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About

Ordering masonry materials is rarely as simple as calculating geometric volume. A cubic meter of wall contains both bricks and mortar, and the ratio depends heavily on the brick format and joint size. Ordering based on pure brick volume leads to massive oversupply, while ignoring breakage leads to shortages. This tool calculates the precise number of brick units required to fill a cubic meter, factoring in the standard mortar bed.

Designed for site managers and DIY home builders, the calculator supports international standards including UK Standard, US Modular, and Euro Metric sizes. It distinguishes between the volume of the brick itself and the volume of the installed unit (brick + mortar), providing a realistic count for purchasing.

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Formulas

The calculation considers the "Working Size" of the brick, which is the brick dimension plus the mortar joint width.

Vunit = (L + j) × (W + j) × (H + j)
Count = Total VolumeVunit

Note: This assumes a single-leaf wall or solid fill. Double-skin walls may require doubling the count depending on how the input volume is measured.

Reference Data

Brick StandardDimensions (mm)Bricks per m3 (w/ 10mm Mortar)
UK Standard215 × 102.5 × 65~60
US Modular194 × 92 × 57~78
Metric Standard240 × 115 × 71~50
Australian Std230 × 110 × 76~49
Danish / Nordic228 × 108 × 54~63
South Africa222 × 106 × 73~52

Frequently Asked Questions

No. This tool calculates the theoretical count based on geometry. It is industry standard to add 5% to 10% extra for breakage and cutting waste during the ordering process.
The most common mortar joint thickness is 10mm (approx 3/8 inch). The tool defaults to this but allows you to disable it to see the raw brick volume count.
Brick dimensions vary by region due to historical manufacturing processes. US Modular bricks are smaller than UK Standards, meaning you need significantly more US bricks to fill the same cubic meter of space.
The calculator works on raw volume. If you calculate the volume of your wall (Length x Height x Thickness), the tool will give you the correct number of bricks to fill that space, regardless of whether the wall is single or double thickness.