Cement Mortar Mix Calculator

Information

When building a private house or garage, cement mortar—a blend of cement, sand, and water—is a fundamental construction material. This versatile mix, applied in varying ratios, is crucial for brick masonry, wall plastering, and floor screeding projects. Manually calculating the required volume and cost of materials can be challenging. Our free online Cement Mortar Mix Calculator simplifies the process by quickly providing the ideal mix for bricklaying, screeding, or plastering while accurately estimating material expenses. It enables you to precisely determine the quantities of cement and sand needed for each specific application.

Features of the Online Cement Mortar Mix Calculator

The online Cement Mortar Mix Calculator offers a wide range of functionalities, including:

• Multiple input fields for entering your project parameters;
• An additional "Calculate cost" function;
• A prominent "CALCULATE" button;
• A set of fields presenting detailed calculation results.

This tool not only computes the workability (mobility) rating of your selected mortar mix but also calculates the required quantities and estimated cost of materials needed to prepare the mix. Additionally, it offers the convenience of saving your results as a PDF with one click or printing them directly.

How to Use the Cement Mortar Mix Calculator

To obtain your final calculation, simply enter the following data into the calculator’s fields:

• The required volume of mortar in m³;
• The desired mortar strength or grade;
• The intended purpose of the mortar;
• The type or grade of cement to be used.

If you also need to estimate the cost of sand and cement, select the "Calculate cost" option and enter the unit prices in the corresponding fields:

Price per bag of cement;

Price per ton of sand.

Click the "CALCULATE" button to receive a comprehensive breakdown of material requirements and total cost estimates.

Additional Useful Information

In construction, different mortar types are selected based on their applications:

• Masonry mortars – ideal for constructing brick or block walls, building rubble stone fences, filling gaps, and sealing joints between structural components.
• Plaster and finishing mortars – engineered for applying a smooth, thin plaster layer to walls. Their fine-grained texture and reduced workability make them perfect for vertical applications;
• Special mortars – formulated for unique uses such as furnace masonry, well-cementing, acoustic isolation, thermal insulation, waterproofing, and more.

Based on their composition, the main categories of mortars include:

• Lime mortars – commonly used for interior projects offering excellent plasticity, albeit with reduced strength;
• Cement-lime mortars – versatile mixes suitable for both exterior and interior applications including bricklaying, plastering, and floor screeding, providing a balanced combination of strength and workability;
• Cement-sand mortars – extensively employed in construction tasks. They offer considerable strength but typically exhibit low plasticity; hence, plasticizing additives are often incorporated to enhance workability.

A classic mortar mix uses a cement-to-sand ratio of 1:3. Initially, cement and sand are thoroughly combined to form a uniform blend, after which water is added to achieve the desired consistency. In certain cases, water can compose up to 95% of the cement volume in the mixture.

This type of mortar is commonly used for masonry, plastering, and floor screeds. However, due to its rapid setting time, additives such as lime milk or detergents are frequently included to prolong its workability by several hours.

For residential projects, household detergents or specialized plasticizers may be used to improve the mortar’s plasticity and simplify the mixing process. With a wide selection of plasticizers available, you can choose the most appropriate one for your conditions—such as products with antifreeze properties for cold weather.

For brick or block installations, “warm” mortars incorporating thermal insulating binders like polystyrene foam, expanded clay, or perlite sand are also available. These specialized mixes help reduce heat loss through thermal bridges, ensuring that the wall maintains consistent thermal performance.

The workability of the mortar, also known as its mobility, is a critical factor. Use our online calculator to accurately determine the optimum concentration of cement and sand for every cubic meter of mortar, ensuring your construction project is both efficient and cost-effective.

Reference Definitions

Mortar – a composite blend consisting of a binder (e.g., cement, lime, clay, or gypsum), aggregate fillers (such as sand or ash), and water, which hardens into a durable, stone-like material. Often, plasticizers or antifreeze agents are added to enhance its performance.

Cement – a hydraulic binding agent manufactured synthetically. When combined with water, it forms a plastic mass that rapidly hardens into stone. Produced by finely grinding gypsum, limestone, and clinker (a product obtained from firing limestone and clay), cement is one of the essential building materials.

Rubble Masonry – a construction technique that utilizes irregular, fragmented, or whole stones, typically derived from hard rock varieties such as limestone, sandstone, shell rock, tuff, granite, dolomite, basalt, or gabbro.

Jointing – the finishing process following brick or block laying, intended to produce a smooth, visually appealing joint with a defined profile using a specialized jointer tool.

Mortar Age, Days	Mortar Strength, %						Curing Temperature, ℃
	0	5	10	15	20	25		30	35	40	45	50
1	1	4	6	10	13	18		23	27	32	38	43
2	3	8	12	18	23	30		38	45	54	63	76
3	5	11	18	24	33	47		49	58	66	75	85
5	10	19	28	37	45	54		61	70	78	85	95
7	15	25	37	47	55	64		72	79	87	94	99
10	23	35	48	58	68	75		82	89	95	100	—
14	31	45	60	71	80	85		92	96	100	—	—
21	45	58	72	85	92	96		100	100	—	—	—
28	52	68	83	96	100	100		—	—	—	—	—