Concrete Block and Paver Block Calculator
Concrete blocks = net wall area ÷ block face area including joints. A standard 390 × 190 mm block with 10 mm joints takes up 0.4 × 0.2 = 0.08 m², so you need 12.5 blocks per m².
A 4 × 3 m wall less 2 m² of openings needs 125 blocks, or 132 with 5% wastage. For paver blocks, VYARA lists 36 ETA zig-zag or 25 square 200 × 200 pavers per m².
Calculate concrete blocks or pavers
Measure one wall face; deduct openings and RCC intrusions. The default 390 × 190 mm actual face plus 10 mm joints gives a 400 × 200 mm nominal module.
- Net wall area
- 10 m²
- Masonry volume including joints
- 2 m³
- Blocks per m² with joints
- 12.5
- Blocks per m³ of masonry with joints
- 62.5
- Equivalent blocks before wastage
- 125
- Order blocks
- 132
- Wet joint mortar
- 0.1475 m³
- Mortar cement, 50 kg bags
- 0.807 (1 whole)
- Mortar sand
- 0.16815 m³
Mortar uses fully filled bed and vertical joints. Base levelling, core grout and mortar loss are separate. Wastage changes the block order only.
Concrete block sizes and blocks per m² or m³
Every block width needs 12.5 blocks per m² of wall face; width only changes the count per m³. IS 2185 (Part 1):2005, clauses 4.2 and 4.2.1, gives nominal sizes that include the 10 mm joint: lengths of 400, 500 or 600 mm, heights of 200 or 100 mm, and widths from 50 to 300 mm, including 100, 150 and 200 mm. The actual length and height are 10 mm less, so a 400 × 200 block measures 390 × 190 mm. Width has no joint deduction.
| Actual L × H × W (mm) | Blocks/m² | Blocks/m³ masonry |
|---|---|---|
| 390 × 190 × 100 | 12.5 | 125 |
| 390 × 190 × 150 | 12.5 | 83.3333 |
| 390 × 190 × 200 | 12.5 | 62.5 |
Measure the blocks actually supplied and enter their actual size; entering 400 × 200 with a 10 mm joint counts the joint twice. Corners, half blocks and special sizes need a cutting layout. For aerated blocks use the AAC block calculator; for clay bricks, the brick calculator.
Worked wall example: blocks, mortar, cement and sand
A 10 m² net wall, 200 mm wide, needs 132 blocks with 5% wastage, 0.1475 m³ of wet mortar and about 0.81 bags of cement in 1:6.
- Wall face = 4 × 3 − 2 = 10 m². Masonry volume = 10 × 0.2 = 2 m³.
- Jointed face = 0.4 × 0.2 = 0.08 m². Blocks = 10 ÷ 0.08 = 125. With 5% wastage: ceiling(125 × 1.05) = 132.
- Block envelope volume installed = 125 × 0.39 × 0.19 × 0.2 = 1.8525 m³. Joint mortar = 2 − 1.8525 = 0.1475 m³.
- Dry mortar = 0.1475 × 1.33 = 0.196175 m³. At 1:6, sand = 0.196175 × 6 ÷ 7 = 0.16815 m³. Cement = 0.196175 ÷ 7 × 1,440 ÷ 50 = 0.80712 bags of 50 kg.
The 1.33 dry-volume factor, 1,440 kg/m³ cement and 50 kg bag are the same assumptions as the cement calculator. Mortar is worked out on the 125 blocks laid, not the 132 ordered, and has no wastage added. The 5% block wastage is an editable allowance, not a code figure.
Hollow blocks: bedding is separate from core grout
A hollow block wall needs the same number of blocks as a solid one of the same size; only the mortar can change. Joint mortar is worked out from the block’s outer size, so the cores are never counted as mortar.
The full-bed result assumes every joint is filled across its whole width. Face-shell bedding uses less: enter the effective bed-and-head joint percentage from the project detail. There is no automatic 50% cut. Measure core grout, reinforcement, the first levelling bed and lintels separately.
Paver block count and bedding sand
Paver blocks = area × the maker’s pieces per m². VYARA lists 36 ETA zig-zag pavers and 25 Square 200 × 200 pavers per m², both in 60 and 80 mm thickness.
| Manufacturer product | Units/m² | Units/sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| VYARA ETA (zig-zag) | 36 | 3.3445 |
| VYARA Square 200 × 200 | 25 | 2.3226 |
For 10 m² of ETA paving: 10 × 36 = 360 pavers; with 5% for cuts and breakage, order 378. Bedding sand at an example 30 mm is 10 × 0.03 = 0.3 m³ in place; confirm the bedding thickness and any loose-sand allowance for the job. Paver thickness changes the specification, not the count.
For another rectangular paver, enter its laid length and width including joints. Never count a shaped paver from its bounding rectangle. Joint-filling sand, kerbs and sub-base are separate. Sources checked 21 October 2026.
To price the count, see the dated paver block price per sq ft, with a converter from ₹ per sq ft to ₹ per piece.
Frequently asked questions
How many concrete blocks cover one square metre?
12.5, for a 390 × 190 mm block with 10 mm joints. Add wastage to the total for the wall and round up once.
How many blocks are in a cubic metre?
Counting joints: 125 in a 100 mm wall, about 83.3 in a 150 mm wall and 62.5 in a 200 mm wall. That is per m³ of built masonry, not a stack of loose blocks.
Does a hollow block need less mortar?
Only if the bedding covers just the face shells. Enter the effective joint percentage from the specification. The calculator does not assume the hollow percentage equals the mortar saving, and it leaves out core grout.
How many paver blocks cover a square foot?
About 3.34 VYARA ETA pavers or 2.32 VYARA Square 200 × 200 pavers per sq ft (36 and 25 per m²). Other shapes and makers differ.
Do I enter one or both wall faces?
One face. Enter the wall length and height, deduct openings and RCC members, and pick the block width. Entering both faces doubles the count.
Does the paver calculator choose a driveway thickness?
No. It counts the selected product. Traffic, subgrade, drainage and the pavement design set the thickness and base layers.
For quantities across a whole building, get a BOQ from your drawings.