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Thin brick calculator

3,429 thin bricks6.86 per SF · flats
Wall area
500.00 SF
Flats
3,429 flats (6.86 per SF)
Adhesive (60 SF per bag)
9 bags
Pointing mortar (50 SF per bag)
10 bags
Joint to fill
3.81 ft³
Brick wash
2 gal (1 × 5 gal)

These sketches are here to help you order material and price the work quickly. They are not engineered or shop drawings — always build from your approved project drawings.

Brick size
Mortar joint
How it goes on

Coverage per bag comes from the product — defaults are Old Mill's guide (50 lb adhesive ≈ 60 SF, 80 lb mortar ≈ 50 SF). Type 0 to leave one out.

Brick wash▾
Container
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  1. Bricks per SF
    144 ÷ ((length + joint) × (height + joint)), in inches
    144 ÷ ((7.625 + 0.375) × (2.25 + 0.375)) = 6.857
  2. Flats
    wall SF × bricks per SF, rounded up
    500 SF × 6.857 = 3,429
  3. Adhesive
    wall SF ÷ SF per unit, rounded up
    500 ÷ 60 = 9
  4. Joint to fill
    bricks per SF × (cell − brick face) × joint depth × wall SF
    6.857 × 3.844 in² × 0.5 in × 500 SF = 3.81 ft³
  5. Pointing mortar
    wall SF ÷ SF per bag, rounded up
    500 ÷ 50 = 10
  6. Brick wash
    wall SF ÷ SF per gallon, rounded up
    500 ÷ 300 = 2

Where the numbers come from

  • Bricks per SF: 144 ÷ ((L + joint) × (H + joint)); modular 2¼" × 7⅝" with a ⅜" joint = 144 ÷ (8 × 2⅝) = 6.86 per SFPure geometry. Glen-Gery lists its modular thin brick (2¼" × 7⅝" face, 9/16" thick) at 6.86 per SF, the same as this math. Norman 2¼" × 11⅝" = 4.57, utility 3⅝" × 11⅝" = 3.00 with a ⅜" joint. Thin brick faces match the full-size brick faces in BIA Technical Note 10.Source
  • Corner pieces: One per course: 12 ÷ (H + joint) per LF of outside corner; modular with ⅜" = 4.57 per LFPure geometry — one L-shaped corner per course. Flats are figured on the full wall SF and not reduced for the corners, so the flat count runs slightly high. Makers sell corners by the box (count per LF varies, about 4.5–5 for modular) — check yours.
  • Panels and screws: Glen-Gery Thin Tech: 48" × 48" panels (wall SF ÷ 16); 24 fasteners per panel (at least 1 per SF); support ties at 2-11/16" for 2¼" brick (3 courses = 8"), so modular is 144 ÷ (8 × 8/3) = 6.75 flats per SF and 12 ÷ 8/3 = 4.5 corners per LFThin Tech installation manual (6/2020): Table 1 (panel sizes and tie spacing), the estimating notes ("divide by 16 for the number of support panels"; "24 fasteners recommended… multiply number of panels by 24") and Table 3 (modular 6.75 per SF, 4.5 per LF). The holes sit on a 16" × 8" pattern but the edge rows double up, so 24 per panel (1.5 per SF); the grid option (SF × 144 ÷ h × v) is there for other systems. The manual adds at least 2% waste for panels; the page leaves waste at 0 unless you enter it.Source
  • Adhesive: Old Mill: 50 lb of thin-set covers about 60 SF with a ⅜" notch trowelCoverage depends on the product, the trowel notch and the back of the brick — use the number on your adhesive's data sheet.Source
  • Pointing mortar: Old Mill: an 80 lb bag of type S mortar or sanded grout covers about 50 SFThe joint volume (bricks per SF × joint face per brick × joint depth) is shown for reference: modular with a ⅜" joint filled ½" deep is about 13.2 in³ per SF. Bag yield depends on the mix and how much is lost from the grout bag.Source
  • Brick wash: PROSOCO Sure Klean 600: 300–1,200 SF per gallon of concentrate (we use 300 so it isn't short)Coverage per gallon of concentrate varies with the brick's texture and porosity; the data sheet lists it by substrate. Test a small area first and follow the maker's dilution.Source

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Everything for a thin brick wall from its SF: flats, corners, panels and screws, adhesive, pointing mortar and brick wash.