Useful Tables and Suggestions
Mortar Mixes for Laying 1,000 Brick, 1/8” Joint
| PROPORTIONS | QUANTITIES | ||||
| Cement | Lime | Sand | |||
| Cement Mortars | 13/4 bbls. optional | 1/4 bbl. optional | 1/2 cu. yd. | ||
| 1 | part | cement | |||
| 2 | parts | sand | |||
| 1 | part | cement | 13/8 bbls. | 1/4 bbl. optional | 1/2 cu. yd. |
| 21/2 | parts | sand | |||
| 1 | part | cement | 11/8 bbls. | 1/4 bbl. optional | 1/2 cu. yd. |
| 3 | parts | sand | |||
| Lump Lime Mortars | 7/8 bbl. | 1/2 cu. yd. | |||
| 1 | part | lime | |||
| 2 | parts | sand | |||
| 1 | part | lime | 3/4 bbl. | 1/2 cu. yd. | |
| 21/2 | parts | sand | |||
| 1 | part | lime | 5/8 bbl. | 1/2 cu. yd. | |
| 3 | parts | sand | |||
| Hydrated Lime Mortar | 31/2 sacks | 1/2 cu. yd. | |||
| 1 | part | lime | |||
| 2 | parts | sand | |||
| 1 | part | lime | 3 sacks | 1/2 cu. yd. | |
| 21/2 | parts | sand | |||
| 1 | part | lime | 21/2 sacks | 1/2 cu. yd. | |
| 3 | parts | sand | |||
| Cement-Lime Mortars | 1/2 bbl. | 1 sack hydrated, or 1/4 bbl. lump lime | 1/2 cu. yd. | ||
| 1 | part | cement | |||
| 1 | part | lime | |||
| 6 | parts | sand | |||
| Grout for 3/16”-1/4” Joints | approx. 3/4 bbl. | approx. 1/3 cu. yd. | |||
| 1 | part | cement | |||
| 3 | parts | sand | |||
Mortar Mixes for Laying 1,000 Tile, 1/2” Joint
| Size of Tile | Cement | Lime | Sand |
| 4” × 5” × 12” | 12/3 bbls. | 1/4 bbl. | 2/3 cu. yd. |
| 8” × 5” × 12” | 3 bbls. | 1/2 bbl. | 11/3 cu. yd. |
| 4” × 12” × 12” | 13/4 bbls. | 1/4 bbl. | 3/4 cu. yd. |
| 8” × 12” × 12” | 41/4 bbls. | 1/2 bbl. | 13/4 cu. yd. |
The above quantities are based on a 380 lb. barrel of Portland cement; a 180 lb. barrel of lump lime, and a 50 lb. sack of hydrated lime. Portland cement is sold by the bag or barrel. A bag of Portland cement weighs approximately 94 pounds. Four bags make one barrel of approximately 380 pounds. Lump lime is sold by the bushel or barrel. A bushel of lump lime weighs approximately 75 to 85 pounds. A barrel of lump lime weighs approximately 180 pounds, and equals 4 sacks of hydrated lime. Brick joints other than 3/8” will require about 1/3 more or less mortar for each 1/8” difference.
Estimating Quantities of Face Brick
Size of Brick
The dimensions of the standard size face brick adopted by the American Face Brick Association are 8” × 21/4” × 33/4”; but sometimes, due to special conditions in the clay or the kiln burn, these brick may slightly vary from the dimensions given. Besides, there are other sizes of brick used, such as pavers, Romans, etc., so that the contractor should always ascertain the exact size of the brick specified, whether standard size or not, and take into consideration the width of mortar joint desired, in order to calculate more accurately the number of bricks required for a given wall area.
The following table gives the number of standard size brick per square foot of wall surface, 4 inches or one brick thick, estimated for different widths of mortar joint up to 3/4-inch:
TABLE 1
Number of Face Brick per Square Foot
| Joint | 1/8” | 1/4” | 3/8” | 1/2” | 5/8” | 3/4” |
| No. of Brick | 71/2 | 7 | 61/2 | 61/8 | 53/4 | 51/2 |
General Rule
The method employed in getting these numbers is very simple and may be applied to any sized brick and joint whatsoever. Thus, take the brick given in the accompanying illustration (Fig. 58) and let us use, say, a 3/8” mortar joint. This makes a length of 81/4” + 3/8”, or 85/8” and a height of 23/8” + 3/8” or 23/4”. Hence, the total area occupied in the wall by this brick, with its mortar joint, is 85/8” × 23/4”. You can work this out by tractions, thus, 69/8 × 11/4 = 759/32; or by decimals, thus, 8.625 × 2. 75 = 23.72, the area of the brick and mortar joint in square inches.
In either case, to get the number of brick required per square foot you, of course, divide into 144, the number of square inches in a square foot. That is, 144 ÷ 759/32 = 144 × 32/759 = 4608/759 = 654/759 or about 61/15. Or divide 144 by 23.72 and you get 6.07, which amounts to your previous figure. In estimating the whole number of brick you need, use no fraction less than the eighth next above the fraction obtained in your number for the square foot. Thus in the present example, you will count on using 61/8 brick for every square foot of wall area.
Quantities for Various Bonds
As Table 1 gives the quantities for standard size brick laid in Running Bond, additional allowances must be made for the number of brick when other bonds using headers are employed. The following percentages are to be added to the number of brick required, as calculated by the use of Table 1, when the face brick are laid in the bonds indicated:
TABLE 2
Percentages Added for Various Bonds
| Common (full header course every 5th course) | 20% (1/5) |
| Common (full header course every 6th course) | 162/3% (1/6) |
| Common (full header course every 7th course) | 141/3% (1/7) |
| English or English Cross (full headers every 6th course) | 162/3% (1/6) |
| Flemish (full headers every 6th course) | 52/3% (1/18) |
| Double Header (two headers and a stretcher every 6th course) | 81/3% (1/12) |
| Double Header (two headers and a stretcher every 5th course) | 10% (1/10) |
For garden walls, porch walls, and other places where an 8-inch wall is used, with face brick on both sides, no additional brick are required for any type of bond.
For walks and floors where the brick are laid on edge, in any pattern except diagonal ones, calculate as you would for the number of face brick in a wall laid in running bond. For herring-bone pattern or other diagonal work, an additional number of brick will be required to compensate for the clipping of the ends of the brick at the borders. The exact additional amount depends on the total width of the walk or floor, as the wider the surface the smaller will be the average wastage per square foot. Walks and floors where the brick are laid flat require one-third less than the number required where the brick are laid on edge.
Provided with these tables, it is a simple matter to calculate the number of face brick required for every job.
Thus, estimate the total area of wall surface in square feet, deduct all openings, except those 10 square feet or less, and taking into consideration the mortar joint, multiply the result by the number of brick per square foot as shown in Table 1. This will give you the number required for Running Bond. For other bonds simply add to the number of brick obtained for Running Bond the percentages as given in Table 2. Soldier courses make no difference in the count; nor do rowlock courses, if half brick only are used. Although window sills laid rowlock fashion require additional brick, these are amply provided for in the usual allowances for wastage.
Wastage
If the workmen are careful to use bats for closures, instead of breaking whole bricks, no waste need be figured. The area of the small openings, not deducted in figuring quantities, and the doubling of brick at the corners, will give a certain number of extra brick; and, as it is the usual custom to order the brick to the quarter-thousand next above the actual number figured, the ordinary wastage on the job will be provided for.
If the number of square feet of face brick where there is no common brick or tile backing, such as chimneys, porch walls, steps, floors, etc., is kept separated from the number of square feet of face brick with backing, then the latter number of square feet, once obtained, may be used in figuring the number of common brick or tile required for backing, thus saving the contractor time in estimating.
Estimating Quantities of Common Brick
As the sizes of common brick, for all practical purposes, approximate the size of the standard face brick, their quantity may be calculated on the same basis. Thus, for a single thickness of common brick backing, the number required will be practically the same as that of the face brick laid in Running Bond. If, however, two or more thicknesses of backing brick are used, the proper deductions should be made for the thickness of the walls at the corners.
Two thicknesses of common brick backing will, of course, take just twice the number for one thickness, and so on. In a word, multiply the number required for face brick by the number of thicknesses or tiers of the common brick backing, always considering the turns at the corners, as just indicated. Where other than Running Bond is used in the facing brick, allowance should be made for the common brick displaced by the bonding face brick. The deduction in the number of common brick, it is evident, just equals the increased number of face brick required for the bond selected.
In estimating quantities of common brick for fireplaces, figure the portions projecting beyond the line of the wall, such as breast and ash pit, as if solid, that is, the number of brick for the surface multiplied by the number of tiers deep, and then deduct the number of bricks displaced by all flues and openings, face brick facing, and fire brick lining.
Estimating Quantities of Hollow Tile
Hollow tile for backing, as already indicated, may be obtained in the following sizes:
4’ × 5” × 12” (turned, 5” × 4” × 12”)
4’ × 12” × 12”
6’ × 12” × 12” (sometimes 6” × 5” × 12”)
8’ × 5” × 12”
8’ × 12” × 12”
When ordering the 5” × 12” tile shapes, which are laid on the side, the contractor should state that the usual allowance of 6-inch and 9-inch length cuts be included for use in piers and other narrow places, so as to reduce the cutting of tile on the job to a minimum; also, enough half and full closures should be ordered for use at window and door openings. See Fig. 59 and Hollow Tile Problem on opposite page. When it comes to the case of the 12” × 12” tile, it is an easy matter for bricklayers to split off one or more cells to get the proper shapes for closures, but the usual allowance of half-lengths should be ordered. Enough 1-inch tile slabs should be included for use in leveling up the wall for joist bearings.
Tile is calculated in terms of pieces, and to arrive at the number required, use the same square feet dimensions you would for common brick backing and multiply by the proper one of the following coefficients:
Coefficients for Tile Quantities
| Dimensions of Tile Face | Coefficient |
| 4” × 12’ | 2.6 |
| 5” × 12’ | 2.15 |
| 12” × 12” | 0.94 |
As the face brick is bonded to the tile backing by a double header bonding course, as shown on page 25, the amount of tile will have to be reduced accordingly. For instance, if 12” × 12” tile are used, the bonding course occurs every sixth course and one-sixth of the tile should be deducted, but at the same time, there must be added brick-size hollow tile at the rate of 12 to every 20 square feet of wall surface for use behind the stretchers in the bonding courses.
Or, if 5” × 12” tile are used, the bonding course occurs every fifth course and one-fifth of the tile should be deducted, and brick-size hollow tile at the rate of 12 to every 16 square feet of wall surface should be added for use behind the stretchers in the bonding courses. When the backing is 8 inches thick, an additional course of brick-size tile should be calculated behind every bonding course. If the brick-size tile cannot be obtained in the local market, an equal number of common brick will answer the purpose just as well. Two to three per cent should be added to all tile quantities calculated, to provide for waste.
In giving the following examples of estimating quantities it is not meant to indicate that each wall of the house is necessarily to be estimated by itself, but simply to show the way of estimating any extent of wall. Except in very elaborate and diverse elevations, the best way is to figure on the total surface of the four sides in one operation. This is the more easily done as, generally speaking, opposite sides of the house are of like area.