Brick Calculator
Estimate the number of bricks, mortar volume, cement and sand needed, plus material cost, for a brick wall.
Input Data
Results
At a glance:The brick calculator estimates masonry materials. Core idea: compute brick count from wall area and the brick-with-joint unit area; subtract the brick solid volume from the wall to get the mortar (joint) wet volume, then scale by the dry/wet ratio and wastage and split cement and sand by the mortar ratio; finally apply unit prices for the material cost. Formula: bricks = wall area × courses ÷ [(brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint)]; mortar wet volume = total joint volume × courses; cement volume = dry mortar volume × cement parts ÷ total parts.
Formula
Wall area A = wall length × wall height
Brick count N = ⌈ A × courses ÷ ((brick length + joint) × (brick height + joint)) ⌉
Total bricks = ⌈ N × (1 + brick wastage%) ⌉
Mortar wet volume Vw = total joint volume × courses
Dry volume Vd = Vw × dry/wet ratio × (1 + mortar wastage%)
Cement volume = Vd × cement parts ÷ total parts; sand volume = Vd × sand parts ÷ total parts
Example: 10m×3m single-course wall, 200×100×100mm brick, 10mm joint → about 1,330 bricks
$$A = L \times H$$$$N = \left\lceil \frac{A \cdot t}{(l_{b}+j)(h_{b}+j)} \right\rceil$$$$V_w = A \cdot t \cdot b_w \cdot \frac{j(l_b+h_b+j)}{(l_b+j)(h_b+j)}$$$$V_d = V_w \times \text{ratio}_{dry/wet} \times (1+w\%)$$How to Use
- Enter the wall length and height (m).
- Select the wall type: single or double brick wall.
- Enter the brick length, height, width and joint thickness (mm).
- Select the mortar ratio and enter the brick and mortar wastage percentages.
- Enter cement bag weight, density and other parameters (defaults are usually fine).
- To estimate cost, enter the brick, cement and sand unit prices.
- The tool outputs brick count, mortar volume, cement and sand quantities and total cost.
Mortar ratio vs cement/sand (per 1 m³ dry mortar)
| Ratio | Cement Volume | Sand Volume | Cement Weight (approx) | 50kg Bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:3 | 0.25 m³ | 0.75 m³ | 360 kg | 8 bags |
| 1:4 | 0.20 m³ | 0.80 m³ | 288 kg | 6 bags |
| 1:5 | 0.17 m³ | 0.83 m³ | 240 kg | 5 bags |
| 1:6 | 0.14 m³ | 0.86 m³ | 204 kg | 5 bags |
Ratio figures are sand parts. Higher cement ratio gives greater strength but uses more cement.
Case Studies
Home boundary wall
Build a 10m long, 3m high, one-brick-thick (double) boundary wall using 200×100×100mm bricks with 10mm joints.
Double wall needs about 2,700 bricks (with 5% wastage); mortar dry volume about 2.4 m³.
At 1:4 ratio, cement about 480 kg (~10 bags), sand about 1.9 m³ — easy to order from the supplier.
Interior partition
A 4m × 2.8m single interior partition with 5% brick wastage and 10% mortar wastage.
About 640 bricks, mortar dry volume about 0.5 m³.
At 1:5 ratio, cement ~100 kg (2 bags), sand ~0.4 m³.
Contractor quotation
A small contractor receives a brickwork quote and needs to estimate material cost.
After entering brick, cement and sand prices, the total cost output forms the material basis of the quote.
Adjust brick and mortar wastage to site reality, typically 5% and 10% respectively.
FAQ
Why round bricks up?
Bricks are cut to fit corners and openings, so the actual count must be whole; we round up (ceil) and add a wastage percentage to be safe.
What is the mortar dry/wet ratio of 1.52?
When cement and sand are mixed with water, the water fills pores and the volume shrinks, so dry mix volume is about 1.52× the wet mortar volume. Multiply wet volume by 1.52 to get the dry material to purchase.
Difference between 1:4 and 1:6 mortar?
The numbers are the sand parts. 1:4 has more cement and higher strength, good for load-bearing walls; 1:6 saves cement and is weaker, suitable for general infill or plastering.
Why is a double wall roughly twice the material?
A double wall is about one brick length thick, laid with bricks sideways in a second layer, so volume is about twice a single wall — bricks and mortar roughly double (joint counts differ slightly).
Can I compute cost without entering prices?
Yes. When a price field is 0, that cost item is excluded from the total; you still get the brick count, mortar, cement and sand quantities.
How do brick and mortar wastage differ?
Brick wastage is breakage from handling and cutting; mortar wastage is loss while mixing and applying. They are set independently — typically 5% for bricks and 10% for mortar.
Related Tools
References
Content review: Calculatorism Science Team. Results are for reference only; please refer to the relevant authorities for the official figures.