Kumar IronUpdated
In this guide
Bricks per sq ft
Try it: Brick calculator
- Wall area: 30.0 m²
- Bricks: 1575
- Cement: 4.0 bags (50 kg)
- Sand: 0.83 m³ (29.2 cu ft)
A modular brick is 190 x 90 x 90 mm and takes up about 200 x 100 x 100 mm with a 10 mm joint. That is about 500 bricks per m³ of wall, the same basis used in our boundary wall guide.
1 sq ft is 0.0929 m². A 9 inch (230 mm) wall has 0.0929 x 0.23 = 0.0214 m³ per sq ft, which is 0.0214 x 500 = about 10.7 bricks per sq ft. A 4.5 inch (115 mm) wall has 0.0107 m³, about 5.3 bricks per sq ft. Some sources say 4.6, because they use a 100 mm module for the half-brick wall. Use 5 as a round figure and let the wastage allowance cover the gap.
| Wall | Bricks | With 5% wastage |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5 inch | about 530 | about 555 |
| 9 inch | about 1070 | about 1125 |
Local brick sizes vary, especially older 9 x 4.5 x 3 inch bricks. Measure a few bricks from your supplier before you finalise.
Mortar for brickwork
Brick volume is 0.19 x 0.09 x 0.09 = 0.00154 m³. 500 bricks occupy 0.77 m³ of every m³ of wall, so mortar is about 0.23 m³ wet per m³ of wall.
For 100 sq ft of 9 inch wall (2.14 m³): wet mortar = 2.14 x 0.23 = 0.49 m³. Dry volume = 0.49 x 1.33 = 0.65 m³. At 1:6, cement is 1/7 = 0.093 m³, about 2.7 bags, and sand is 0.56 m³, about 20 cubic feet. For the 4.5 inch wall, halve everything: about 1.3 bags and 10 cubic feet of sand.
Plaster is separate. See the plaster calculator for that.
AAC blocks per sq ft
The common AAC block face is 600 x 200 mm, which is 0.12 m² or 1.29 sq ft. So one block covers 1.29 sq ft, and you need about 0.775 blocks per sq ft, or 77 to 78 blocks per 100 sq ft. This holds whether the block is 100, 150 or 200 mm thick, because only the face area counts for the count. Thickness changes the wall volume and the adhesive, not the number of blocks.
With 5 per cent wastage, 100 sq ft needs about 81 blocks. AAC blocks break at corners and cut ends, so keep a few extra. Check the exact size with your supplier, as some sell 625 x 240 mm.
| Wall area | Blocks | With 5% wastage |
|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | about 78 | about 81 |
| 500 sq ft | about 388 | about 407 |
| 1000 sq ft | about 775 | about 814 |
AAC uses thin-bed adhesive with 3 mm joints, which needs far less mortar than brick. Use the AAC block calculator for adhesive and cement mortar options. For brick versus AAC comparison, see the AAC vs red bricks guide.
Subtract openings
Deduct doors and windows from the wall area before you count. Do not deduct small openings under about 1 sq m (10 sq ft) if you are ordering loosely. The 5 per cent wastage covers cut bricks, breakage in transport and unloading.
A short order checklist
- Measure the wall length and height, then multiply for area in sq ft.
- Subtract large doors and windows.
- Multiply by 10.7 for 9 inch brick wall, or 5.3 for 4.5 inch.
- Add 5 per cent wastage.
- Check brick size from the supplier and counts at delivery.
- Plan cement and sand for mortar using the ratio above, or the brick calculator.
For help with quantities or delivery in Amroha, Moradabad or nearby, call or WhatsApp the store.
Frequently asked questions
- How many bricks per sq ft for a 9 inch wall?
- About 10.7 modular bricks per sq ft, so about 1070 per 100 sq ft before wastage.
- How many bricks per sq ft for a 4.5 inch wall?
- About 5 to 5.3, depending on module. Use 5.3 to be safe.
- How many AAC blocks per sq ft?
- About 0.78 for a 600 x 200 mm block, or 78 per 100 sq ft.
- How much wastage should I allow?
- 5 per cent is a reasonable starting point for bricks and AAC blocks.
- Does AAC thickness change the block count?
- No. The count depends on face area. Thickness affects volume and adhesive.