Whether you are installing brick veneer, stone facing, or tile, determining the exact number of units required is essential for budgeting and logistics. This calculator helps you account for the surface area, the size of the individual units, and the critical "joint width"—the space between units filled with mortar or grout.
The Facing Formula
To calculate facing requirements manually, follow these steps:
Calculate Surface Area: Multiply the width of the wall by the height (Width × Height).
Calculate Effective Unit Size: Add the joint width to both the length and height of the unit. (Length + Joint) × (Height + Joint).
Convert Units: If your wall is in feet and your units are in inches, divide the unit area by 144 to get the area in square feet.
Determine Count: Divide the Surface Area by the Effective Unit Area.
Apply Waste: Multiply the count by (1 + Waste Percentage / 100) to account for cuts and breakage.
Realistic Example
Imagine you have a wall that is 12 feet wide and 8 feet high (96 sq. ft.). You are using standard bricks (8″ x 2.25″) with a 3/8″ (0.375″) mortar joint.
Effective Area in Sq Ft: 21.98 / 144 ≈ 0.1526 sq. ft. per brick.
Net Bricks: 96 / 0.1526 ≈ 629 bricks.
With 10% Waste: 629 × 1.10 = 692 bricks total.
function calculateFacing() {
// Retrieve values
var w = parseFloat(document.getElementById('wallWidth').value);
var h = parseFloat(document.getElementById('wallHeight').value);
var ul = parseFloat(document.getElementById('unitLength').value);
var uh = parseFloat(document.getElementById('unitHeight').value);
var jw = parseFloat(document.getElementById('jointWidth').value);
var wf = parseFloat(document.getElementById('wasteFactor').value);
// Validation
if (isNaN(w) || isNaN(h) || isNaN(ul) || isNaN(uh) || isNaN(jw) || isNaN(wf)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers in all fields.");
return;
}
if (w <= 0 || h <= 0 || ul <= 0 || uh <= 0) {
alert("Dimensions must be greater than zero.");
return;
}
// Calculation Logic
// 1. Wall Area in Sq Ft
var wallArea = w * h;
// 2. Unit Area including joint in Sq Inches
var effectiveLength = ul + jw;
var effectiveHeight = uh + jw;
var unitAreaSqIn = effectiveLength * effectiveHeight;
// 3. Convert unit area to Sq Ft
var unitAreaSqFt = unitAreaSqIn / 144;
// 4. Calculate Net Units
var netUnits = wallArea / unitAreaSqFt;
// 5. Calculate Total with Waste
var totalUnits = netUnits * (1 + (wf / 100));
// Display results
document.getElementById('resWallArea').innerText = wallArea.toFixed(2) + " sq. ft.";
document.getElementById('resUnitArea').innerText = unitAreaSqFt.toFixed(4) + " sq. ft.";
document.getElementById('resNetUnits').innerText = Math.ceil(netUnits) + " units";
document.getElementById('resTotalUnits').innerText = Math.ceil(totalUnits) + " units";
document.getElementById('resultsDisplay').style.display = "block";
}