Mortar
Prescribed mortar: gauging volumes
- where
- volume of one part (litres)
- total loose volume (litres)
- cement, lime and sand parts
- volume of ingredient k (litres)
- parts of ingredient k
Explain this equation
This splits a total volume of loose ingredients into cement, lime and sand for a prescribed mix written in parts, such as 1:1:6. Use it to work out gauging volumes for a batch.
V is the total loose volume of dry ingredients you want, in litres. c, l and s are the parts of cement, lime and sand in the mix. p is the volume of one part. n_k is the number of parts of any one ingredient, and V_k is the volume of that ingredient.
A mix in parts shares the total in fixed proportions. Adding the parts gives the number of equal shares; dividing the total by that gives the size of one share, p. Each ingredient is then its number of parts times p.
A 1:1:6 mix makes 8 parts. 80 litres gives 10 litres a part: 10 of cement, 10 of lime and 60 of sand.
Watch out: loose dry volumes do not add up to the same volume of wet mortar. This calculator does not choose a mix; use the specified one.
Split a chosen total loose ingredient volume into cement, lime and sand parts.
Enter your values to see the result.
Good to know
Use the specified recipe. Loose ingredient volumes do not add up to finished wet yield. No strength class is inferred; this does not choose a mortar for the wall.
Sources
- MPA mortar prescribed proportions
Estimates are not design approval or British Standards compliance checks. Structural arch, retaining-wall, wind, foundation, lintel and masonry-capacity design are not performed. Use the project engineer’s specification.