Okay, so the other day I was staring at this empty patch in my backyard, thinking, “I should really build that brick patio I’ve been dreaming about.” But then the big question hit me: how many bricks do I even need? I didn’t want to end up with a mountain of extra bricks or, even worse, run out halfway through.
So, I started doing some digging online. I mean, I could have tried to do all the math myself, figuring out the area and the size of each brick… but honestly, that sounded like a headache. I figured there had to be an easier way.
And guess what? There totally is! I found these online “brick calculators.” Basically, you just punch in a few numbers, and it spits out the answer. Sounds pretty good right?
My Process of Getting This Done
- First, I measured the patio area. I grabbed my trusty tape measure and figured out the length and width of the space I wanted to cover. It’s super important to get these measurements right, otherwise, the whole calculation will be off.
- Next, brick size. Bricks come in different sizes, so I looked up standard brick dimensions. I want with classic red bricks.
- Then, account for the gaps. You see, you don’t just butt bricks right up against each other. You need to leave space for mortar, those little gaps between the bricks. The calculator I used had a spot to enter the mortar joint width, which is usually around 1/2 inch.
- Finally, Time to waste some. I knew from my previous small brick work that during the work, I tend to waste some so, you’d better add like 5%~10% more.
I plugged all those numbers into the calculator, hit “calculate,” and bam! It told me exactly how many bricks I needed. I even added a few extra, just in case I messed up a few cuts or some bricks broke. Better to be safe than sorry, right?
So, yeah, that’s how I figured out the brick situation. The online calculator thing was a lifesaver. Now, I’m ready to hit the home improvement store and get this patio project rolling!
