Brick Wall Calculator — Bricks, Cement & Sand
Planning a brick wall? Enter its length, height and thickness to estimate the bricks, cement bags and sand for mortar — the three things you order from the supplier.
Bricks required
–
standard modular bricks, rounded up
Cement for mortar
–
50 kg bags, 1:6 mortar, rounded up
Sand for mortar
–
cubic feet
Wall volume
–
cubic metres of brickwork
How this brick wall calculator works
Brickwork estimation has two parts: the bricks themselves, and the mortar that binds them. This calculator first finds the wall's volume in cubic metres, then applies two industry thumb rules — 500 bricks per cubic metre of brickwork, and 0.30 m³ of wet mortar per cubic metre of brickwork — to work out both materials in one go.
The formula
- Wall volume (m³) = length × height × thickness
- Bricks = wall volume × 500, rounded up
- Wet mortar = wall volume × 0.30 m³; dry mortar = wet × 1.33
- Cement bags = (dry mortar × 1/7) ÷ 0.0347, rounded up — for 1:6 mortar
- Sand (cft) = dry mortar × 6/7 × 35.3147
Worked example
A 10 ft × 10 ft wall, 9 inches (0.2286 m) thick, is 3.048 × 3.048 × 0.2286 = 2.12 m³ of brickwork. That needs 2.12 × 500 = 1,062 bricks. Mortar: 2.12 × 0.30 × 1.33 = 0.85 m³ dry. Cement = 0.85 × 1/7 ÷ 0.0347 = 3.5 → 4 bags; sand = 0.85 × 6/7 × 35.31 = 26 cft.
Notes for Indian sites
Use 9-inch (230 mm) walls for external and load-bearing walls, and 4.5-inch (115 mm) only for internal partitions. Many regions still use traditional 230 × 110 × 70 mm bricks, which need slightly more mortar — if yours are non-modular, add about 10% to the mortar figures. Deduct large openings (doors, windows) from the wall area for big walls; for a single room it rarely matters. Add 5–10% wastage to the brick count for breakage in transport and cutting, and order sand from a reliable source — overly silty sand weakens mortar. Cure the wall with water for at least 7 days after construction for full mortar strength.
Frequently asked questions
How many bricks are needed for 1 cubic metre of brickwork?
About 500 standard modular bricks (190 × 90 × 90 mm) with 10 mm mortar joints make up one cubic metre of brickwork. This is the standard thumb rule used across India.
Should I build a 4.5 inch or 9 inch wall?
External and load-bearing walls should be 9 inches (230 mm) thick for strength and weather resistance. 4.5 inch (115 mm) walls are fine for internal partitions that carry no load above them.
What cement-sand ratio is used for brickwork mortar?
1:6 (cement:sand) is the standard mortar ratio for brick masonry in Indian residential construction. Richer mixes like 1:4 are used for exposed or heavily loaded walls.
How many bricks are needed for a 100 sq ft, 9 inch wall?
A 100 sq ft wall that is 9 inches thick contains about 2.12 m³ of brickwork, which needs roughly 1,062 bricks, plus about 4 bags of cement and 26 cft of sand for 1:6 mortar.
How much cement is needed for 1,000 bricks?
1,000 bricks make about 2 m³ of brickwork. With 1:6 cement mortar that needs roughly 4 bags of 50 kg cement and about 24 cft of sand, before wastage allowance.