How this calculator works
A standard UK brick is 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm. With a 10 mm mortar joint, each brick covers 225 × 75 mm of wall face, which is about 59 bricks per square metre. We use 60 for a single skin, and 120 for a wall that is one brick (215 mm) thick, which has two layers in its thickness. Multiply by the net wall area, and add your waste allowance.
Worked example: a 5 m long, 2 m high single-skin garden wall is 10 m², so 600 bricks, or 630 with 5% waste. That needs about 0.56 tonnes of building sand and 6 bags of 25 kg cement.
Tips before you buy
- Choose the mortar to suit the brick: a mix that is stronger than the bricks makes the wall crack through the bricks, and not the joints.
- Buy all the bricks for the job together. Colours vary between batches, and the mix of bricks from different pallets gives a better blend.
- A freestanding garden wall over about 1 m high needs piers or an engineer's advice, and walls next to a highway or over 2 m may need planning permission.
- Work from a string line, and check each course with a spirit level. A damp-proof course is needed at the base of any wall that is attached to a building.
- Mix the mortar in small batches, so that it does not go off before you use it.
Tools & materials for this project
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Frequently asked questions
How many bricks per square metre?
About 60 for a single skin of standard bricks with 10 mm joints, and 120 for a wall that is one brick thick.
How many bricks do I need for a 5m x 2m wall?
600 for a single skin, and about 630 with 5% for waste. A one-brick-thick wall needs twice that.
How much sand and cement do I need for 1,000 bricks?
About 0.9 tonnes of building sand and 8 bags of 25 kg cement for a 1:4 mix, as a rule of thumb.
What size is a standard UK brick?
215 mm long, 102.5 mm wide and 65 mm high. A 10 mm mortar joint is added on each course and each end.
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Estimates only. Results assume standard materials and simple shapes. Supplier products vary, and the final call on quantity, structure and safety is yours. Check your local code and your supplier's guidance before ordering.