Brick work looks simple until you start calculating materials.
I once saw a house where bricks ran out when only one wall was left. The reason was incorrect calculation.
Brick Work Depends on Three Things
Wall length
Wall height
Wall thickness
Miss any one and calculation fails.
Brick Size Used Commonly
Standard brick size is:
9 × 4.5 × 3 inches
With mortar, it becomes slightly larger.
Example Wall Calculation
Wall length: 20 feet
Wall height: 10 feet
Wall thickness: 9 inches
Wall volume = 20 × 10 × 0.75 = 150 cubic feet
Approx bricks per cubic foot = 13.5
Total bricks = 150 × 13.5 = 2025 bricks
Mortar Calculation
Mortar is around 25 percent of brick work volume.
Wet mortar = 150 × 0.25 = 37.5 cubic feet
Dry mortar = 37.5 × 1.33 = 50 cubic feet
Using 1:6 ratio:
Cement = 7 bags
Sand = 43 cubic feet
Real Site Lesson
Always add extra bricks. Breakage is unavoidable.
Using Brick Calculators
Manual calculation works, but calculators save time and reduce mistakes.
Practical Advice
Never calculate brick work without mortar consideration.
