Calculator
Brick calculator: bricks, sand and cement for your wall
Multiply the wall area by 60 for a single-skin wall or 120 for a one-brick wall, add about 5 percent, then allow roughly 1 tonne of building sand and 8 to 9 bags of cement per 1,000 bricks at a 1:4 mortar mix.
Enter your sizes, see the materials and a diagram, then send the list for a delivered price.
Quantities are estimates using standard UK rules of thumb and are shown with their working. We check them against your job before we price anything.
How the calculation works
- Wall area = length × height, minus openings
- Bricks = area × 60 (half-brick) or × 120 (one-brick), + 5% waste
- Mortar ≈ 0.55 m³ per 1,000 bricks
- Dry materials ≈ mortar × 1.33, split by your cement:sand ratio
Worked example
A wall 8 m long and 1.5 m high, single skin: 12 m² × 60 = 720 bricks, plus 5% = 756. Mortar about 0.42 m³: roughly 0.7 tonnes of building sand and 7 bags of cement at 1:4.
What to order with it
- Bricks: Facing, engineering and common bricks by the pack.
- Building & Sharp Sand: Soft building sand, sharp sand and plastering sand.
- Cement: 25 kg bags of general-purpose and rapid-set cement.
Quantities are estimates. Pack sizes, bag weights and coverage vary by manufacturer; we confirm them on your quote.
Questions
How many bricks are in a square metre?
With standard 215 × 65 mm bricks and 10 mm mortar joints you need about 60 bricks per square metre for a single-skin (half-brick) wall and about 120 for a one-brick-thick wall. Add around 5 percent for cuts and breakages.
What is the difference between building sand and sharp sand?
Building (soft) sand is fine and makes smooth mortar for laying bricks. Sharp sand is coarser, drains better and is used in concrete, screeds and paving beds.
Send your list, get a delivered price
Tell us what you need and where it is going. We check the quantities and come back with a delivered price before you commit.