Material Quantity Tables | Quick Reference — Concrete, Mortar & Building Materials UK 2026

📋 Material Quantity Quick Reference Tables — UK 2026

Complete reference tables for concrete mix quantities, mortar, brickwork, blockwork, screeds, and render — with a live material quantity calculator. All figures checked against UK standards and supplier data.

🧱 Concrete Mixes 🏗️ Mortar & Brickwork 🪟 Blockwork 🪵 Screed & Render 🧮 Live Calculator 💷 UK Prices 2026

1.54×

Dry-to-wet conversion factor — dry materials always exceed wet concrete volume

+10–15%

Recommended over-order allowance on all material quantities

60 bricks/m²

Standard UK single-leaf (half-brick) wall — 215×102.5×65mm with 10mm joints

10 blocks/m²

Standard UK concrete block — 440×215×100mm with 10mm bed and perpend joints

Concrete Material Quantities — All UK Mix Ratios

Dry material requirements per 1 m³ of finished concrete, by mix ratio and grade. All figures include the 1.54 dry-volume factor and assume 25kg bag sizes.

🏛️ Table 1 — BS 8500 Designated Mixes (Ready-Mix & Site-Mix)

Designation	Grade	Strength	Cement/m³	25kg Bags/m³	Sharp Sand/m³	20mm Agg/m³	Water/m³	Typical Use
GEN0/GEN1	C8/C10	10 N/mm²	180–200 kg	7–8 bags	0.45 m³	0.85 m³	150 L	Trench fill blinding, non-structural fill
GEN2	C15	15 N/mm²	210–230 kg	9 bags	0.44 m³	0.83 m³	155 L	Unreinforced strip footings, kerb bedding
GEN3	C20/25	20 N/mm²	250–270 kg	10–11 bags	0.47 m³	0.78 m³	160 L	Domestic bases, shed floors, paths, steps
RC25 / ST3	C25/30	25 N/mm²	320–340 kg	13–14 bags	0.46 m³	0.75 m³	165 L	Standard structural — driveways, slabs, foundations
RC30 / ST4	C30/37	30 N/mm²	360–380 kg	14–16 bags	0.44 m³	0.72 m³	168 L	Beams, columns, retaining walls, bridges
PAV1	C35/45	35 N/mm²	380–400 kg	15–16 bags	0.42 m³	0.70 m³	170 L	External frost-exposed paving, driveways — air-entrained
PAV2	C40/50	40 N/mm²	420–450 kg	17–18 bags	0.40 m³	0.68 m³	172 L	Heavy-duty industrial paving, HGV loading

🔨 Table 2 — Prescribed Mixes (Site-Mix) — Bags per m³

Mix Ratio (C:S:A)	Equiv. Grade	Cement/m³	25kg Bags	Sharp Sand/m³	20mm Agg/m³	Total Dry Vol.	Application
1 : 3 : 6	~C10	195 kg	8 bags	0.47 m³	0.93 m³	1.54 m³	Mass fill, blinding, non-structural
1 : 2 : 4	~C20	280–300 kg	11–12 bags	0.44 m³	0.88 m³	1.54 m³	General purpose — most common domestic mix
1 : 1.5 : 3	~C25	360–380 kg	14–15 bags	0.40 m³	0.80 m³	1.54 m³	Structural slabs, foundations, garage floors
1 : 1 : 2	~C30	440–460 kg	18 bags	0.33 m³	0.66 m³	1.54 m³	High-strength structural work

⚙️ Table 3 — All-In Ballast Mixes (Cement + Ballast Only)

Mix Ratio (C:Ballast)	Cement/m³	25kg Bags/m³	Ballast/m³	Ballast (850kg bags)	Grade Equiv.	Use
1 : 8	190 kg	8 bags	1,520 kg	1.8 bulk bags	~C10	Shed base, light paths, non-structural
1 : 6	240 kg	10 bags	1,440 kg	1.7 bulk bags	~C15	General purpose, garden bases, steps
1 : 5	285 kg	11–12 bags	1,425 kg	1.7 bulk bags	~C20	Driveways, floor slabs, footpaths
1 : 4	330 kg	13–14 bags	1,320 kg	1.6 bulk bags	~C25	Structural slabs, lintels, heavy-duty

✅ The 1.54 Dry-Volume Rule — Why You Always Need More Dry Material Than Wet Concrete

Dry materials (cement, sand, aggregate) have air voids between particles. When mixed with water, these voids collapse and the volume reduces by approximately 35%. So for 1 m³ of wet concrete you must start with 1.54 m³ of dry materials. Every calculation in this table already applies this factor — but never skip it when doing your own sums.

📊 Material Breakdown — 1 m³ of C25/30 (1:1.5:3 Site-Mix)

OPC Cement

370 kg

370 kg / 15 bags

Sharp Sand

640 kg

640 kg / 0.40 m³

20mm Aggregate

1,200 kg

1,200 kg / 0.80 m³

Water

165 L

165 litres

Total Dry Vol.

1.54 m³ dry → 1.00 m³ wet concrete

1.54 → 1.00 m³

⚡ Click to Copy — Common Volume Quick Reference

1 m³ C25/30

15 bags cement + 0.40m³ sand + 0.80m³ agg

0.5 m³ C20

6 bags cement + 0.22m³ sand + 0.44m³ agg

1 m³ Ballast 1:6

10 bags cement + 1.7 bulk bags ballast

1 m³ C30/37

18 bags cement + 0.33m³ sand + 0.66m³ agg

Mortar Mix Quantities — All Ratios & Applications

Material quantities per 1 m³ of mixed mortar, and per 1,000 bricks / 100 m² of wall, for all common UK mortar designations.

🏗️ Table 4 — Mortar Materials per 1 m³ Mixed Mortar

Mix Ratio (C:S)	BS Designation	Strength Class	Cement/m³	25kg Bags/m³	Building Sand/m³	Lime (optional)/m³	Use
1 : 2	M12	12 N/mm²	430 kg	17 bags	0.86 m³	—	Rarely used — too strong for most brickwork
1 : 3	M6	6 N/mm²	320 kg	13 bags	0.96 m³	—	Engineering brickwork, manholes, below DPC
1 : 4	M4	4 N/mm²	255 kg	10–11 bags	1.02 m³	—	General brickwork, blockwork, most walls above DPC
1 : 5	M3	3 N/mm²	210 kg	9 bags	1.05 m³	—	Internal blockwork, lightweight partitions
1 : 1 : 6	M4 plasticised	4 N/mm²	175 kg	7 bags	1.05 m³	175 kg (20kg bags: 9)	Most common UK mix — good workability, flexible joints
1 : 0.5 : 4.5	M6	6 N/mm²	225 kg	9 bags	1.01 m³	113 kg (20kg bags: 6)	Stronger lime-gauged mix, exposed locations
1 : 6 (with plasticiser)	M2–M4	2–4 N/mm²	175 kg	7 bags	1.05 m³	+ plasticiser admixture	Internal walls, non-loadbearing partitions

🧱 Table 5 — Mortar Required per 1,000 Standard UK Bricks (215×102.5×65mm, 10mm joints)

Mix	Mortar Volume/1,000 bricks	Cement (25kg bags)	Building Sand	Bricks/m² (single leaf)	Notes
1 : 3	0.65 m³	13 bags	0.63 m³ (≈ 1.1t)	60	Engineering / below DPC only
1 : 4	0.65 m³	10 bags	0.66 m³ (≈ 1.1t)	60	Most common above-DPC mix
1 : 5	0.65 m³	8 bags	0.68 m³ (≈ 1.1t)	60	Internal / sheltered locations
1 : 1 : 6	0.65 m³	7 bags	0.68 m³ (≈ 1.1t)	60	+ 5–6 bags lime — flexible, forgiving

📌 Travis Perkins Rule of Thumb — 1,000 Standard Bricks

For every 1,000 standard UK bricks (215×102.5×65mm) with 10mm joints using a 1:5 mix, you need approximately 120 kg of cement (5 × 25kg bags) plus 0.4 m³ of building sand. This is the official Travis Perkins guide figure and is widely used by UK bricklayers as a quick site reference.

📐 Table 6 — Mortar Quantities by Wall Area (single-leaf, 10mm joints, 1:4 mix)

Wall Area	Bricks Required	Mortar Volume	Cement (25kg bags)	Building Sand	Pre-mixed Bags (20kg)
1 m²	60 bricks	0.039 m³	1 bag	40 kg (0.025 m³)	2–3 bags
5 m²	300 bricks	0.20 m³	4 bags	200 kg (0.13 m³)	10–12 bags
10 m²	600 bricks	0.39 m³	6 bags	400 kg (0.25 m³)	20–22 bags
20 m²	1,200 bricks	0.78 m³	12 bags	800 kg (0.50 m³)	38–42 bags
50 m²	3,000 bricks	1.95 m³	30 bags	2.0 t (bulk bag ×2.4)	95–105 bags
100 m²	6,000 bricks	3.90 m³	60 bags	4.0 t (bulk bag ×4.7)	190–210 bags

⚠️ Building Sand vs Sharp Sand — Critical Difference

Mortar must use building sand (also called soft sand or bricklaying sand) — not sharp sand. Building sand has rounder particles that create a workable, adhesive mortar. Sharp sand is too coarse and creates a weak, crumbly mortar joint. Conversely, always use sharp sand for concrete, render base coats, and floor screeds — never building sand. The two are not interchangeable.

Brickwork & Blockwork — Quantity Reference Tables

Number of bricks, blocks, and associated mortar for standard UK masonry construction.

🧱 Table 7 — Standard UK Brick Quantities (215×102.5×65mm)

Wall Type	Bricks/m²	Bricks/m³	Mortar/m²	Cement (25kg)/m²	Sand/m²	Notes
Half brick (102.5mm)	60	~580	0.039 m³	0.6 bags	40 kg	Single leaf — garden walls, facing, partition
One brick (215mm)	120	~480	0.083 m³	1.3 bags	85 kg	Full brick wall — structural, loadbearing
One-and-a-half brick (327mm)	180	~420	0.125 m³	2.0 bags	130 kg	Heavy structural walls, retaining, chimney
Rat-trap bond (215mm)	90	~400	0.065 m³	1.0 bag	67 kg	Cavity effect — insulation potential, saves ~25% bricks
Honeycomb sleeper wall	45	—	0.022 m³	0.35 bags	22 kg	Subfloor ventilation walls — 75mm gaps every 4 bricks

⬜ Table 8 — Concrete Block Quantities (440×215×100mm, 10mm joints)

Block Type	Size (mm)	Blocks/m²	Mortar/m²	Cement (25kg)/m²	Sand/m²	Use
Standard dense block	440×215×100	10	0.012 m³	0.18 bags	12 kg	Inner leaf cavity, foundations, garden walls
Standard dense block	440×215×140	10	0.015 m³	0.22 bags	15 kg	Structural walls, retaining, extra insulation
Standard dense block	440×215×215	10	0.020 m³	0.30 bags	20 kg	Heavily loaded piers, retaining walls
Aerated / Thermalite	600×215×100	7.7	0.008 m³	0.12 bags	8 kg	Inner leaf — excellent thermal, use 1:1:6 mortar
Coursing / Concrete brick	215×65×100	60	0.039 m³	0.6 bags	40 kg	Matching brick coursing to block, copings

📏 Table 9 — Quantities per Running Metre of Wall (full brick, 2.4m high)

Wall Construction	Bricks or Blocks/lm	Mortar/lm	Cement bags/lm	Sand/lm	Approximate Weight
Half-brick wall (102mm), 2.4m high	144 bricks	0.094 m³	1.5 bags	97 kg	~432 kg/lm
Full brick wall (215mm), 2.4m high	288 bricks	0.200 m³	3.2 bags	207 kg	~1,008 kg/lm
100mm block wall, 2.4m high	24 blocks	0.029 m³	0.45 bags	29 kg	~580 kg/lm
140mm block wall, 2.4m high	24 blocks	0.036 m³	0.55 bags	37 kg	~792 kg/lm

Floor Screed & Render — Material Quantity Tables

Material quantities per m² for all common screed and render applications used in UK construction.

🪵 Table 10 — Floor Screed Material Quantities

Screed Type	Mix Ratio	Thickness	Cement/m²	25kg Bags/m²	Sharp Sand/m²	Bags per 10m²	Application
Thin bonded screed	1:3	25–40mm	13–18 kg	0.55–0.72	0.025–0.040 m³	6–8 bags	Directly bonded over structural slab
Standard unbonded screed	1:3.5	50mm	18–22 kg	0.75	0.050 m³	7–8 bags	Standard domestic — over DPM or insulation
Floating screed (UFH)	1:4	65–75mm	22–28 kg	0.90–1.10	0.065–0.075 m³	9–11 bags	Underfloor heating — over 50–100mm insulation
Heavy-duty screed	1:3	75mm	28–32 kg	1.15–1.30	0.075 m³	12–13 bags	Garage, workshop, heavy forklift loading
Self-levelling (flow screed)	Proprietary	30–50mm	—	—	—	1 bag = 0.015 m³	Fast finish, UFH, large areas — pump-applied

🪟 Table 11 — Render Material Quantities

Render Type	Mix Ratio	Coat	Thickness	Cement/m²	25kg Bags/m²	Sand/m²	Notes
Scratch coat (base)	1:3	1st	10–12mm	5–6 kg	0.22	15–18 kg	Always key the surface before applying
Float coat	1:4	2nd	8–10mm	3.5–4 kg	0.15	14–16 kg	Main body coat — smooth or textured finish
Finish coat (set)	1:2 gauged	3rd	3–5mm	2–3 kg	0.10	4–6 kg	Fine sand only — steel-float smooth
Single-coat render	1:4	1 coat	15–20mm	8–10 kg	0.35	32–40 kg	Fast application — internal walls only
External 2-coat system total	Mixed	2 coats	18–22mm total	8–10 kg	0.37	29–34 kg	Typical UK external render — scratch + float

🛤️ Table 12 — Paving, Haunching & Bedding Mortar Quick Reference

Application	Mix	Cement/m²	Sand/m²	Depth	Notes
Paving slab bedding (dry mix)	1:6 (dry)	3 kg	18 kg	25–30mm	Semi-dry — "tamp and go" method
Kerb bedding mortar	1:3	8 kg	24 kg	50mm	Standard kerb bed and haunch to both sides
Pointing — paving joints	1:3 dry	0.5 kg	1.5 kg	~20mm deep	Dry brush-in for block paving; wet point flags
Tile adhesive bedding	Proprietary	4–5 kg	—	5–10mm	1 bag flexible adhesive ≈ 5 m² at 5mm bed
Concrete bed (block paving)	C20	—	—	100mm	0.1 m³/m² — see concrete table for quantities

🧮 Material Quantity Calculator

Calculate exact material quantities for any concrete, mortar, screed, or render job — with bag counts, bulk bag estimates, and 2026 cost guide.

Material Type

Mix Ratio / Grade

Volume / Area Required

Enter volume in m³ for concrete / screed / render

Over-Order Allowance (%)

Cement Bag Size

UK Region (for cost guide)

Cement Bags

—

Sand / Ballast

—

Aggregate

—

Water

—

Allow extra for hot/dry weather

📦 Detailed Quantities

Net volume entered—

Over-order allowance—

Total order volume—

Dry material volume—

Cement bags (exact)—

Sand / ballast (kg)—

Aggregate (kg)—

Bulk bags needed (850kg)—

💷 Estimated Materials Cost (2026)

Cement cost—

Sand cost—

Aggregate cost—

Total materials cost—

Cost per m³ (materials)—

Ready-mix alternative—

Verdict—

📋 Ordering Notes

💡

Always Add the Over-Order Allowance — 10% Minimum, 15% for Complex Work

All quantities in these tables are net calculated figures — they represent exactly the theoretical requirement with zero waste. In practice, material is lost to spillage, over-batching, absorption into dry sub-bases, slight formwork inaccuracies, and mixing losses. A 10% allowance on straightforward slabs and 15% on steps, curved walls, or complex shapes is standard UK practice. Running short mid-pour or mid-wall is always more expensive than having a small amount left over.