How much mortar is required for a 60 square foot wall using 8x8x16 concrete blocks?

To determine the amount of mortar required for a 60 square foot wall using 8x8x16 concrete blocks, it is essential to consider the dimensions of both the blocks and the gaps that will be filled with mortar.

Typically, an 8x8x16 block has a face area of 1 square foot. For a 60 square foot wall, you would need about 60 of these blocks (60 square feet / 1 square foot per block = 60 blocks).

When calculating the volume of mortar needed, it is common to estimate that around 10% of the wall area will be filled with mortar. This estimate accounts for the joints between the blocks. Therefore, for a wall of 60 square feet, you'll multiply the area by 10% to find the total area occupied by mortar:

60 square feet x 0.1 = 6 square feet of mortar.

To convert this area into cubic feet, we must consider the thickness of the mortar joint, which is typically around 3/8 inch (or 0.03125 feet). Thus the volume of mortar required can be calculated as follows:

Mortar Volume = Area x Joint Thickness

Mortar Volume = 6 square feet x 0.