Masonry Takeoff Guide: CMU, Brick, Mortar, and Reinforcement Counts

A masonry takeoff counts every block, brick, bag of mortar, and foot of wire on a project. This guide walks you through the math in plain English, with the ratios and block sizes a good estimator uses every day. Whether you bid CMU backup or full brick veneer walls, this is your roadmap.

1. What a Masonry Takeoff Is

A masonry takeoff is a full count of the masonry units (CMU or brick), the mortar that holds them together, the steel reinforcement (horizontal wire, rebar in cells), the grout that fills those cells, and the accessories (ties, flashing, weeps, control joints). Masonry is more pieces to count than almost any other trade.

What you need at the end

• Block count by type and size (often including corner, half, bond beam, and sash units)
• Brick count by color and size
• Mortar volume (cubic feet or bags of masonry cement)
• Grout volume (cubic yards)
• Reinforcement (linear feet of joint wire, pounds of rebar)
• Accessories (ties, anchors, flashing, weeps, cavity insulation, control joints)

2. Block and Brick Sizes

Masonry comes in standard sizes. Get these memorized and everything else flows.

CMU (Concrete Masonry Unit)

CMU is called out by its nominal size (actual size plus mortar joint). An 8x8x16 CMU is actually 7-5/8 inches x 7-5/8 inches x 15-5/8 inches, and with a 3/8 inch mortar joint on top and one end, it occupies an 8 x 8 x 16 space.

• 8x8x16 (standard): covers 0.89 sq ft face area, use 1.125 blocks per sq ft of wall
• 12x8x16: same face area, deeper wall (used for tall walls or foundations)
• 6x8x16: thinner wall, same face
• Corner, half, sash, bond beam, lintel: specialty units; count separately

Brick

• Modular (7-5/8 x 2-1/4 x 3-5/8): 6.75 per sq ft of wall
• Standard (8 x 2-1/4 x 3-5/8): 6.55 per sq ft
• Queen (9-5/8 x 2-3/4 x 2-3/4): 5.75 per sq ft
• King (9-5/8 x 2-5/8 x 2-5/8): 6.0 per sq ft
• Jumbo utility (11-5/8 x 3-5/8 x 3-5/8): 3.0 per sq ft

3. Reading the Plans

Masonry is drawn on both architectural (A-series) and structural (S-series) sheets. You have to pull information from both.

Architectural sheets

• Floor plans show wall layout and length
• Elevations show height, openings, control joints, reveals
• Wall type legend calls out each wall assembly (e.g., 8" CMU with 4" brick veneer)
• Wall sections and details show ties, flashing, weeps, insulation

Structural sheets

• Reinforcement schedule: vertical bar size and spacing, horizontal bond beam size and location
• Lintel schedule: openings and lintel type/reinforcement
• General notes: mortar type, grout strength (typically 2,000 psi), CMU strength (f'm = 1,500 or 2,000 psi)

4. CMU Takeoff Math

The base formula

CMU count = wall area (sq ft) x 1.125 blocks per sq ft for standard 8x8x16.

Step-by-step

1. Measure wall length in feet and wall height in feet.
2. Multiply for gross wall area.
3. Subtract openings larger than about 6 sq ft (doors, windows, big openings). Small openings are usually left in.
4. Multiply by 1.125 blocks per sq ft for standard CMU.
5. Add 3-5% waste for breakage and cuts.

Example

A 100 ft long wall, 12 ft tall, with two 3x7 ft doors and four 4x4 ft windows. Gross area = 100 x 12 = 1,200 sq ft. Openings = 2(21) + 4(16) = 106 sq ft. Net = 1,094 sq ft. CMU = 1,094 x 1.125 = 1,231 blocks. With 4% waste, order 1,280 blocks.

Specialty units

Separate out bond beam, lintel, sash, and corner units because they cost more and stock differently. A typical commercial CMU wall has:

• 2-4% of blocks as bond beams (horizontal reinforced courses)
• 1-2% as lintel blocks (over openings)
• Corner blocks counted per each vertical corner x wall height divided by 8 inches

5. Brick Takeoff Math

The base formula

Brick count = wall area (sq ft) x bricks per sq ft for that size.

Veneer walls

Brick veneer is a single wythe (layer) on the outside of a building. Measure elevation by elevation. Deduct openings over 6 sq ft. Multiply by 6.75 for modular brick or the appropriate factor for other sizes.

Do not forget

• Corner returns. Brick turns a corner by going around; add 1-2 bricks per corner per course for the overlap.
• Soldier courses. Bricks laid on end for decorative banding. Count per linear foot.
• Rowlocks at sills and copings. Add per linear foot.
• Arch work. Arches take specialty-cut brick and cost more to lay.

6. Mortar, Grout, and Reinforcement

Mortar

Mortar glues the masonry units together. It is a mix of masonry cement, lime, and sand. Yield varies by joint size, unit size, and waste.

• CMU (8x8x16): 8.5 cu ft mortar per 100 blocks (about 3 bags Type S per 100 block)
• Modular brick: 6.5-8 cu ft mortar per 1,000 brick
• Waste: add 10-15%

Mortar types

• Type N: 750 psi, typical veneer and above-grade non-load-bearing
• Type S: 1,800 psi, load-bearing walls, below-grade
• Type M: 2,500 psi, foundations, retaining walls, chimneys
• Type O: 350 psi, interior non-load-bearing only

Grout

Grout is different from mortar. Grout is a high-slump, fluid mix that fills CMU cells around vertical rebar. It comes from a ready-mix truck or a site mixer and is pumped or lifted into cells.

Calculate grouted cells per foot of wall based on the reinforcement spacing. For 8-inch CMU with vertical bars at 48 inches on center, grout one cell every 48 inches. Each cell holds about 0.086 cu ft per foot of height for an 8-inch block (or 0.14 for 12-inch).

Reinforcement

Two types to count:

• Horizontal joint reinforcement (ladder or truss wire): typically every other course (16 inches on center vertically). Order about 1 LF per 1.33 SF of wall.
• Vertical rebar: sizes (#4 or #5) and spacing from the structural plans. Count linear feet, add laps (40 bar diameters typical), convert to pounds.

7. Accessories and Flashing

These small items can make or break your bid because they add up fast.

• Wall ties: connect veneer to backup. Count per 4.5 sq ft (1 tie per 2 sq ft for cavity walls at hurricane zones).
• Through-wall flashing: EPDM or stainless steel, per linear foot at shelves, sills, heads, and base.
• Weep vents: every 24-32 inches on center at shelf angles and base of veneer.
• Control joints: vertical joints every 20-30 ft in CMU. Include backer rod and sealant.
• Cavity insulation: rigid or mineral fiber in the air space. Priced per SF.
• Cleanouts: at the base of grouted cells for high-lift grouting.

8. AI Masonry Takeoff

Masonry takeoff used to mean hours of manual measuring and multiplying. Not anymore.

What PILRS does for masonry

• Reads the plan PDFs and wall type legend.
• Measures every wall automatically and assigns the correct type.
• Deducts openings from doors, windows, and large penetrations.
• Counts CMU, brick, mortar, grout, reinforcement, and ties.
• Applies your stored waste factors and outputs a priced bill of materials.

Where estimators still add value

AI gets the numbers. A seasoned masonry estimator still reviews for unusual details like hurricane ties, special architectural brick coursing, or owner-requested color blending. The mechanical counting is fast now. The judgment work is where the profit lives.