Brick Veneer Calculator
Brick count, ties, and flashing for veneer walls.
About this calculator
Bricks to Order, Wall Ties, and Mortar Bags all scale directly with Net Area (Gross Wall Area minus Window/Door Openings) and never depend on Wall Height at all -- brick count per square foot is fixed by brick and joint dimensions, regardless of how that area is shaped. Wall Height only feeds a different set of outputs -- Flashing, Weep Holes, and Lintel/Shelf Angle -- and it moves them in the OPPOSITE direction you might expect: since this calculator derives the wall's width from Net Area divided by Wall Height (assuming a single rectangular wall section), a TALLER wall implies a NARROWER one at the same total area, which means less base perimeter to flash and fewer weep holes.
At this calculator's other defaults, a 1 ft tall wall needs about 1,050 linear ft of flashing and 425 weep holes, while a 200 ft tall wall (same total area) needs only about 204 linear ft and 3 weep holes -- taller and narrower, not taller and wider. Brick Length, Brick Height, and Mortar Joint Width together set brick coverage per square foot through their combined footprint, so a small change to any of the three shifts Bricks to Order and Mortar Bags together, not independently.
Inputs
Results
Bricks to order
6,238
Mortar bags (80 lb)
41
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Gross Wall Area in sq ft — measure the full exterior wall before subtracting windows and doors.
- Input Brick Length and Brick Height (actual dimensions, not nominal) and Mortar Joint Width.
- Enter Window/Door Openings in sq ft to subtract from the gross area.
- Read Bricks to Order (includes 7% waste), Wall Ties, and Mortar Bags for procurement.
- Note Flashing (LF), Weep Holes, and Lintel/Shelf Angle (LF) for accessory quantities.
How the result changes with Gross wall area (sq ft)
| Gross wall area (sq ft) | Bricks to order | Mortar bags (80 lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 2,568 | 17 |
| 750 | 4,404 | 29 |
| 1,500 | 9,907 | 65 |
| 2,500 | 17,244 | 113 |
What each input means
- Gross wall area (sq ft)
- Total exterior wall area before subtracting openings.
- Brick length (in)
- Actual brick length (modular = 7-5/8", standard = 8").
- Brick height (in)
- Actual brick height (modular = 2-1/4", standard = 2-1/4").
- Mortar joint width (in)
- Mortar joint thickness (standard 3/8" or 1/2").
- Window/door openings (sq ft)
- Total area of windows, doors, and other openings.
- Wall height (ft)
- Height of the brick veneer wall section.
What each result means
- Bricks to order
- Total bricks including 7% waste for cuts and breakage.
- Net bricks needed
- Minimum bricks without waste.
- Wall ties
- Corrugated or adjustable ties at 16"×24" spacing.
- Mortar bags (80 lb)
- Type S mortar bags (7 per 1000 bricks).
- Sand (tons)
- Mason sand for mortar mixing.
- Flashing (LF)
- Through-wall flashing at base, shelf angles, and openings.
- Weep holes
- Weep holes at 24" OC along base flashing.
- Lintel/shelf angle (LF)
- Linear feet of steel lintels and shelf angles.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersGross wall area (sq ft) = 1000, Brick length (in) = 7.625, Brick height (in) = 2.25, Mortar joint width (in) = 0.375 = 6 input(s) provided
- Calculate Bricks to orderBricks to order = ceil(netBricks * (1 + wastePct / 100))6238 = 6238
- Calculate Mortar bagsMortar bags = ceil((netBricks / 1000) * 7)41 = 41
- Calculate Net bricks neededNet bricks needed = ceil(netArea * bricksPerSqFt)5829 = 5829
- Calculate Wall tiesWall ties = ceil(netArea * tiesPerSqFt)319 = 319
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wall Height change how many bricks or bags of mortar I need?
No. Bricks to Order, Net Bricks, Wall Ties, and Mortar Bags all depend only on Net Area (Gross Wall Area minus Openings) and the brick/joint dimensions -- Wall Height never enters those formulas. It only affects Flashing, Weep Holes, and Lintel/Shelf Angle.
Why does a taller wall need LESS flashing and fewer weep holes at the same total area?
Because this calculator derives the wall's width by dividing Net Area by Wall Height, assuming one rectangular wall section -- so a taller wall implies a narrower one at the same area, and Flashing/Weep Holes are driven by that width (roughly the base perimeter), not by area directly. A 1 ft tall wall needs about 1,050 ft of flashing; a 200 ft tall wall of the same area needs only about 204 ft.
Do Brick Length and Brick Height matter as much as the overall wall area?
Yes, together with Mortar Joint Width -- the three combine into a coverage-per-square-foot figure that Bricks to Order and Mortar Bags both scale by. Changing any one of the three, say switching from modular 7-5/8 in brick to a longer 8 in standard brick, shifts brick count even at a fixed wall area.
Does opening area (windows and doors) affect Weep Holes or just brick count?
Both, but not equally. Openings reduce Net Area, which lowers Bricks to Order, Wall Ties, and Mortar Bags directly. Weep Holes and Flashing also account for the openings separately, adding roughly 20 linear ft of flashing per 15 sq ft of opening on top of the base perimeter figure.
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