Bricks & Blocks
Facing bricks, engineering bricks, aerated and dense blocks — strength classes and where each belongs.
Bricks and blocks are chosen on three things: what they have to carry, what weather they see, and what they have to look like. Getting the first two wrong is a structural problem; getting the third wrong is a permanent one.
Sold by
Each, pack or pallet
Standard
BS EN 771 (masonry units)
Block strengths
Commonly 3.6N, 7.3N and 10.4N
Brick coverage
~60 bricks per m² (single skin)
Bricks & Blocks on Loadbase
Delivered prices depend on the distance from the yard to your site, so they are quoted against your postcode rather than listed here.
See bricks & blocks near youFacing and engineering bricks
Facing bricks are made to be seen. They are chosen on colour, texture and how they weather, and are used for external walls above damp-proof course.
Engineering bricks are dense, high-strength and low-absorption, classified as Class A or Class B. Class B is the common one: used below DPC, for retaining walls, manholes and anywhere the brick is in contact with ground water.
Commons are unfinished bricks for work that will be rendered or hidden.
Bricks vary between batches. Order the whole job in one delivery from one batch where you can — matching a later pack is rarely convincing.
Concrete blocks
Aerated (lightweight) blocks are easy to cut and handle and have good thermal performance, so they dominate inner leaves and partitions. Common strengths are 3.6N and 7.3N.
Dense concrete blocks carry more load and resist moisture better — used below DPC, in foundations and where a wall carries significant weight. Typically 7.3N or 10.4N.
Hollow and cellular blocks reduce weight and can be filled and reinforced where the design calls for it.
The N value is compressive strength in newtons per square millimetre. If a drawing specifies 7.3N, a 3.6N block is not a saving.
Ordering and delivery
Bricks and blocks arrive banded on pallets, usually by lorry with an offload crane (HIAB). The crane needs clear, firm standing within reach of where the pallets are going.
Allow for wastage — around 5% on brickwork is normal, more on cut-heavy work. Running out three courses from the top is the expensive way to discover this.
Common questions
How many bricks per square metre?
About 60 bricks per square metre for a single skin of standard UK-format brickwork (215 × 102.5 × 65mm) with 10mm joints. Double that for a solid wall two bricks thick.
What is the difference between Class A and Class B engineering bricks?
Both are dense and low-absorption; Class A is stronger (125 N/mm² and under 4.5% water absorption) and Class B is the common specification (75 N/mm² and under 7%). Class B is sufficient for most below-DPC and retaining work.
Can I use aerated blocks below ground?
Generally no. Below DPC and in foundations you want dense concrete blocks or engineering bricks, which resist moisture and carry more load. Check the drawing — some aerated blocks are rated for below-ground use in specific conditions.
Other materials
Trade guidance, not a specification. Always work to the product's Declaration of Performance and any drawing or engineer's specification for the job. Reviewed 2026-07-12.