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Calculation of the amount of mortar for masonry. Accurate consumption of mortar for brickwork

Cement mortar plays an important role in construction - fastening various blocks together. It is extremely problematic to build a brick wall without cement, but with an adhesive mortar, construction takes place quickly, and the result is durable and strong. Understanding the importance of the solution, it is necessary to prepare in advance all the necessary materials for its preparation. To calculate the amount of materials required and the amount of costs, it is important to know the cement consumption per 1 cube of brickwork.

What solutions are used for brickwork

For brick laying, the mortar can be prepared in different proportions, with the addition of various additives and mixture components. Before starting any work, it is important to determine the type of masonry mortar.

The most important role in construction is played by cement mortar.

In modern construction, the following mixtures are mainly used:

  • the usual "cold solution". The composition contains cement, sand and water. The simplest, classic way to prepare a strong mixture is used everywhere today. After the cement mortar has hardened, the wall acquires sufficient strength and bearing capacity. This mortar can be prepared in various proportions, it all depends on the desired grade of the final mortar and the grade of dry cement. Cement M400-500 is mainly used and it is prepared 1 to 4;
  • mortar with lime. Portland cement and lime are used simultaneously. By combining the composition, it is possible to significantly save on cement, and the structure is durable and with a sufficient level of moisture resistance. If necessary, additional dry components are added to the composition to increase frost resistance, water resistance and viscosity;
  • lime mix. Quicklime is added to the mixture as a hardener instead of cement. The advantage of the solution is the high plasticity of the composition for a long time. The main disadvantage that prevents the active use of the mixture is that the material absorbs moisture, which makes the use of a number of heaters inaccessible and leads to the risk of destruction of the wall in the long term.

Important! Before making a mortar, it is important to study the technology for preparing the mixture, since any deviations in technology will make the structure brittle, vulnerable to cracking and prone to destruction.


It is important to study the technology for preparing the mixture before making a solution.

The main factors affecting the consumption of mortar when laying bricks

A convenient and useful tool, the cement mortar calculator, allows you to quickly calculate the amount of mortar per 1 m2 of masonry, but it does not always take into account all the variables that affect consumption. There are many factors that change the amount of mortar per 1 m3 of brick laying.

What determines the consumption of masonry mortar per 1 m3 of masonry:

  • building thickness. Here it is important to consider the role, bearing capacity of the wall and location. In partitions, a thickness of 1 brick is usually used, as in buildings under low load. For the construction of a garage, outbuildings and other structures that must withstand the roof and have sufficient strength, a wall of 1.5 bricks is an ideal choice. The greatest consumption of masonry mortar occurs during the construction of thick walls;
  • the thickness of the seams between the rows. Basic rule: the thicker the seam, the greater the consumption;
  • brick type. Mortar consumption per 1 m2 of brick laying without voids will be significantly less than when using hollow blocks. Additionally, the size of the brick also plays a role: there are one and a half, double and single options. The highest consumption occurs when using a single brick, and the smallest - double. If you plan to use pieces of brick, the expense will be the most;

Clay or lime is added to the composition to reduce the consumption of cement per cube of mortar
  • binder type. To reduce the composition, clay or lime is added;
  • availability of professional skills. Masonry is not a difficult job from a technical point of view, but in the absence of proper experience, there is a strong overspending of the mortar. Part of the mixture is lost, falling into the ground and becoming unusable, and inexperienced builders often make seams too thick.

Consumption of mortar per cube of brick laying

In the legislation, there are norms for the consumption of mortar per 1 m3 of masonry in accordance with GOST. Consider the government-recommended values ​​for the volume of mortar per 1 m3 of masonry for building various wall thicknesses in bricks:

  • half consumption will be 0.189 m3;
  • 1 - 0.221 m3;
  • 1.5 - 0.234 m3;
  • 2 - 0.24 m3;
  • 2.5–0.245 m3.

According to the norms, 0.0006305 m3 of mortar is used for 1 solid brick. If we develop the idea a little more, 75 liters of the mixture will be needed for 1 m2 of wall masonry in 1 brick. Block laying is carried out in accordance with other standards.


Consumption of mortar per cube of brick laying

Consumption when using hollow bricks is 10-20% higher than the values ​​described. To calculate the required volume, it is enough to calculate the area and multiply by the material costs. To get the amount of resources spent, the consumption of materials per 1 m3 of solution is considered.

Consumption of cement for bricklaying

The consumption of cement per 1 m2 of brick laying directly depends on the grade of the final mortar and the initial grade of the dry mix. In any case, we recommend buying cement with a margin, since unforeseen mortar costs often appear during the work. If during measurements or calculations rounding down was used, it is worth considering the large error in the final amount.

The consumption of cement per cube of brick laying is calculated elementarily, but it depends on the proportion of mortar preparation:

  • if the mixture is 1 to 3, in order to understand the amount of cement costs, it is enough to divide 1 m3 by 4 (this is part of the dry mixture). It turns out 0.25 m3 of cement per cube;
  • to prepare a mixture of 1 to 4, the proportion of cement will be 0.2 m3;
  • if a third of lime is used as a binder, that is, the mixture is 1 part cement, 0.3 parts lime and 3 parts sand, divide 1 by 4.3 and get 0.232 m3.

The consumption of cement per cube of brickwork depends on the proportion of the preparation of the mortar.

Similarly, calculations of how much cement per 1 cube of brick laying are carried out with other proportions of the preparation of the mixture. Cement is not calculated in cubic meters, we will have to convert the volume into weight, but this will require knowledge of the norm of specific gravity (density). An important influence is exerted by the brand of cement and the degree of compaction (lying, hardened or fresh cement), let's take the average number - 1300 kg / m3.

Based on the value obtained, we calculate:

  • the amount of materials in a mixture of 1 to 3: 0.25 m3 * 1300 kg / m3 \u003d 325 kg, so much cement will be required to prepare 1 m3 of mortar. To calculate how much cement is needed per 1 cube of masonry, we multiply the number by the standard cost of mortar for masonry. For example, we use the consumption for a single wall: 325 * 0.221 \u003d 71.825 kg, round up to 72 kg and add an error of 75 kg. So much cement is needed per 1 cube of masonry when using a ratio of 1 to 3;
  • to prepare a solution of 1 to 4, less cement is required. We calculate according to the same algorithm: 0.2 * 1300 \u003d 260 kg, now 260 * 0.221 \u003d 57.46, with rounding - 58, we add the error - 60 kg of dry cement.

For the convenience of calculations, the concept of a square meter of masonry is usually used. To calculate the solution consumption per 1 m2, we can use a simple formula.


The concept of a square meter of masonry is used for ease of calculation

We will not resort to calculating the number of bricks, it is better to study the norms of legislation and calculate the cost of resources per 1 m2:

  • in the brick floor - 51 pcs * 0.0006305 = 0.0321 m3 of the mixture per 1 m2 of masonry. We determine the amount of cement 0.0321 / 4 = 0.008025 m3 and multiply by 1300 = 10.43 kg of cement per 1 m2 of the stele in 0.5 bricks;
  • in brick - 102 pcs * 0.0006305 = 0.0643 m3, then 0.0643 / 4 = 0.0161 m3, now multiply by 1300 kg / m3 and get 20.9 kg of cement per 1 m2;
  • in 1.5 bricks - 153 pieces * 0.0006305 \u003d 0.0965 m3 / 4 \u003d 0.0241 m3 * 1300 kg / m3 \u003d 31.35 kg / m2;
  • in 2 bricks - 204 pcs * 0.0006305 \u003d 0.1286 m3 / 4 \u003d 0.03215 m3 * 1300 kg / m3 \u003d 41.8 kg / m2.

The above calculations are presented for a solution prepared in a ratio of 1 to 3.

Consumption rates of the building mixture when laying different types of bricks

The consumption rate of the mortar per 1m2 of masonry is determined for a solid single brick, but often bricks of a different design and material are used during construction.

On hollow bricks goes:

  • in 0.5 bricks - 0.223 m3;
  • in 1 brick - 0.235 m3;
  • in 1.5 bricks - 0.242 m3;
  • in 2 bricks - 0.247 m3.

Cement mortar calculator is a handy and useful tool

The consumption of the mixture for a one-and-a-half brick (88 mm high instead of 65 mm) has lower values. Consumption for walls:

  • half, the flow rate will be 0.160 m3;
  • single - 0.2 m3;
  • one and a half - 0.216 m3;
  • double - 0.222 m3;
  • two and a half bricks thick - 0.227 m3.

Tips for calculating cement mortar when laying bricks

It has already been calculated how much mortar is in 1 m3 of brickwork, but even with this knowledge, inexperienced builders make mistakes.

There are some more tips that will prevent mistakes during construction:

  • The density of sand and cement is different, which means that a bucket of cement and a bucket of sand weigh differently. An ordinary 10-liter bucket holds 12 kg of sand, and 14 kg of cement is placed in it. To correctly draw up the proportion, you need to put a slightly incomplete bucket of cement;
  • so that the entire amount of mortar on the brickwork acquires the same density, it is worth measuring the amount of liquid for kneading, otherwise the thickness of the seams will differ each time. The average value of the amount of water is 0.5-0.7 to cement;
  • in summer it is better to prepare a more liquid mixture, otherwise it will begin to harden prematurely. In winter, it is worth making a thick solution;
  • to save mortar, it is better to use a large brick without voids. A significant amount of masonry mixture is placed inside hollow bricks.

Knowing the importance of the cost of materials for construction, you can save money. When doing “by eye”, there is almost always either a surplus that simply disappears, or there is not enough material and you have to additionally order a small amount of cement, spending extra money on delivery.

Each builder, before starting the construction of a building, thinks about how much the necessary materials should be purchased in order to avoid the fact that after the construction is completed, he will have stocks of cement or bricks. To do this, you need to clearly calculate the amount of all materials that will be involved in the construction.

In our article, we will focus on how to determine the consumption of mortar for bricklaying.

Correct calculations

To correctly perform all the calculations, you will need a tape measure and calculation skills. When performing calculations, it is necessary to determine what type of work will be performed, because the quality characteristics of the solution depend on this. solutions can be: concrete, slag-cement, sand-cement, and others. The strength of these solutions will depend on the brand of cement and the quantitative composition. For example, for a concrete screed, when pouring floors, concrete of the M200 brand is most often used, to prepare a mortar for brick or cinder block masonry, a mixture with a hardness of M50 to M100 should be used. To prepare the mixture from which the cinder blocks themselves will be formed, a solution with a hardness of the brand also from M50 to M100 should be used. For plastering walls, you should take a solution with a hardness of M50 to M100. After you have determined which concrete solutions you will work with, you can begin to calculate which cement, which brand you will need to purchase.

Sand-Cement Mix

To make a sand-cement mixture, you should purchase cement with a hardness grade that will be 2 or 3 times higher than the hardness of the finished mortar. So, if you need to prepare a mortar with a hardness of M100, you must purchase cement with a grade of M200 or M300. If you are going to cast concrete blocks, then the cement hardness grade should be 6 or 8 times the grade of the future concrete solution.

After we have resolved all these issues, we can already proceed directly to the calculation of the consumption of the solution itself. To perform a floor screed or pour a foundation, in order to find the required volume of mortar, it is necessary to multiply the length value by the width, and then by the height of the proposed concrete layer. To calculate the amount of mortar for brickwork, it must be assumed that approximately 0.25 cubic meters of mortar will be consumed for each square meter of masonry. For laying concrete blocks, the consumption will be much less, about 0.05 cubic meters per square meter. The most consumed brand of cement is the M400 brand, since using this particular brand it is possible to prepare solutions with a very different hardness grade, using only different percentages.

Tabular ratios

Now we give some tabular relationships that clearly show the mortar consumption for bricklaying. For laying one cubic meter of a brick wall one brick thick, you need 0.221 cubic meters of mortar, for laying 2 bricks thick, you need 0.24 cubic meters of mortar. There are three types of mortars for laying bricks: a three-component mortar consisting of cement, water and sand, a cement-lime mortar, a mortar with the addition of plasticizers. Regardless of which brick mortar you choose. volumetric characteristics of the finished solution will be the same, detailed consumption can be found in the following table,

When building from bricks, a reasonable question always arises about the amount of mortar needed for masonry.

Brick is one of the most popular building materials. For its installation, a solution is always needed. To know exactly how much cement and sand will be required to build a house, preliminary calculations are needed. We will help you to carry them out, because this is an important moment in planning the construction.

Mortar for masonry

A mortar for joining masonry is needed in any case. The most popular compositions are:

  • Cement-sand mortar. This is a classic, cement is mixed with pre-sifted sand, usually in a ratio of 1:3 or 1:4, although there are other options depending on the brand of cement. The mixture is diluted with water;
  • Lime. Quicklime is used instead of cement. This composition for external masonry is never used, only indoors, as it is easily washed out with water;
  • Mixed. A liquid of slaked lime is added to cement and sand, which is commonly called lime milk. The result is a composition that takes the best qualities of the first two options;
  • With the addition of a plasticizer. It will increase the plasticity of the mixture. Often such building compounds are sold ready-made, in dry form and simply diluted with water, according to the instructions. Sometimes bricklayers add detergent or washing powder as a plasticizer.

Despite the fact that the composition of the mortar for masonry may be different, the requirements for its consistency are the same. Sand must be sifted, liquid lime is filtered, there should be no lumps, water is added gradually. The mixing process will significantly speed up the use of the concrete mixer.

The following factors influence the amount of solution consumption:

  • wall thickness;
  • brick quality;
  • Type of brick - a hollow solution will take more for obvious reasons;
  • Mason skill;
  • Weather conditions, in particular humidity and temperature.

How difficult, you say. However, experts have long since derived average, but fairly accurate indicators of mortar consumption per 1 m3 of brickwork. The standard brick dimensions are well known - 250×120×65 mm. The expense will be:

There are approximately 404–405 bricks in 1 m3 of masonry. That is, one ordinary, single brick accounts for about 0.00063 m3 of mortar. We translate into liters - 0.63. When laying in one brick, there are approximately 100 blocks per square meter of wall. Experts insist that the mortar should be prepared with a small margin and indicate the ideal proportion - 75 liters of the mixture should be used per square meter of the wall. For a wall of one and a half bricks, the consumption will already be 115 liters.

Important! There is SNiP II-22-81, which puts forward requirements for the quality of brickwork. The optimal thickness of the seam, that is, the thickness of the mortar used, should be 10–12 mm.

All this is wonderful, thanks to specialists with solid experience in brick construction, you can say. But cement is sold in bags of 50 kg, so you need to make additional calculations.

As you remember from the school curriculum, 1 m3 = 1000 liters. The volume of a 50 kg bag of cement will depend on the density of the material. Let's take a standard indicator of 1300 kg/m3. 1300/1000 = 1.3 kg weighs a liter of cement.

Let's say you are making a classic mix of M400 or M500 cement with sand in a 1:3 ratio. In this case, you will need 333 liters of cement per cubic meter of sand, multiply by 1.3 = 432.9 kg, almost 9 bags.

As we remember from the table, 0.24 m3 of mortar is needed for laying a wall of one and a half silicate bricks. 432.9 * 0.24 \u003d 103.9 kg of cement or a little more than two standard bags per 1 m3 of masonry.

Now let's calculate how many bags of cement we need to build a one-story house with a height of 3.5 m, a size of 10x15 m and a wall thickness of two single bricks, that is, 51 cm. Let's remember the math. Volume \u003d (10 + 10 + 15 + 15) * 3.5 * 0.51 \u003d 89.25 m3. Again, we take a single silicate brick, which, according to our table, takes 0.24 m3 with a wall thickness of 51 cm. 89.25 * 0.24 \u003d 21.42 m3 or 21420 liters.

The calculations are not too complicated if you use the normative consumption indicators and remember the mathematics. Experts advise taking materials with a margin of at least 5%, because during the construction process unforeseen difficulties may arise and consumption will increase.published

If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project.

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

When planning the construction of brick walls, you should first calculate the amount of building materials and the consumption of cement for laying bricks - this allows you to save significant money. Being hygroscopic, cement powder loses its physical properties over time, so you should not buy it in bulk. Intermediate calculation of the volume of the solution
necessary for its rational use during a work shift or for a certain amount of masonry.

Varieties of solutions and their applicability

The link between the brick blocks is a mixture of binder with filler and water. The most common are 4 types of solutions.

  • Cement-sand. It is diluted with water, its proportions depend on the brand of cement, the method of laying. When solidified, this option is the most durable, but when deviating from the technology, it is prone to cracking;
  • Lime - in it cement is replaced by quicklime; plastic, but washed out by rains, therefore it is suitable only for mounting internal walls;
  • Mixed - cement and sand are diluted with liquid slaked lime (lime milk). The combination combines the best qualities of the first two options;
  • With a plasticizer - a polymer additive is mixed with cement and sand (fraction 2 mm) to increase the plasticity of the mixture. It is easier to make such a solution from a dry mortar by adding water according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Despite the composition, the requirements for the quality of the mixture are almost the same. All ingredients are cleaned of lumps, sand is sifted, liquid lime is filtered. To prepare the solution, the powder components are first thoroughly mixed, then cold liquid (20 ° C) is slowly poured in and mixed thoroughly so that setting does not occur. The process is accelerated using a concrete mixer or a hammer drill with a whisk attachment.

Consumption of mortar per cube of brick laying

How much to prepare a mortar for masonry walls? This is determined by several conditions:

  • the skill of a bricklayer;
  • the structure of a brick block - products with voids take more mortar;
  • type of brick - hyper-pressed and front silicate absorbs the mortar less than ceramic or ordinary silicate with a rough surface;
  • wall thickness.

The average mortar consumption per 1 m3 of brick laying with a standard joint thickness (12 mm) is approximately 0.23 m3. Table 1 provides more accurate information.

Table 1

Name of worksbrick typeNormative consumption (m3) with wall thickness, bricks
0,5 1 1,5 2
Exterior and interior walls, simple decoration0,221 0,234 0,24 0,245
Hollow0,223 0,236 0,242 0,247
Modular0,205 0,216 0,222 0,227
Medium architectureCeramic ordinary, silicate single solid0,237 0,241 0,24 0,245

Consumption of cement for bricklaying

The composition of the mixture for erecting a brick wall varies depending on the quality of the initial components, weather conditions, and the number of storeys of the building. To properly mix the ingredients, you should know: a 10-liter bucket holds 14 kg of cement or 12 kg of sand.


Consumption of cement for bricklaying when facing

In this case, the developer is interested in how much binder mixture will be consumed per square meter of wall. It depends on the water absorption of the building material, the season of work, the voidness and porosity of the blocks. The norms are laid down in SNiP 82-02-95, but the real numbers are always higher, so you should buy ready-made mortar or cement with a margin.

To save on consumables, 2 factors should be noted:

  1. the larger the dimensions of the brick, the less the mortar will go;
  2. the higher the percentage of voids and pores, the higher the flow rate of the mixture.

From this point of view, it is optimal to use a ceramic or silicate double brick of a sufficient strength grade. This choice will achieve a saving of 20% of the mortar mixture. Table 2 shows comparative data on the consumption of mortar per square meter of wall.


The consumption of cement per 1 m2 of masonry is calculated based on its proportional content. If the mixture is made up at the rate of 1: 3, then per square meter of a 380 mm thick solid brick wall you need: 0.095 x 490 \u003d 47 kg of cement.

The correct preparation of the mortar and the choice of the optimal dimensions of the stone allows the brickwork to withstand the consumption of cement within the standard limits.

Count your expenses. All rates and costs below:

1. How many cubes are in a bag of dry cement or building mix:

in 50kg - 0.038 m3

in 40kg - 0.03 m3

in 25kg - 0.019 m3

2. Cement-sand mortar for masonry:

For 1 m2 of brickwork with a masonry thickness of 1, the amount of mortar approaches 75 liters from the consumption per 1 m2. If the laying of a brick wall is 1.5 bricks thick, then the amount of mortar will correspond to a figure of 115 liters.

3. Proportions of cement mortar:

In order to prepare a building material, you need: 1 part of a binder (cement) and 4 parts of aggregate.

4. The proportions of the plaster mixture:

You will need 1 part of the binder (cement) and 3 parts of the aggregate.

5. Cement mortar for brick:

According to consumption rates 400 pcs. bricks (more precisely 404) - 1 m3 of masonry. The consumption rate of the solution per 1 m3 is 0.23 m3 (in practice, 0.25 is accepted).

26. How many bricks are needed per 1m2 of masonry:

a) If the wall thickness is half a brick - 120 mm

  1. single brick - 61 pcs. excluding seam, 51 pcs. with a seam
  2. one and a half bricks - 46 pcs. excluding seam, 39 pcs. with a seam
  3. double brick - 30 pcs. excluding seam, 26 pcs. with a seam

b) If the wall thickness is one brick - 250 mm

  1. single brick - 128 pcs. excluding seam, 102 pcs. with a seam
  2. one and a half bricks - 95 pcs. excluding seam, 78 pcs. with a seam
  3. double brick - 60 pcs. excluding seam, 52 pcs. with a seam

c) If the wall thickness is one and a half bricks - 380 mm

  1. single brick - 189 pcs. excluding seam, 153 pcs. with a seam
  2. one and a half bricks - 140 pcs. excluding seam, 117 pcs. with a seam
  3. double brick - 90 pcs. excluding seam, 78 pcs. with a seam

d) If the wall thickness is two bricks - 510 mm

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