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Brick Calculator

Estimate fired-clay bricks for one rectangular wall from measured wall area, openings, a BIA or supplier coverage rate, and the waste allowance you choose.

  • BIA coverage presets
  • Doors & windows subtraction
  • Metric & imperial

Wall & brick coverage

Define the brick wall

Measurement system
Brick coverage rate675bricks / 100 ft²Preset value from the selected BIA estimating basis. Choose Custom to enter a project-specific rate.

This device

Saved estimates

Save an estimate to keep it here. Data stays in this browser.

Transparent by design

Brick wall quantity formula

BuildMeasure follows the Brick Industry Association wall-area estimating method: find net wall area first, then multiply by a known brick quantity per unit area. Waste and breakage are added only after the net quantity is known.

Gross wall areaAgross = wall length × wall heightNet wall areaAnet = Agross − measured openingsExact net brickNnet = Anet × brick coverage rateBricks to orderNorder = ceil(Nnet × (1 + waste ÷ 100))

BIA Table 4 quantities are based on running or stack bond. Patterns that incorporate headers need separate correction factors, so this version deliberately does not claim support for English, Flemish, common, garden-wall, or other header bonds.

Worked example

A 20 ft × 8 ft wall with a 16 ft² opening

Use the BIA Modular coverage preset of 675 brick per 100 ft² and a 5% waste/breakage allowance. This example verifies area subtraction, coverage, allowance, and final whole-brick rounding.

  1. 01
    Find gross wall area20 × 8 = 160 ft²
  2. 02
    Subtract openings160 − 16 = 144 ft² net
  3. 03
    Apply Modular coverage144 × 6.75 = 972 net bricks
  4. 04
    Add 5% allowanceceil(972 × 1.05) = 1,021 bricks
Verified resultOrder 1,021 bricks

BIA gives 675 Modular brick per 100 ft² in Table 4 and recommends at least 5% as a general breakage/waste rule. The dimensions here are a quantity example, not a wall-design recommendation.

Common questions

Brick calculator FAQ

Quantity assumptions kept separate from masonry design.

How does the brick calculator estimate the number of bricks?

It calculates gross wall area, subtracts the measured area of openings, multiplies the net wall area by the selected brick coverage rate, applies the waste percentage you entered, and rounds the final purchase quantity upward to whole bricks.

How many modular bricks are used per 100 square feet?

Brick Industry Association Technical Note 10 Table 4 lists 675 Modular bricks per 100 square feet for its running- or stack-bond wall-area estimating basis. That is 6.75 bricks per square foot before waste or breakage allowance.

How much extra brick should I allow for waste and breakage?

BIA Technical Note 10 gives at least 5% as a general rule for brick breakage and waste and notes that project conditions or experience may justify a higher percentage. BuildMeasure defaults to 5% but keeps the allowance editable.

Can I subtract doors and windows?

Yes. Enter the combined measured area of openings that will not receive brick. The calculator subtracts that area before applying the brick coverage rate and waste allowance.

Does this calculator support English, Flemish, common, or other header bonds?

No. BIA Table 4 is based on running or stack bond, while header patterns require separate correction factors. This version does not apply those factors, so do not use its result unchanged for a bond pattern that incorporates headers.

Can I use these presets for concrete brick?

Not as a verified BuildMeasure assumption. BIA states that its Technical Notes are based on fired-clay brick and should not be assumed to apply to concrete, fly-ash, or other non-clay brick products. Use a supplier-specific custom coverage rate only when it is appropriate for the exact product and project.

Continue planning

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