Home Improvement
Total bricks for a wall
Net wall area times the per square foot rate, with waste added.
The Formula
bricks = (area - openings) x bricks per sq ft x (1 + waste)
Net wall area times the per square foot rate, with waste added.
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | Bricks needed | bricks | The number to order, rounded up. |
| A | Wall area | square feet | Length times height of the wall. |
| O | Openings | square feet | The area of doors, windows and gaps. |
| w | Waste allowance | decimal | Extra fraction for cuts and breakage. |
What Each Symbol Means
Nbricks
Bricks needed
The number to order, rounded up.
Asquare feet
Wall area
Length times height of the wall.
Osquare feet
Openings
The area of doors, windows and gaps.
wdecimal
Waste allowance
Extra fraction for cuts and breakage.
See It Worked With Real Numbers
A formula on its own does not tell you which number goes where. The how to calculate bricks needed page applies this equation to a concrete case, shows every intermediate step, and names the mistakes that produce a wrong answer even when the algebra is right.
Where This Formula Appears
This equation is the working core of How To Calculate Bricks Needed, filed under Everyday Life. Every number the guide produces comes from substituting into this one line.