Guide
How many bricks per square metre?
A single-skin (half-brick) wall uses about 60 standard UK bricks per square metre, and a one-brick-thick wall about 120, assuming 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm bricks and 10 mm mortar joints.
Written by the SK Trade team. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Where does 60 per square metre come from?
A standard brick is 215 mm long and 65 mm high. Add a 10 mm joint and each brick takes up 225 × 75 mm of wall face, which is 0.016875 m². One square metre divided by that is 59.26, which the trade rounds to 60.
How to work out bricks for your wall
- Measure the wall length and height in metres and multiply to get the area.
- Take off any window and door openings.
- Multiply by 60 for a single-skin wall, or 120 for a one-brick wall.
- Add about 5 percent for cuts and breakages, more if there are lots of piers or corners.
Example: a garden wall 6 m long and 1.2 m high is 7.2 m². At 60 per square metre that is 432 bricks, or about 454 with 5 percent extra.
Mortar for the bricks
Allow roughly 0.5 to 0.6 m³ of mixed mortar per 1,000 bricks. At a 1:4 cement to building sand mix that is about 1 tonne of soft sand and 8 to 9 bags (25 kg) of cement. Weaker mixes such as 1:5 or 1:6 use a little less cement and a little more sand.
Pack sizes and ordering
Bricks are sold by the pack, and pack sizes vary by maker, commonly 400, 475 or 500. Round up to whole packs, order everything for the job together so it comes from the same production run, and mix from three or four packs as you lay to blend colour.
Older and imperial bricks
Many older houses were built with slightly larger imperial bricks, often around 68 to 73 mm high. If you are extending or repairing an older building, measure an existing brick before you order: a 65 mm brick will not course in with them without adjusting the joints.
Related products
Related questions
How many bricks come in a pack?
It depends on the manufacturer and the brick. Packs of 400, 475 and 500 are common. We confirm the pack size with your price so you can order whole packs.
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.
Sources
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.