About this calculator
Count bricks for a wall from its size, with mortar quantities. Covers South African standard (SANS 227, 222 × 106 × 73 mm) and maxi bricks in single or double thickness.
How it’s calculated
Each brick, together with its share of mortar joint, covers one module of wall face. A standard 222 × 106 × 73 mm brick with 10 mm joints covers 232 × 83 mm of wall, giving about 52 bricks per m² for a half-brick wall. A 290 × 90 mm maxi face covers 300 × 100 mm, about 33 per m²; a 290 × 110 mm maxi face about 28 per m². A double-thickness wall doubles the count.
Worked example
With these inputs:
- Wall length
- 8 m
- Wall height
- 1.2 m
- Openings area
- 0 m²
- Brick size
- Standard 222 × 106 × 73 mm (SANS 227)
- Wall thickness
- Half-brick (single skin)
- Mortar mix (cement:sand)
- Class II, common cement (normal load-bearing walls)
- Waste allowance
- 5%
the result is:
- Bricks needed
- 524 bricks
- Wall area (net)
- 9.6 m²
- Mortar
- Class II, common cement (normal load-bearing walls)
- Cement (50 kg bags)
- 2 bags
- Building sand
- 0.31 m³
Tips from the trade
- 5% waste is normal for new brick. Use 10% for reclaimed brick or a lot of cutting.
- Buy every brick for one wall at the same time. Different batches can vary in colour.
- For 1,000 standard bricks in Class II mortar, the Concrete Society of Southern Africa gives 150 kg of common cement (three 50 kg bags) and 0.6 m³ of building sand.
Common questions
How many bricks in a square metre?
About 52 standard bricks per m² for a half-brick (110 mm) wall, and 104 for a one-brick (230 mm) wall.
Results are estimates for planning and pricing. Check quantities against your drawings, the manufacturer’s data and SANS 10400 (the National Building Regulations) and your local municipality before ordering.