BRICKS AND BLOCKS

Metric bricks are a little smaller than the old imperial one.   New bricks can be bonded into old brickwork by slightly increasing the mortar bed joint.

There are a variety of sizes available and they differ from country to country. Brick sizes have remained fairly constant over the years although, in the UK, the depth used to be less (about 2 ins/51mm) whereas modern bricks are about 2.5 ins./64mm.

American bricks are about 8 × 4 × 2.25 inches (203 × 102 × 57 mm);  South African 8.75 x 4 x 3 inches (222 x 106 x 73mm) and in Australia they are 9 x 4.33 x 3 inches (230 x 110 x 76mm).

Comparisons of metric and imperial bricks are as follows:-

BRICK QUANTITIES

Building blocks in a size which co-ordinates with bricks are also available.  These blocks are equivalent to two brick lengths and three brick heights (i.e. a total of six bricks).

BLOCK QUANTITIES

MORTAR and CONCRETE

1 kg. of dry mortar mix (i.e.1 part cement to 5 parts dry building sand) when mixed with water will lay approximately one brick.

Doug Reay

It is recommended that for brickwork below ground level the ratio should be reduced to 1 part cement to 4 parts soft dry builders' sand.