With 10 mm mortar joints, 1 cubic metre of brickwork needs 500 modular bricks (190 × 90 × 90 mm) or about 534 common Nepali bricks (230 × 110 × 55 mm). Add about 5% for wastage, so order roughly 525 modular or 561 Nepali bricks per m³.
The exact number depends on the real size of the bricks you buy, so measure a few from the stack before you estimate. Here is how the count is worked out.
How many bricks in 1 cubic metre: the method
Each brick in the wall takes up its own size plus one mortar joint on its length, width and height. So the space one brick uses is:
(L + t) × (B + t) × (H + t), where t is the joint thickness.
The number of bricks in 1 m³ is 1 divided by that volume.
Nepali brick, 230 × 110 × 55 mm
- Size with mortar = 240 × 120 × 65 mm = 0.24 × 0.12 × 0.065 = 0.001872 m³
- Bricks per m³ = 1 ÷ 0.001872 = 534.19, say 534
- With 5% wastage = 534.19 × 1.05 = 560.9, say 561
Modular brick, 190 × 90 × 90 mm
- Size with mortar = 200 × 100 × 100 mm = 0.002 m³
- Bricks per m³ = 1 ÷ 0.002 = 500
- With 5% wastage = 500 × 1.05 = 525
Quick table
| Brick size (mm) | Size with 10 mm joint | Bricks per m³ | With 5% wastage | Wet mortar per m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 230 × 110 × 55 (Nepali) | 240 × 120 × 65 | 534 | 561 | about 0.26 m³ |
| 190 × 90 × 90 (modular) | 200 × 100 × 100 | 500 | 525 | about 0.23 m³ |
The mortar figure is 1 m³ minus the volume of the bricks alone. For Nepali bricks: 534.19 × 0.0013915 = 0.743 m³ of brick, leaving 0.257 m³ of mortar. Dry materials for that mortar are more than this, because sand and cement shrink in volume when water is added.
Worked example
A 230 mm wall is 3 m long and 2.7 m high. Volume = 3 × 2.7 × 0.23 = 1.863 m³. Bricks = 1.863 × 534.19 = 995, and with 5% wastage about 1045 Nepali bricks. Deduct door and window openings before you multiply.
The brick calculator gives bricks, cement and sand together. For a full house budget, try the house construction cost estimator.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some books say 500 bricks per m³ for every brick?
The 500 figure is exact only for modular bricks with 10 mm joints. Nepali kiln bricks are thinner, so more of them fit. Always use the size you will actually buy.
Is 5% wastage enough?
For careful work with good bricks, 5% is a common allowance. Broken loads, long carries on narrow Kathmandu sites or poor quality bricks can push it higher.
How many bricks in 100 cubic feet?
100 cft is 2.832 m³, so about 1513 Nepali bricks or 1416 modular bricks before wastage.
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