Materials for 10 m³ brick masonry 1:3

Assumptions: dry volume = 1.54 × wet volume for concrete and 1.27 × wet volume for mortar; 1 m³ of cement = 28.8 bags of 50 kg; no wastage is added.

The "normal" (nominal) brick size of 9" × 4½" × 3" is taken as the size including mortar, with a joint of 10 mm; the actual brick is then 10 mm smaller in each direction.

Bricks

• Nominal size $= 0.2286 \times 0.1143 \times 0.0762 = 1,991\times10^{-6}$ m³
• Bricks per m³ $= 1/(0.2286\times0.1143\times0.0762) = 502.25$
• Bricks for 10 m³ $= 5,023$ nos

Mortar

• Actual brick size $= 0.2186 \times 0.1043 \times 0.0662 = 1,509\times10^{-6}$ m³
• Volume of bricks in 1 m³ $= 502.25 \times 1,509\times10^{-6} = 0.7581$ m³; so wet mortar $= 0.2419$ m³ per m³, i.e. 2.419 m³ for 10 m³
• Dry mortar $= 1.27 \times 2.419 = 3.072$ m³
• Cement $= 1/4 \times 3.072 = 0.768$ m³ $= 22.1$ bags
• Sand $= 3/4 \times 3.072 = 2.304$ m³

Answer: bricks = 5,023 nos; cement = 22.1 bags; sand = 2.30 m³.