Mortar Calculator for Block and Brick
Enter a wall's length and height, pick block or brick and a mortar yield figure, and get bags of mortar mix, rounded up once, with the working shown for an example wall.
Estimates for planning, not professional advice. Read the full notice.
Example: a block wall
11 80 lb bags
- Wall area 120 ft²
- Blocks in the wall, exact 135 blocks
Estimate for planning, from what you entered and the product data shown. Check product labels and your supplier before you buy.
Your project
Enter a size to see your total.
Each product is rounded up once for the whole project, so the total can be less than the items bought alone added together. A line counted from a cut layout (sheets, boards or tiles laid out piece by piece) is counted for each item and added.
Shopping list
| Item | Size | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Mortar mix | 80 lb bag | 11 |
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Saved projects
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Worked example: a block wall
Show the working
- Wall area: length times height 20 ft × 6 ft = 120 ft²
- Blocks: area divided by the face of one block 120 ft² ÷ 0.888889 ft² = 135 blocks
- Bags: net blocks divided by blocks per bag, rounded up once 135 blocks ÷ 13 blocks per bag = 11 × 80 lb bags
Assumptions
The figures behind the example. Sourced figures link to their source below; a default is a starting value to check against your label or supplier.
| Assumption | Value | Details and changes |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks one bag lays, QUIKRETE Mortar Mix, up to (the maker's maximum; actual coverage may be lower) | 13 blocks[1] | |
| QUIKRETE says an 80 lb bag lays up to this many standard bricks or 8 in by 8 in by 16 in blocks. | ||
| Blocks one bag lays, SAKRETE Type S, no waste allowance | 12 blocks[2] | |
| SAKRETE says an 80 lb bag of Type S mortar lays this many 8 in blocks or standard bricks, with no allowance for waste or spillage. | ||
| Blocks one bag lays, CMHA preblended, waste included | 16 blocks[3] | |
| CMHA: one 80 lb bag of preblended mortar lays about this many conventional blocks or brick-sized units; the values include nominal waste and assume face shell bedding for blocks. | ||
| Bricks one bag lays, QUIKRETE Mortar Mix, up to (the maker's maximum; actual coverage may be lower) | 37 bricks[1] | |
| QUIKRETE says an 80 lb bag lays up to this many standard bricks or 8 in by 8 in by 16 in blocks. | ||
| Bricks one bag lays, SAKRETE Type S, no waste allowance | 35 bricks[2] | |
| SAKRETE says an 80 lb bag of Type S mortar lays this many 8 in blocks or standard bricks, with no allowance for waste or spillage. | ||
| Bricks one bag lays, CMHA preblended, waste included | 50 bricks[3] | |
| CMHA: one 80 lb bag of preblended mortar lays about this many conventional blocks or brick-sized units; the values include nominal waste and assume face shell bedding for blocks. | ||
Feet and inches, like 12' 6"
Bags of mortar per 100 and per 1000 units, by maker's figure
Bags for one hundred and for one thousand blocks or bricks at each figure, rounded up once on the net units
| Figure | Blocks per bag | Bags per 100 blocks | Bags per 1000 blocks | Bricks per bag | Bags per 100 bricks | Bags per 1000 bricks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QUIKRETE Mortar Mix, up to (the maker's maximum; actual coverage may be lower) | 13 blocks (per QUIKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026) | 8 × 80 lb bags | 77 × 80 lb bags | 37 bricks (per QUIKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026) | 3 × 80 lb bags | 28 × 80 lb bags |
| SAKRETE Type S, no waste allowance | 12 blocks (per SAKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026) | 9 × 80 lb bags | 84 × 80 lb bags | 35 bricks (per SAKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026) | 3 × 80 lb bags | 29 × 80 lb bags |
| CMHA preblended, waste included | 16 blocks | 7 × 80 lb bags | 63 × 80 lb bags | 50 bricks | 2 × 80 lb bags | 20 × 80 lb bags |
Product names are trademarks of their owners. HoneyDoMath is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by these makers. Figures come from each maker's published sheets and are shown for information only.
One figure is an up-to figure, the maker's maximum, so the coverage you get may be lower and the bags more; one leaves out waste and spillage, and one already includes waste, so the bags differ for the same units. A block wall and a brick wall are separate lines in the project list.
Mortar volume for one hundred bricks, by brick type
Cubic feet of mortar for one hundred bricks, from BIA's figure per thousand, for two joint widths and without waste
| Brick type | 3/8 in joint | 1/2 in joint |
|---|---|---|
| Modular | 0.81 ft³ | 1.03 ft³ |
| Engineer modular | 0.85 ft³ | 1.08 ft³ |
| Closure modular | 0.91 ft³ | 1.16 ft³ |
| Roman | 1.07 ft³ | 1.37 ft³ |
| Norman | 1.12 ft³ | 1.43 ft³ |
| Utility | 1.23 ft³ | 1.57 ft³ |
| Queen | 1.22 ft³ | 1.35 ft³ |
| King | 1.42 ft³ | 1.6 ft³ |
| Standard | 1.45 ft³ | 1.78 ft³ |
BIA gives the volume per thousand bricks; one hundred is a tenth of it. BIA says a range is added to mortar volume for waste.
Questions
How many bags of mortar per 100 blocks?
The table gives the bags for one hundred blocks at each of three published figures, rounded up once. They differ because the makers count waste differently.
Why do the mortar yields differ?
One maker's figure is an up-to figure, another's leaves out waste and spillage, and CMHA's already includes a nominal waste allowance and assumes face shell bedding for blocks. The calculator uses the one you pick.
How much mortar for 100 bricks?
The volume table gives cubic feet for one hundred bricks by brick type and joint width from BIA's figures, and the bag table gives bags at each figure.
Does waste on the blocks add mortar bags?
No. Bags are counted on the net blocks in the wall, not on the blocks bought.
Sources (3)
-
QUIKRETE Mortar Mix No. 1102 data sheet (opens in new tab), The Quikrete Companies, Revised November 2020.
Manufacturer data.
“Each 80 lb (36.2 kg) bag of QUIKRETE Mortar Mix will lay up to 37 standard bricks or 13 standard (8 in by 8 in by 16 in [200 mm by 200 mm by 405 mm]) blocks.”
Per QUIKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 1) -
SAKRETE Mortar Mix Type S technical data sheet (opens in new tab), SAKRETE of North America, 2018 (sakrete.com copy).
Manufacturer data.
“80 lb (36.3 kg) Will lay 12 = 8" (200 mm) concrete block, 35 standard bricks or 10 ft2 (1.0 m2) of cultured stone ... Note: Yield and water are approximate. The yield above does not allow for waste and spillage.”
Per SAKRETE's data sheet, checked Nov 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 2) -
TEK 04-02A, Estimating Concrete Masonry Materials (opens in new tab), Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (formerly NCMA), TEK 04-02A (web edition).
Standards or industry body.
“Preblended mortar: 1-80 lb (36.3 kg) bag 16 50 ... Values include nominal amounts for waste. Assumes face shell mortar bedding for conventional concrete masonry units and full bedding for brick-sized concrete masonry units.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 3)
These are summaries of what the sources say, not professional advice. Codes and product data change. Check with your building department and the product label about your own project.
Sources
- [1] QUIKRETE, QUIKRETE Mortar Mix No. 1102 data sheet. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.quikrete.com/PDFs/DATA_SHEET-Mortar%20Mix%201102.pdf
- [2] SAKRETE, SAKRETE Mortar Mix Type S technical data sheet. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.sakrete.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Mortar-Mix-Type-S.pdf
- [3] Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (formerly NCMA), TEK 04-02A, Estimating Concrete Masonry Materials. Checked November 12, 2026. https://www.cmha.org/resource/tek-04-02a/