Mortar Calculator

This works out how much mortar a job takes from the joints themselves rather than from a units-per-bag rule of thumb. Enter the number of blocks or bricks, the unit size, the joint thickness and, for block, whether it is face shell bedded or fully bedded, and it returns the volume of mortar, bags of 60 and 80 lb mortar mix, and the sand, portland cement and hydrated lime for a Type M, S, N or O site batch. Multi-wythe brick walls get their collar joint counted too. Coverage printed on a bag of mix is usually more conservative than this geometry, so buy toward the bag figure when the two disagree.

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Dimensions In
Applies to the joint, the face shell and the bag yield below, and to every dimension and volume printed back.

From the block count, the joint and whether the block is face shell bedded or fully bedded.

The face of the unit comes with the block: 15 5/8 by 7 5/8 inches for the US 8 by 16 nominal block, 390 by 190 mm for the metric one. They are different products, so pick the one you are actually laying.
Blank means 3/8 in, the standard joint.
The ASTM C90 minimum is 1 in on a 6 in block and 1 1/4 in on an 8 in block. Blank uses those. Measure yours if it matters.
Mortar that falls off the board, stiffens in the tub or gets struck out. Twenty to thirty per cent is normal.
Printed on the bag. Blank means 0.675 cubic feet, which is typical for mortar mix.
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Dimensions In
Applies to the custom brick face, the bed depth, the joint and the bag yield below, and to every dimension and volume printed back.

From the brick count, the brick size, the joint and how many wythes thick the wall is.

Specified face sizes, the brick without its joint. A UK or Australian brick is its own module, not a converted inch one.
Used only when the size above is custom. Blank means 7.625 in, or 215 mm in millimetres.
Used only when the size above is custom. Blank means 2.25 in, or 65 mm in millimetres.
How deep the brick sits into the wall. Most modular bricks are 3 5/8 in, a queen about 3 and a king about 2 3/4; a UK brick is 102.5 mm and an Australian one 110 mm. Blank means 3.625 in, or 102.5 mm in millimetres.
Blank means 3/8 in, the standard joint.
Mortar that falls off the board, stiffens in the tub or gets struck out. Twenty to thirty per cent is normal.
Printed on the bag. Blank means 0.675 cubic feet, which is typical for mortar mix.
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