What people use it for
- Ordering Buy the right number the first time instead of a second trip.
- Estimating A price for a wall in a minute.
- Waste Five per cent extra already counted for cuts and breakage.
How the count works
A standard block with the mortar joint is 8 inches high and 16 inches long, so it covers 0.888 square feet of wall. A half block covers 0.444. Divide the wall area by that and add five per cent for cuts and breakage, which is what a mason budgets on a straight wall with a couple of corners.
Mortar is estimated from the joints: a standard block wall takes roughly three bags of 80 pound mortar mix per hundred blocks for a normal joint. Walls that are stepped, curved or full of openings eat more blocks and more mortar, so round up when you order.
| Wall | Area | Standard blocks |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft x 8 ft | 80 sq ft | 95 |
| 20 ft x 8 ft | 160 sq ft | 189 |
| 30 ft x 10 ft | 300 sq ft | 355 |
| 40 ft x 12 ft | 480 sq ft | 567 |