-skin walls lay two bricks per face, so double every figure above.
- For brick laid flat as paving, the count is different again - the brick lies on its largest face, so a 4 × 8 in paver is about 4.5 per square foot. See how many bricks for a patio.
- To turn the per-area figure into a full order with waste, see how many bricks do I need, and for the brick sizes themselves, standard brick sizes.
Worked example
A 150 sq ft single-skin wall in modular brick:
- Per-area figure: 6.86 bricks per sq ft.
- Bricks: 150 × 6.86 = 1,029.
- Add 5% waste: 1,029 × 1.05 = 1,081 bricks.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are in a square foot?
A US modular brick laid with a 3/8 in joint is about 6.86 bricks per square foot of single-skin wall - the standard estimating figure. A larger queen brick is about 5.76, a king about 4.7 and a utility about 3.0, because they cover more wall each. Multiply your net wall area in square feet by the figure for your brick and add waste.
How many bricks are in a square metre?
A UK metric brick (215 × 65 mm) laid with a 10 mm joint is about 60 bricks per square metre of single-skin wall, the standard figure used across the UK. An Australian 230 × 76 mm brick is about 48 per square metre. Double either figure for a double-skin wall.
How do you calculate bricks per square foot?
Divide the wall area one brick covers into the area of a square foot. A brick covers its own face plus one mortar joint on each side, so the area per brick is (brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint). For a modular brick that nominal face is 8 × 2-2/3 in = 21.3 sq in, and 144 sq in ÷ 21.3 = 6.86 bricks per square foot.
How many modular bricks are in a square foot?
About 6.86 modular bricks per square foot of single-skin wall, laid with a 3/8 in joint. Modular brick is the most common US face brick, with a nominal 8 × 2-2/3 in face once the joint is counted. That is the figure the calculator uses by default.