Masonry Brick and Block Quantity Calculator

Estimate masonry units from net wall area and a module that includes mortar joints.

Inputs

Example: 80 ft² masonry face

An 80 ft² face with a nominal 16 by 8 in installed module and 5% extra for this takeoff. The module includes joints; subtract openings before entering area.

Masonry-unit count
Enter project area in square feet.
Enter unit module length in inches.
Enter unit module height in inches.
Enter a decimal from 0 to 1; for example, 0.25 means 25%.
Formula, inputs and conditions

Formula: ceil(Project area*144/(Unit module length*Unit module height)*(1+Extra material allowance))

Decimal results are displayed to two places when needed.

ceil rounds up to a whole number.

Inputs
Net wall area, module length and height including joints, and a user-selected extra allowance.
Outputs
Brick or block count.
Conditions and scope
Use installed module dimensions for the selected brick or block, including joints. Net area should exclude openings. Base any allowance for unusual cuts or bond layout on a separate reason. This is a material estimate only.

Masonry modules include the joints

A brick or block count is based on the installed face module, which includes the space allocated to joints. Nominal module dimensions and the actual manufactured unit dimensions are not always the same. Use one consistent installed module across the area being estimated.

Measure and calculate

  1. Measure wall face area and subtract openings.
  2. Enter the installed module length and height in inches.
  3. Apply an explicit extra allowance and round upward to whole units.
Calculation method

Units = ceiling(net face area × 144 ÷ module face area × (1 + extra fraction)).

A worked example

Inputs
An 80 ft² wall face uses a 16 by 8 in module and 5% extra.
Calculation
Base count: 80 × 144 ÷ 128 = 90. With extra: 90 × 1.05 = 94.5; round up to 95.
Result
95 units

The estimate is 95 ordinary units. Add any separately specified corner, bond or closure pieces using the actual wall layout.

Interpret the result

Output interpretation and next steps
Output or checkWhat it means for your project
Ordinary masonry unitsNet face area is divided by installed module area, then the extra allowance is applied before whole-unit rounding.
Openings and special unitsSubtract measured openings from the area. Count corners, closures and other special units from the layout rather than treating them as ordinary face units.

FAQs

Should I enter actual block size or nominal size?

Enter the installed module including joints. Check the chosen unit system rather than mixing actual dimensions with nominal joint spacing.

Are doors and windows subtracted automatically?

No. Supply the net face area after subtracting openings that should not receive masonry.