Are you getting ready to lay a patio in your backyard?
Are you trying to figure out how to measure the number of bricks you need?
Just how important is it to know how many bricks in a square foot patio, anyway?
It’s actually very important, and in this article, we’re going to help you learn everything you need to know about how to calculate this number properly so you don’t have to worry about your project going awry.
We’ll walk you through the steps in this simple math equation so you’ll understand not only what the steps are but why you need to perform each one, too. You’ll understand which measurements you need to take and what, exactly, it is you’re trying to calculate.
By the time you finish reading, you’ll be able to figure out the right number of pavers or bricks for your patio no matter what type of bricks you’re using and what size patio you want to lay. So let’s get started learning!
Steps for Computing Bricks Needed
- 1First, measure the bricks you’re going to be using. You will need to know the square inches in your paver brick. To calculate this, measure the length of the brick, then the width, and multiply these two numbers together.
- For example, if your brick is 8 inches long and 4 inches wide, you will multiply 8×4 to equal 32 inches squared.
- 2Next, understand that there are 144 square inches in a square foot. This is because a square foot measures 12 inches long by 12 inches wide, and 12×12 is 144.
- 3Divide 144 by the number of square inches in the paver you’re working with. Write this number down and save it for later.
- For example, if you divide 144 by 32 (square inches in an individual 4×8 brick), you’ll get 4.5. This means there are 4.5 bricks in one square foot of your patio.
- 4Measure the length and width of the patio space you’re going to be working with. You’re going to need the square footage of this area, so the calculation is the same: length times width.
- If your patio is 10 feet by 10 feet, you’re working with 100 square feet of space.
- 5Multiply the number of square feet in your patio (100) by the number you got in step 3 (4.5). This shows you how many bricks per square foot you need to cover the total number of square feet in the patio.
- For our example, this means you’ll need 450 bricks to cover your 10’x10’ patio space.
- 6Keep in mind that you don’t have to account for grout space between bricks when laying them in your yard. You’ll simply sweep a filler in between the small spaces that are left when you install the bricks fairly close to each other, so there isn’t any need to figure this into your calculation.
- 7With that said, however, you’re going to need to buy some extra bricks in case something goes wrong with the ones you buy, or in case you make a mistake somewhere along the way. Inexperienced DIYers should plan to buy ten percent more bricks than you might need based on your calculations—so if your calculations tell you to buy 450 bricks, multiply this by 0.10 to get 45. You should buy at least 45 more bricks, just in case.
Here is one more example:
- You are using bricks that are 8 inches long by 6 inches wide.
- 8 (length) x 6 (width) equals 48 square inches per brick.
- There are 144 square inches in a square foot. 144 divided by 48 (square inches per brick) is 3. This means there are 3 bricks in one square foot.
- You want to lay a patio that is 16 feet long by 8 feet wide.
- 16 (length) x 8 (width) equals 128 square feet.
- You already know that there are 3 of your bricks per one square foot. Multiply 128 total square feet times 3 bricks per each square foot.
- 128 x 3 = 384
- You will need a base of 384 bricks for your patio.
- Multiple 384 times 10%, or 0.10. This comes out to 38.4.
- Round this up to the next number to get 39. You will need to buy about 39 extra bricks.
- For this project, you should expect to buy around 423 bricks.
Conclusion
As you can see, it can time some to get the hang of figuring out numbers like this. However, the overall calculations required for this type of project aren’t very complicated, and with a little practice, you’re sure to be able to understand it and complete the measurements properly. Don’t be afraid to practice a few made-up patio laying scenarios before you go out there and start trying to measure your own yard!
And keep in mind that everyone makes mistakes sometimes. It’s a good idea to anticipate common problems in figuring out numbers like these and try to determine how to get around these issues when they arise. What are some factors that can contribute to errors in this calculation? Can they be avoided?
- You may measure your pavers or bricks incorrectly. It’s best to go by the measurements given on the package, if you buy them in bulk. This way, you know you’re going to be using the correct measurements.
- If the measurements of your bricks or pavers are in very specific fractions or decimals, you may be tempted to round down. This is a common error, and it’s better to round up if you’re going to round at all. Although you’ll get a more precise number by working with the measurement as-is, rounding up is always sure to give you a little more than you need, which is much better than coming up short!
- You may not measure your patio space precisely if you don’t lay it out correctly beforehand. To prevent this from being an issue, use a 2×4 or some other long piece of lumber with a specific measurement as a guide for spray painting the perimeter of your patio space. This will make it easier for you to keep your measurements straight and to know just how much space you’re working with.
Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be well on your way to a correct measurement every time. This can go a long way toward helping you get the right number of bricks or pavers the first time without having to go back to the hardware store for more in the middle of your project—and without risking the store running out of the type you’ve been using, too!