Brick Calculator for a Brick Pillar
Estimate bricks and mortar for a brick column or pillar.
Brick pillars anchor mailboxes, driveway entrances, pergolas and porch roofs. A common 16×16 in pillar uses about 14 modular bricks per vertical foot. Structural pillars supporting a roof need rebar and grout fill inside the core plus a poured concrete footing below frost line.
Bricks needed
793
incl. 10% waste
Mortar bags
7
70 lb type S
Wall area
160
ft²
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Recommended tools & materials
Handy picks for this project on Amazon.
Brick Trowel
Spread mortar quickly and evenly
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Type S Mortar Mix
For block, brick and retaining walls
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Mason's Line & Line Blocks
Keep every course straight
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4 ft Masonry Level
Check plumb and level as you build
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How does the brick calculator work?
Modular bricks (with a 3/8 in mortar joint) cover about 32 in² of wall face — roughly 4.5 bricks per ft². Multiply wall area by that rate, then add waste for cuts and breakage.
Formula: bricks = (L × H) × (144 ÷ face in²) × (1 + waste%)
Which guide explains this in more depth?
- How inspectors check brick and mortar counts on a single-wythe wall. Read the inspector-approved brick calculator method guide for the full worked example.
What else do people ask about this calculator?
How many bricks for a 4 ft mailbox pillar?
A 16×16 in pillar at 4 ft tall: about 56 bricks (14 per ft). Add 10% waste — 62 bricks total.
Do brick pillars need a footing?
Yes — a concrete footing at least 12 in deep and wider than the pillar, poured below the frost line. Skipping this causes heave and cracking.
How many bricks per square foot?
About 4.5 modular bricks per ft² of wall with standard 3/8 in mortar joints. Queen size drops to ~4.6; jumbo to ~3.
How many bags of mortar for 1000 bricks?
About 8 bags of 70 lb type S mortar for 1000 modular bricks (~125 bricks per bag).
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