LEGO · Mosaic planning
LEGO mosaic size and cost estimator.
Enter the width and height of your mosaic in studs and the page returns the number of 1 x 1 pieces, the finished size, the baseplates to cover it, the weight and the cost. It covers size and cost only, not the colour plan. Example: a 48 x 48 mosaic needs 2,304 pieces; with 5% spares you buy 2,420, which at $0.05 each is $121.00, and it measures about 384 mm (15.1 in) square on the LDraw 8 mm stud spacing.
Your numbers
Result
Working out the result.
How the mosaic size and cost are calculated
A studded mosaic uses one piece per stud, so the piece count is width times height. The page adds your spare percentage on top and rounds up, because you cannot buy part of a piece. The finished size comes from the stud spacing in the LDraw specification, which puts it at 20 LDU with 1 LDU = 0.4 mm, so 8 mm a stud; the spec itself calls these real-world values approximations. Baseplates are counted by rounding the width and height up to whole 32-stud squares.
Weight uses BrickLink catalogue weights: 0.12 g for Plate, Round 1 x 1 (4073), 0.2 g for Plate 1 x 1 (3024), 0.11 g for Tile, Round 1 x 1 (98138) and 107 g for Baseplate 32 x 32 (3811). Cost is the pieces you buy times your price plus the baseplates times theirs. No prices are built in, because bulk and per-colour prices change daily and differ by seller.
Worked example with real numbers
- Pieces. 48 × 48 = 2,304. Five percent spare is 116 more, so you buy 2,420.
- Finished size. 48 × 8 mm = 384 mm on each side, about 15.1 in.
- Baseplates. 48 studs needs two 32-stud plates across and two down, so four plates (the last row and column are only partly used).
- Weight. 2,420 round 1 x 1 plates at 0.12 g is 290.4 g, and four baseplates at 107 g is 428 g.
- Cost. 2,420 × $0.05 = $121.00, plus four baseplates at $8 = $32.00, so $153.00.
What this calculator leaves out
It does not turn a photo into a design, pick colours or count pieces per colour; mosaic software does that, and the count per colour is what decides how much you buy of each. Spares are a flat percentage, not a per-colour allowance. The baseplate weight is only given for 32 x 32 because that is the one we checked. Fan-made tool for LEGO-compatible bricks, not affiliated with the LEGO Group.
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedA mosaic is exactly 8 mm per stud across.
What the source saysThe 8 mm comes from the LDraw specification’s 20 LDU stud spacing and its approximation of 1 LDU = 0.4 mm, which it describes as approximations. [1]
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Often assumedThe baseplates add little weight compared with the pieces.
What the source saysBrickLink lists a 32 x 32 baseplate at 107 g and a round 1 x 1 plate at 0.12 g, so four baseplates (428 g) weigh more than 2,420 round plates (290.4 g). [2] [3]
- LDraw.org: file format specification, The LDraw Unit (LDU)
- BrickLink catalogue: Baseplate 32 x 32 (3811)
- BrickLink catalogue: Plate, Round 1 x 1 (4073)
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
How many pieces do I need for a LEGO mosaic?
One per stud: width times height. A 48 x 48 mosaic is 2,304 pieces, and a 32 x 32 one is 1,024. Add spares for lost pieces and uneven colour counts.
How big will my mosaic be?
At 8 mm a stud from the LDraw specification, a 48 x 48 mosaic is 384 mm (15.1 in) square and a 32 x 32 one is 256 mm (10.1 in). The spec calls these approximations.
How many baseplates do I need?
The page rounds the width and height up to whole 32-stud squares. A 48 x 48 mosaic therefore needs four 32 x 32 baseplates, with part of two of them unused. A different baseplate size would change the count.
Which piece is best for a mosaic?
That is a matter of look and budget. Round 1 x 1 plates show gaps between dots, flat 1 x 1 plates fill the stud space and tiles give a smooth surface but need a base. The choice here only changes the weight estimate.
How much do the pieces weigh?
BrickLink lists 0.12 g for a round 1 x 1 plate, 0.2 g for a 1 x 1 plate and 0.11 g for a round 1 x 1 tile. A 2,420-piece mosaic of round plates therefore weighs about 290 g before baseplates.
Does this plan the colours?
No. It estimates size, spares, baseplates, weight and cost only. Use mosaic design software to get the count of each colour.
Sources
Retrieved
- LDraw.org: file format specification, The LDraw Unit (LDU) — 20 LDU stud spacing and 1 LDU = 0.4 mm approximation, giving 8 mm (read 2026-10-26)
- BrickLink catalogue: Plate, Round 1 x 1 (4073) — 0.12 g (read 2026-10-26)
- BrickLink catalogue: Plate 1 x 1 (3024) — 0.2 g (read 2026-10-26)
- BrickLink catalogue: Tile, Round 1 x 1 (98138) — 0.11 g (read 2026-10-26)
- BrickLink catalogue: Baseplate 32 x 32 (3811) — 107 g (read 2026-10-26)
Size and cost estimate for LEGO-compatible bricks
Not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by the LEGO Group. LEGO is a trademark of the LEGO Group. Sizes use approximate LDraw figures and weights come from BrickLink catalogue entries. Nothing you type is sent or stored.