Mortar calculator for block and brick
Enter how many blocks or bricks you are laying and the bag size to see how many bags of mortar mix to buy.
Enter your measurements
More options: Extra
- Units per bag (Quikrete)
- Up to 13 blocks per 80 lb bag
- Cross-check
- CMHA: about 7.2 bags of 80 lb at 16 blocks per bag with face-shell bedding
- Weight of the bags
- 720 lb
100 blocks ÷ 13 per 80 lb bag = 7.7 bags
+ 15% = 9 bags
- “Up to” on the bag assumes neat, consistent joints. Beginners, wide joints and full mortar beds under block use more — that is what the extra is for.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many bags of mortar per 100 block | 9 bags of 80 lb mortar mix (7.7 before the 15% extra) |
| How many bags of mortar per 1000 brick | 32 bags of 80 lb mortar mix (27 before the 15% extra) |
Bags for other quantities (bag size and extra as above)
| How many units | Mortar mix bags | Weight of the bags |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 5 bags | 400 lb |
| 100 | 9 bags | 720 lb |
| 200 | 18 bags | 1,440 lb |
| 500 | 45 bags | 3,600 lb |
| 1000 | 89 bags | 7,120 lb |
Bagged mortar mix is sold with a “lays up to” figure. Quikrete’s Mortar Mix (Type N) and Mason Mix (Type S) data sheets both say an 80 lb bag lays up to 13 standard 8×8×16 blocks or 37 standard bricks. The older Quikrete table gives 9 blocks or 28 bricks per 60 lb bag and 6 blocks or 19 bricks per 40 lb bag.
Bags of mortar per 100 units
| Laying | 80 lb bags | 60 lb bags | 40 lb bags | With 15% extra (80 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 blocks | 7.7 | 11.1 | 16.7 | 9 |
| 100 bricks | 2.7 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 4 |
| 1,000 bricks | 27 | 35.7 | 52.6 | 32 |
bags = units ÷ units per bag × (1 + extra)
Industry figures give a second opinion for block: CMHA’s estimating guide puts an 80 lb bag of preblended mortar at about 16 conventional blocks with face-shell bedding (mortar only on the outer shells). The calculator shows that alongside the Quikrete count. For brick, BIA’s Technical Note 10 tabulates the mortar left in the joints rather than a bag count — see the 1,000-brick example for why bag counts run higher.
Worked examples
- How many bags of mortar per 100 block — about 9 of 80 lb with the extra.
- How many bags of mortar per 1000 brick — about 32 of 80 lb.
Type N or Type S?
Quikrete sells its Mortar Mix as Type N and its Mason Mix as Type S. Both lay the same number of units per bag. Type N is the general-purpose mortar for above-grade walls; Type S is stronger and is commonly specified for below-grade and structural work. Your plans or local code may name the type — see mortar types explained. If you mix your own from portland cement, lime and sand, Quikrete’s Portland Cement data sheet lists the proportions for both types.
What you’ll need
- Mortar hawkBudget price
A flat board with a handle underneath that holds a load of mortar or stucco next to the work.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Brick trowelBudget price
Spreads and furrows the mortar bed and butters the ends of each block or brick. A 10–11 in trowel suits most hands.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Mortar jointerBudget price
Tools mortar joints to a concave finish once they are thumbprint-hard, which compacts them and sheds water.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Drill mixing paddleBudget price
Mixes mortar, self-leveler, stucco and grout in a bucket. Use a low-speed, high-torque drill so the mix doesn’t fly.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Mortar and concrete mixing tubBudget price
A wide, shallow tub for one or two bags at a time — easier to clean and to pull a hoe through than a wheelbarrow.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How many blocks does a bag of mortar lay?
Up to 13 standard 8×8×16 blocks per 80 lb bag, by Quikrete’s data sheet. CMHA’s estimating guide gives about 16 per 80 lb bag of preblended mortar with face-shell bedding.
How many bricks does an 80 lb bag of mortar lay?
Up to 37 standard bricks, according to Quikrete’s Mortar Mix and Mason Mix data sheets.
How many bags of mortar does 500 brick take?
About 13.5 bags of 80 lb at 37 bricks per bag, or 16 with 15% extra.
How many bags of mortar are on a pallet?
Quikrete’s product page lists 42 per pallet for 80 lb Mortar Mix, 56 for 60 lb and 80 for 40 lb.
Related guides
Sources
- Quikrete Mortar Mix (No. 1102) data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Each 80 lb bag lays up to 37 standard bricks or 13 standard 8×8×16 blocks.
- Quikrete Mortar Mix data sheet (2007 edition, Table 1) (opens in a new tab) — 80 lb: 12 blocks or 37 brick; 60 lb: 9 blocks or 28 brick; 40 lb: 6 blocks or 19 brick.
- Quikrete Mason Mix (No. 1136, Type S) data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Each 80 lb bag lays up to 37 standard bricks or 13 standard blocks.
- CMHA (formerly NCMA) TEK 04-02A — Estimating concrete masonry materials (opens in a new tab) — Each 8×16 unit covers 8/9 sq ft, so 112.5 units per 100 sq ft (119 with 5% waste); grout per 100 sq ft by unit width and core spacing (Table 3); cores filled per 80 lb grout bag (Table 4); one 80 lb bag of preblended mortar lays about 16 CMU with face-shell bedding (Table 2).
- Brick Industry Association — Technical Note 10, Dimensioning and Estimating Brick Masonry (opens in a new tab) — Table 4: brick per 100 sq ft and mortar per 100 sq ft and per 1,000 brick for modular and non-modular sizes; add at least 5% to brick and 15–25% to mortar for waste.
- Quikrete Portland Cement data sheet (opens in a new tab) — Concrete mix 1 part cement : 2 parts sand : 3 parts gravel by volume; five to six 94 lb bags of cement per cubic yard of concrete; Type S and Type N mortar and ASTM C926 stucco blends.
- Quikrete Mortar Mix — product page (pallet quantities) (opens in a new tab) — 40 lb bags 80 per pallet, 60 lb 56, 80 lb 42.
- Sakrete Mortar Mix Type S — product data sheet (Sika Canada) (opens in a new tab) — A 30 kg (66 lb) bag makes about 0.65 cu ft of fresh mortar; lays about 12 blocks or 33 bricks with 3/8 in joints.