How many bricks per square metre?

A standard brick wall uses about 50 bricks per square metre for a single skin, including the mortar joints. The exact number depends on the brick size and joint thickness. The calculator lets you set the bricks per square metre to match.

How many bricks do I need?

Multiply the wall area by the bricks per square metre, then add a waste allowance for cuts and breakages, usually around 5 to 10%. The calculator works this out from the area you enter.

How do I work out wall area?

Multiply the wall length by its height. Subtract any large openings such as doors and windows if you want a tighter figure. Enter the net wall area and the calculator handles the rest.

Brick Calculator

This calculator works out how many bricks you need for a wall, so you can order the right quantity without running short partway through a job or over-ordering and wasting money. You enter three figures: the wall area in square metres, how many bricks are laid per square metre for your brick size and coursing (a standard single-skin wall is typically about 50 bricks per square metre, including mortar joints), and a waste allowance as a percentage for cuts around corners and openings and the odd breakage on site. The calculator multiplies the area by the bricks per square metre to get the bricks needed for the area, then adds your waste percentage and rounds up to a whole number, giving you a total to buy alongside the base figure before waste. It updates instantly as you change any field, so you can test brick sizes or waste margins before ordering. To measure the wall area, multiply length by height, and subtract large openings for a tighter figure, or leave them in as a buffer. A waste allowance of 5 to 10% suits most straightforward walls, though fussier designs need extra. Because brick sizes and supplier wastage vary, treat the result as a solid ordering estimate, and check with your supplier or bricklayer before a final order.

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Wall area (m²)

Bricks per m²

Waste

0 bricks

to buy, including waste

Bricks for the area0

How it works

The bricks for the area is the wall area times the bricks per square metre. Adding a waste allowance covers cuts at openings and corners and the odd breakage. The calculator rounds up to whole bricks.

Worked example

A 20 square metre wall at 50 bricks per square metre needs 1,000 bricks. With 10% waste, you would order about 1,100 bricks.

Related calculators

Retaining Wall Calculator: blocks for a wall.
Concrete Calculator: concrete and mortar.
Square Metre Calculator: work out an area.
Tile Calculator: tiles for a surface.

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