Calculating the number of bricks
This man had a concrete slab on grade and he moved directly onto step two – calculating numbers of bricks that he needed. The man recommends us to consult with a structural engineer before proceeding with this project if you have an elevated floor – a basement or crawl space below the floor. In this case it’s more important to determine what kind of structure it is and it will likely need to be reinforced with additional floor joists.
This type of brick veneer can weigh upwards of 20 pounds per square foot of wall and you may need also to add columns and footings to distribute the load down to a solid foundation. In the example in which he tells us the brick veneer on this wall weighs almost 2,000 pounds total.
The man explained us how to calculate this in details. You have to begin with measuring the wall and determine the total square feet of wall to be covered.
In addition you have to determine how many square feet each brick will cover. Don’t forget to add 3/8’’ to the actual height and width of each brick to account for the mortar joint. Next divide the square feet of the wall by the square footage of one brick.
Well, this will give you the quantity of half brick you need. To get the total number of full brick he divides the quantity of half brick by 2. Add between 8 and 10 percent to this number to account for waste. So, the brick costs less if you buy it by the cube as opposed to buying individual bricks. One cube is approximately 500 bricks. This may vary depending on the size of the bricks you choose.