Choosing Brick: Product-Data Planning Guide
Use published selection information from Acme Brick, Glen-Gery, and Belden Brick to plan a brick takeoff while confirming exact units and wall-system requirements.
Start with the exact unit and wall application
Brick selection is more specific than choosing a manufacturer name. Product catalogs can help you identify forms, nominal dimensions, colors, textures, and thin-brick or paver options, but the exact unit, intended application, wall system, support conditions, weather exposure, mortar, flashing, ties, movement details, and local requirements must be resolved for the project. A quantity calculator cannot make those decisions.
This guide does not rank Acme Brick, Glen-Gery, Belden Brick, or other manufacturers. It uses public product information to explain what to verify before converting a measured wall area into an order quantity.
| Manufacturer source | Published product context | Order check before using a takeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Acme Brick | Brick, thin brick, clay pavers, size, texture, color, and plant filters | Confirm the exact unit, dimensions, finish, product availability, and supplier quote. |
| Glen-Gery | Facebrick, pavers, thin brick, molded, glazed, handmade, and size/style filters | Use a physical sample; the catalog warns that on-screen color may not accurately represent delivered material. |
| Belden Brick Thin Brick | Thin-brick types and product-specific ASTM C1088 context | Confirm that the selected thin-brick product and complete system meet the project requirements. |
Samples and dimensions matter to a quantity plan
Published images are useful for an initial shortlist, but they are not a final color or texture approval. Glen-Gery explicitly advises that selection should be based on a sample because on-screen color may not accurately represent brick, stone, or mortar color. Similarly, the nominal dimensions and joint assumptions used in an estimate must match the selected unit and project layout. A change from a modular unit to a thin unit or a different size can change both the count and the system requirements.
- Record the exact product name, unit type, nominal dimensions, and intended application.
- Review current product literature, test data, and installation or system documentation for the selected material.
- Approve physical samples and mortar appearance through the responsible project process before a full order.
- Confirm supplier availability, lead time, matching material, accessories, and return conditions in writing.
Use the Brick Wall Calculator only for a preliminary takeoff
The Brick Wall Calculator can estimate a material count from stated wall dimensions, opening deductions, a selected brick size, and an allowance. It does not design a load-bearing wall, brick veneer, cavity wall, support shelf, flashing, drainage plane, ties, reinforcement, lintel, mortar, or footing. Do not use the result to approve construction, code compliance, or a structural masonry detail.
Before ordering masonry materials
Use the estimate as one input to a supplier quote and a project-specific material schedule. The final purchase should reflect the exact units and the complete construction details, not only a wall-area calculation.
- Recheck all wall areas, openings, returns, corners, bands, and special units against drawings or site dimensions.
- Match the calculator brick dimensions and joint assumptions to the selected product and planned layout.
- Separate specialty pieces, caps, sills, lintels, ties, mortar, flashing, and accessories from the basic unit count.
- Refer structural, exterior-envelope, drainage, fire, or permitted masonry questions to qualified local professionals before ordering or building.
Sources and further reading
- Product Selection — Acme Brick; Manufacturer product selector with brick, thin-brick, paver, size, color, texture, and plant filters.
- Brick Catalog — Glen-Gery; Manufacturer catalog listing facebrick, pavers, thin brick, style, and size filters, with a sample-selection caution.
- Thin Brick — Belden Brick; Manufacturer page with thin-brick product types and a cited ASTM C1088 specification context.