How Many Bricks per m²? Single and Double Skin Chart (UK)
There are 60 bricks per m² in a single-skin (half-brick) wall and 120 bricks per m² in a wall one brick thick, using standard UK bricks (215 × 102.5 × 65 mm) with 10 mm joints. Multiply by the wall area and add about 5% for cuts and breakages. A 10 m² single-skin wall, for example, takes 630 bricks. The brick calculator does it for your wall, with the sand and cement.
Bricks by wall area
| Wall area | Single skin, no waste | Single skin + 5% | One brick thick, no waste | One brick thick + 5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 m² | 60 | 63 | 120 | 126 |
| 5 m² | 300 | 315 | 600 | 630 |
| 10 m² | 600 | 630 | 1,200 | 1,260 |
| 15 m² | 900 | 945 | 1,800 | 1,890 |
| 20 m² | 1,200 | 1,260 | 2,400 | 2,520 |
| 30 m² | 1,800 | 1,890 | 3,600 | 3,780 |
| 50 m² | 3,000 | 3,150 | 6,000 | 6,300 |
Take doors and windows off the area first. For a garden wall, measure the length times the height above the footing.
Sand and cement for the mortar
A 1:4 cement to building sand mortar, with 5% extra bricks, using the calculator's rule of thumb:
| Wall area | Single skin | One brick thick |
|---|---|---|
| 5 m² | 0.28 t sand, 3 bags | 0.56 t sand, 6 bags |
| 10 m² | 0.56 t sand, 6 bags | 1.12 t sand, 11 bags |
| 15 m² | 0.84 t sand, 8 bags | 1.68 t sand, 16 bags |
| 20 m² | 1.12 t sand, 11 bags | 2.24 t sand, 21 bags |
| 30 m² | 1.68 t sand, 16 bags | 3.36 t sand, 31 bags |
Which wall thickness do you need?
- Single skin (half-brick, 102.5 mm): the outer leaf of a cavity wall, cladding, infill panels and low planters. A freestanding single-skin wall needs piers to stand up safely and should be kept low.
- One brick thick (215 mm): the usual freestanding garden wall; still needs piers or a limited height in exposed spots.
- Cavity wall: two single skins tied together with wall ties, with the cavity insulated or left clear; count each leaf separately, and the wall ties guide counts the ties.
For a full garden wall with footings and coping, see how many bricks for a garden wall, and for mortar ratios, sand and cement mix ratios. For blockwork, the concrete blocks guide works the same way at 10 blocks per m². The walls planner puts the job in order. Walls over about 1 m by a road, or any wall near a boundary, may need permission: check before you build.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are in a square metre?
60 standard bricks for a single-skin (half-brick, 102.5 mm) wall, and 120 for a wall one brick thick (215 mm), with 10 mm mortar joints. Add about 5% for cuts and breakages.
How many bricks do I need for a 10 m² wall?
630 bricks for a single-skin wall and 1,260 for a one-brick-thick wall, both with 5% waste.
How many bricks are in a pack?
It depends on the maker and the brick, typically a few hundred, so check with your merchant. The brick calculator counts packs of 500 as a planning figure.
How much mortar do I need per 1,000 bricks?
About 0.89 tonnes of building sand and 9 bags of 25 kg cement for a 1:4 mix, as a rule of thumb that includes some waste. Deeper joints and frogs laid up use more.
Why is it 60 bricks per m²?
A standard brick is 215 × 65 mm on its face and the joints are 10 mm, so each brick takes 225 × 75 mm of wall. A square metre holds about 4.4 bricks along and 13.3 courses up: 59.3, which rounds up to 60. A one-brick wall has two skins, so twice as many.
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Estimates only. Quantities depend on your materials, site and supplier. Confirm important numbers before you order, and check the Building Regulations and any planning rules for anything structural or close to a boundary.
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