Brick Veneer & Stone Siding Calculator — Coverage & Cost

Standard modular brick (2¼″ × 3⅝″ × 7⅝″) with a ½″ mortar joint = 5.12 bricks per sq ft. Add 5% waste for cuts and broken bricks. A 1,000 sq ft wall needs about 5,376 bricks total.

Brick veneer is a single thin layer over sheathing — it is siding, not structural. A full brick wall is two wythes thick with an air gap. Veneer needs lath + flashing; a full wall needs foundation support. Veneer is $24–$32/sq ft installed, full wall costs twice that.

Natural stone waste varies by pattern: random ashlar ≈ 10%, coursed ashlar ≈ 12%, running bond ≈ 15%. The more uniform height your pattern requires, the more stones get discarded for being the wrong height. Cultured stone waste is fixed at 8% regardless of pattern.

One 80 lb Type N mortar bag covers 64 sq ft of standard brick veneer — that's 0.0156 bags per sq ft. Always add 10% for mixing loss. For a 1,000 sq ft house: 1,000 ÷ 64 × 1.10 = 17 bags needed.

Natural stone is 40–60% more expensive both in material and labor, lasts 150+ years, and adds significant weight to walls (15 lbs/sq ft). Faux cultured stone is lighter (7 lbs/sq ft), cheaper, and installs faster, but only lasts 30–50 years. If your budget is tight or the wall isn't structurally heavy-duty, cultured stone is the better value.

Yes — every brick veneer installation over wood or metal framed walls requires 2.5 lb/yd² galvanized wire lath stapled to the sheathing, plus two layers of #15 building paper beneath it. The lath gives mortar a key to grab onto; the paper keeps moisture out of the framing.