South African Edition
Brick & Mortar Wall Calculator
Sized for local stock & maxi bricks and Class II mortar mixes — set up your wall below and the estimate updates on the left as you go.
Wall Sections / Zones
Break your job into separate walls or sections
Brick & Mortar Specifications
Brick size, joint thickness and mix ratio
Reset Standard
Nominal sizes per SANS 227 / SANS 1215 — always confirm against the actual batch from your supplier, as face brick tolerances vary.
Wastage & Mortar Fine-Tuning
Buffer for cuts, spillage and mix behaviour
Technical Mortar Factors (Dry/Wet Ratio, Cement Density, Bag Size)
Material Pricing & Budgeting
Optional — add prices for a full cost estimate
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SA building sand is typically quoted per m³ ("a cube") rather than per ton — check your supplier's delivery minimum, as most yards won't deliver less than a half-cube load.
Standard Material Yield Specs (South Africa)
- Standard brick sizing: SA standard stock/clay bricks are nominally 222mm (L) × 106mm (W) × 73mm (H) with a 10mm mortar joint, requiring approx. 52 bricks per m² for a single-skin (half-brick) wall. Maxi bricks (290 × 140 × 90mm) need only around 33 bricks per m², trading fewer units for a heavier, wider block.
- Mortar mix ratios: Standard SA brickwork uses a Class II 1:6 mix (1 part cement to 6 parts sand by volume) per Concrete Society SA guidance. Exterior walls, work below the damp-proof course, and load-bearing brickwork typically step up to 1:4.
- Dry to wet volume expansion: Mortar dry mix contracts when mixed with water. Dry mortar required is typically calculated at 1.33 to 1.54 times the net wet volume.
- Cement bags: 50kg remains the most commonly referenced bag size in South Africa, though 42.5kg bags are increasingly common on site — confirm which your supplier delivers before ordering by bag count.
- Wastage allowance: 5% to 10% is standard to account for brick cuts, corner overlaps, and mortar loss during laying.
