How much mortar (in ft³) is typically associated with 100 ft² of wall area using 8 x 8 x 16 blocks?

To determine how much mortar is typically associated with 100 ft² of wall area when using 8 x 8 x 16 blocks, it's helpful to understand both the dimensions of the blocks themselves and the properties of mortar.

First, an 8 x 8 x 16 block has dimensions in feet of approximately 0.67 ft in height, 0.67 ft in width, and 1.33 ft in length. The surface area of one block, excluding the joint, is around 1.5 ft², factoring in that we usually also account for the joints in mortar calculations.

Next, in traditional masonry, the thickness of the mortar joint between blocks is usually about 0.5 inches (which is about 0.04167 ft). This increases the effective area because you need to account for the space taken by mortar when calculating total wall areas.

For a wall area of 100 ft², and considering that the mortar joint will also cover between the blocks, the typical mortar yield is a significant portion of the math involved in block construction. Generally, for every 100 ft² of wall area with standard 8 x 8 x 16 blocks, about 8.5 ft³ of mortar is utilized