Brick is a popular building material that’s been around for a long time. It’s the perfect product if you want to give your room or build a traditional and distinctive look. Due to the low maintenance, 50 years of durability, its ability to withstand any weather condition, people still chose bricks over any other material.
However, many of you don’t know the size, weight of a brick or the cost of a pallet of brick. Therefore I thought of answering some of these questions and covering every detail you need to know about bricks and a pallet of bricks.
Contents
Origin of bricks
Bricks come from all over the world, including Europe, Asia and Africa.
However, it has been estimated that the earliest usage of bricks was back in 7000 BC at the ancient city of Jericho in the south of Turkey. The earliest bricks that have been discovered are estimated to be from 7000 BC. They were made from mud clay and sundried in the open air.
Research showed that some other bricks were found throughout other areas of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. They have been found around the Tigris region. Houses made from mud, with some built-in pits below the floors to catch seepage from the ground, are one of the many architectural innovations in Pakistan and other countries in South Asia.
Chinese have used fired bricks from 4000 – 3000 BC, while ancient Egyptians have used sundried bricks using clay mixed with straw. The Aztecs used bricks to build many still-standing pyramids.
Later around 1920, brick-making machines could make up to 12,000 bricks a day.
Size of a brick
The size of brick may vary depending on the country you are residing in. Compare how the brick measurements differ in each country.
The standard size
The standard dimensions of brick are 7.48 inches x 3.54 inches x 3.54 inches which is Length x Width x Thickness.
It is 190 mm x 90 mm x 90 mm in millimetres, which is Length x Width X Thickness in millimetres.
The US size
American dimensions are 92mm × 57mm × 203mm ( 3 5/8 inches × 2 1/4 inches × 8 inches) in respect to the depth, height and Length.
However, the most common size used in America is 3 5/8 inches × 2 3/4 inches × 8 inches which are equal to 92mm × 70mm × 203mm.
The UK size
In Britain, their standard size is 215 mm x 102.5 mm x 65 mm, length x width x height.
Recently, there has been a growth in different types of brick being used. This includes the use of Roman and Megaline bricks by Wienerberger.
The Australian size
The standard size of brick in Australia is 230mm × 110mm × 76mm with Length × width × height, respectively.
What is a pallet?
A pallet, often made of wood, is used to transport goods and equipment. Many machines, including forklifts and cranes, can lift a pallet as designed to be as flat as possible for this purpose.
A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load, making handling and storage more efficient. Pallets are the main way to load a truck or other vehicle with deliveries. They can protect an item, absorb stresses, provide weight distribution, and protect the product from various types of damage.
Number of bricks in a pallet
The size of a pallet can only be determined by what is packed on top of them.
Bricks generally adhere to standardised pallet sizes of 40 by 48 inches. This is equal to 1,920 square inches of surface area. If a standard brick is 2 1/4 inches wide and 8 inches long, then 113 bricks are needed to cover the surface of a pallet.
You can build upwards towards the weight capacity desired for trucks, trains, or boats from bricks. Most brick pallets have about 500 bricks in them. If that’s the case, then you’re looking at four or five layers of bricks.
A pallet is equal to a cube of bricks. A pallet of bricks typically may range from 400 to 525 depending on the type and size of the brick.
Size of a pallet of bricks
Bricks come in standard pallet square sizes of about 40 inches x 48 inches, equal to 1,920 square inches of surface area. A standard brick is about 8 inches long and 2.25 inches wide, so 113 bricks will cover the surface.
A cube or pallet of bricks covers 2,150 to 3,700 square feet on average.
Weight of pallet of bricks
If a 230mm x 110mm size brick weighs approximately 3.1kg, then a 500 bricks pallet may weigh 1.5 to 1.7 tons. That is 1360 to 1542 kg.
Keep in mind is that pallets can be made of different materials, which will affect the weight of a pallet of bricks.
Removable wood and plastic pallets are the most popular pallets in the US because they offer high quality and low cost. Metal pallets are also available in the market. The kind of pallet often changes depending on the materials it will carry.
Weight of a brick
The standard weight of a brick is around 4.3 pounds. It will be approximately 3.1 kilograms.
The weight too may vary from country to country.
How to calculate the weight of brick?
Follow this formula:
Weight = Volume × Density
To calculate the volume of a brick, multiply the length, width and height.
Weight of brick in the US
Following the formula and the data previously provided, the volume of 203mm × 92mm × 57mm size brick is 0.001064m3. Taking density equivalent to 1920kg/m3, the weight of brick is 0.001064m3 × 1920kg/m3, which equals 2.043kg or 4.5lbs.
According to US practices, the weight of a brick generally falls between 4.5 – 6 lbs. A standard brick weighs around 4.5 pounds, while a Jumbo standard brick weighs 5.9 pounds and queen brick 5.6 pounds. Roman brick is 4.7 pounds and huge size thru wall brick weight around 42 pounds.
Weight of brick in the UK
Thus volume of 215mm × 102.5mm × 65mm size brick is 0.00143m3. Taking density equivalent to 1920kg/m3, the weight of brick is 0.00143m3 × 1920kg/m3 equals to 2.75kg or 6lbs.
The standard brick size of Britain generally weighs around 3.1kg.
Weight of brick in Australia
The volume of 230mm × 110mm × 76mm size brick is 0.00192 m3. Taking density equivalent to 1920kg/ m3, the weight of brick is 0.00192 m3 × 1920kg/ m3 equivalent to 3.69kg or 8lbs. This is the weight of a standard brick in Australia.
The Australians keep the weight of a brick kept between 3.1 kg to 3.69 kg or 6 lbs to 8 lbs.
Weight of a single layer
Standard bricks weigh about 4.3 pounds each. If 113 of these are on a pallet, that will make for a total weight of 486 pounds for a single layer.
Weight of a pallet of bricks
Weight increase when you start stacking. If a single layer is 486 pounds and a basic pallet of bricks with 5 layers stacked on top of each other, it would weigh approximately 2,430 lbs.
The cost of bricks
The average cost of a brick is between $0.35 to $0.90. The price for building with bricks varies between $2 and $6 per square foot.
A pallet of bricks typically costs $140 – $470, depending on the type, size, weight and pallet number. The cost of 1,000 bricks ranges from $350 to $900, depending on their size and quality.
For example, 1000 red bricks are between $400 to $900, face bricks are $350 – $900, and engineering bricks are $350 to $900.
A cost-per-square-foot estimate for laying brick is approximately $30 to $50. When labour costs factor in, the build-out cost comes to between $300 and $800 per 1,000 bricks. Delivery charges will be between $60-$200.
