Block Count
Count concrete blocks for a wall.
About Block Count
Each concrete block covers its face area in square feet. Dividing the wall area including waste by that coverage and rounding up gives the block count. Standard concrete blocks have a well-known face area, so a quick count scales wall footage into the number of units to order.
Formula
Block Count
Blocks = area x (1 + waste) / (block length x height / 144)
- block
- A standard concrete masonry unit
Worked example
With the default values below, Block Count returns Blocks Needed of 237. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Wall area
- 200 sq ft
- Block length
- 16 in
- Block height
- 8 in
- Waste allowanceaccepts 0–30 %
- 5 %
Results
- Block Coverage
- 0.8889 sq ft
- Area With Waste
- 210.0 sq ft
- Blocks Needed
- 237
Step by step
- 1Values used
- 2Block Count
- 3Blocks Needed= 237
- 4Block Coverage= 0.8889 sq ft
- 5Area With Waste= 210.0 sq ft
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Block Count calculated?
Blocks = area x (1 + waste) / (block length x height / 144) Each concrete block covers its face area in square feet. Dividing the wall area including waste by that coverage and rounding up gives the block count.
Why does Block Count matter?
Standard concrete blocks have a well-known face area, so a quick count scales wall footage into the number of units to order.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 4 inputs: Wall area, Block length, Block height, Waste allowance. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.