Sand and cement calculator
Work out the sand and cement you need for bricklaying mortar. Enter the wall area, choose your mix and get the bags and bulk you need.
Work out your mortar
Enter the area of brickwork and choose a mortar mix.
25kg bags of cement
Otis pulls the right materials for a whole job and prices them together, on your live stock.
Assumes roughly 0.03 cubic metres of mortar a square metre, with wastage. Densities of 1440kg per cubic metre for cement and 1600kg for sand. An estimate, always confirm with your merchant.
How the numbers work
The calculator estimates the mortar volume from the area of brickwork, allowing for wastage, then splits it into cement and sand by your chosen mix ratio. A 1 to 5 mix, one part cement to five parts sand, is the usual general purpose choice.
Cement is shown as 25kg bags and sand as kilograms and tonnes, so you can order in the units your merchant sells.
This is what Otis does, instantly
A calculator like this works out quantities. Otis goes further. It takes a customer question, works out the materials, checks live stock and pricing in the merchant’s own system, builds the quote and takes the order, day or night. What takes a builder a few minutes here happens in seconds on a merchant’s website and trade counter.
Common questions
What mix should I use for bricklaying?
A 1 to 5 mix, one part cement to five parts sand, suits most general brickwork. Use 1 to 4 for exposed or structural work and 1 to 6 for softer, older brick.
How much sand and cement per square metre?
Roughly a third of a 25kg bag of cement and around 50kg of sand a square metre of half brick wall, depending on the mix and joint size.
Should I add plasticiser?
Many bricklayers add a plasticiser for workability. It does not change the sand and cement quantities this tool gives.
Does this include wastage?
Yes, a small allowance is built into the mortar volume. Order a little spare for awkward jobs.
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See Otis price a whole job
Otis works out every material a job needs and quotes it together, on your live pricing.