How to use it
- Enter the wall length and height.
- Add up the area of the doors and windows and enter the total.
- Choose the brick or block size and the mortar joint thickness.
- Keep a breakage allowance of 5 to 10%.
Worked example
A wall 10 m long and 2.4 m high has 24 m² of face, minus 2 m² of windows, leaving 22 m². A standard 215 × 65 mm brick with 10 mm joints covers 0.225 × 0.075 = 0.0169 m², so the wall takes about 59 bricks per square metre, or 1,304 bricks. With 5% for breakage, order 1,369.
Quick rules of thumb
| Unit | Joint | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Brick 215 × 65 mm | 10 mm | about 59 per m² |
| Block 440 × 215 mm | 10 mm | about 10 per m² |
| Modular brick 7⅝ × 2¼ in | ⅜ in | about 6.9 per ft² |
| CMU block 15⅝ × 7⅝ in | ⅜ in | 1.125 per ft² |
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are in a square metre?
About 59 standard 215 × 65 mm bricks with 10 mm joints in a single-skin wall, often rounded to 60.
How many concrete blocks do I need per square foot?
A standard 8 × 16 in nominal CMU block covers 128 in², so you need 1.125 blocks per square foot.
How much mortar does a brick wall need?
It depends on the unit and the joint. The calculator works it out as the wall volume minus the volume of the units. Order extra, because some mortar is always dropped during laying.
Why add a breakage allowance?
Bricks and blocks break in delivery and cutting, especially at corners and openings. 5% suits simple walls, and 10% suits walls with many cuts.