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Project guide

How many bricks do I need for a wall?

To work out how many bricks you need, measure the face of the wall, multiply by the number of bricks per square metre for the wall thickness and add a little for cuts and breakages. Then work out the mortar to lay them.

Updated Based on manufacturer guidance, sources below

The short answer

A half-brick (single skin) wall uses about 60 standard UK bricks per m² with 10mm joints, and a one-brick (215mm) wall about 120. Add 5% for cuts and breakages. A 6m garden wall 1m high is 6 m², so a single-skin wall needs about 378 bricks, 3 bags of cement and 1 bulk bag of building sand.

The formula

  • Wall area (m²) = length x height, minus any openings
  • Bricks = area x 60 for a half-brick wall (x 120 for a one-brick wall), plus 5%
  • Mortar (m³) = area x 0.03 for a half-brick wall, plus 10% (double it for a one-brick wall)
  • Cement (25kg bags) = mortar m³ x 14 at 1:4; building sand (tonnes) = mortar m³ x 1.5

Worked example

A single-skin garden wall 6m long and 1m high, 1:4 mortar:

  • Area: 6 x 1 = 6 m²
  • Bricks: 6 x 60 = 360, plus 5% = 378 bricks
  • Mortar: 6 x 0.03 x 1.1 = 0.2 m³
  • Cement: 0.2 x 14 = 2.8, so 3 bags
  • Building sand: 0.2 x 1.5 = 0.3 tonnes, so 1 bulk bag

Built one brick thick (215mm) for extra strength, the same wall needs about twice as many bricks and twice the mortar.

Work it out for your job

Change the measurements and the quantities update straight away.

Length x height. For a one-brick (215mm) wall, enter twice the area.
Bricks
378 (60 per m² + 5%)
Mortar
0.20 m³ (including 10%)
Cement
3 x 25kg bags (1:4)
Building sand
0.30 tonnes, about 1 bulk bag

Your list

  • 3Cement 25kg
  • 1Building sand, bulk bags
  • 1Mortar plasticiser 1L
Price the cement and sand

Opens SmartBuild with this list added, priced from supplier product feeds.

Materials checklist

  • Facing bricksStandard UK size is 215 x 102.5 x 65mm. Use frost-resistant bricks for garden walls and copings.
  • Cement25kg bags of general-purpose cement.
  • Building (soft) sandFor bricklaying mortar. Sold in bulk bags of about 800kg or in 25kg bags.
  • Mortar plasticiserMakes the mortar easier to work. Follow the dose on the bottle.
  • Coping or cappingThrows rain off the top of a freestanding wall.
  • Concrete for the footingA strip foundation under the wall, usually two to three times the wall width.

You'll also need

  • Brick trowel, pointing trowel and jointer
  • Spirit level, string line and line pins or corner blocks
  • Gauge rod marked at 75mm per course
  • Mixer or mixing tub, shovel and buckets
  • Gloves and goggles: wet cement burns skin

Step by step

  1. Measure the wallMultiply the length by the height in metres. Take off gates or other openings.
  2. Choose the thicknessHalf-brick (102.5mm) for low garden and planter walls, one brick (215mm) for taller or more exposed walls.
  3. Count the bricksMultiply the area by 60 for a half-brick wall or 120 for a one-brick wall, and add 5%.
  4. Work out the mortarAllow 0.03 m³ per m² of half-brick wall plus 10%, then split it into cement and sand by the mix.
  5. Order from one batchOrder all the bricks at once so the colour matches, and keep a few spare.

Tips from the manufacturers

  • One course of standard bricks with a 10mm joint is 75mm high, so a 1m wall is about 13 courses plus the coping.
  • Mix bricks from three or four packs as you lay them, so any colour variation is spread across the wall.
  • Use building (soft) sand for bricklaying. Sharp sand makes a harsh mortar that is hard to work.
  • Build no more than about 1.5m height in a day, so the lower courses are not squeezed out of line.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Forgetting the bricks below ground level, between the footing and the first course above the soil.
  • Ordering the exact count with nothing for cuts, chipped bricks and breakages.
  • Using a mortar much stronger than the bricks, which can crack soft or older bricks.
  • Building a tall freestanding wall only half a brick thick without piers, which is unstable.

Frequently asked questions

How many bricks are in a square metre?

About 60 standard UK bricks per m² for a half-brick (single skin) wall with 10mm joints, and about 120 for a wall one brick thick.

How many bricks do I need for a 10m wall?

It depends on the height. A 10m wall 1m high is 10 m², so a single-skin wall needs about 630 bricks including 5%, and a one-brick wall about 1,260.

How much mortar do I need for 1,000 bricks?

About 0.5 to 0.65 m³ with 10mm joints, which is roughly 7 to 10 bags of cement and just under 1 tonne of building sand at a 1:4 mix.

Do I need planning permission for a garden wall?

Under permitted development, a wall up to 2m high, or 1m next to a road used by vehicles, does not usually need permission, unless the property is listed or has other restrictions. Check the GOV.UK guidance before you build.

Sources

Quantities are estimates for typical jobs, using the coverage figures above. Products vary, so check the data sheet for the product you buy, and talk to a professional for structural, electrical or gas work. SmartBuild is independent and not affiliated with any of the manufacturers listed.

How much sand and cement do I need for bricks, blocks or slabs?Work out the volume of mortar first, then split it into cement and sand by the mix. Here are the standard UK rates for brickwork, blockwork and laying paving slabs. How many concrete blocks do I need?Concrete blocks are quicker to lay than bricks and are used for garden walls that will be rendered, garage and outbuilding walls, and the inner leaf of cavity walls. Measure the face of the wall and multiply by 10 blocks per square metre. How much concrete for a shed base?Make the base a little bigger than the shed, work out the volume, and convert it to bags of cement and ballast for a 1:5 mix.

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