Bricks and blocks — price, types and what to check
The walls — clay, fly ash or lightweight blocks.
Walls are built with burnt clay bricks or modern blocks. Blocks are larger, lighter and faster to lay, and can cut structural load significantly.
The basics
- Modular brick size is 190×90×90 mm; traditional bricks are about 230×115×75 mm.
- AAC blocks weigh about one-third of clay brick, reducing steel and foundation cost.
- Fly ash bricks are uniform in size and use industrial waste.
Bricks and blocks types and price ranges in India
| Type | Specification | Best used for | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red clay brick, first class | IS 1077, ≥10 MPa | Load-bearing and partition walls | ₹7–12 |
| Fly ash brick | IS 12894 | Walls, uniform size | ₹5–8 |
| AAC block | IS 2185 Part 3 | Walls in RCC-framed buildings | ₹3,800–5,200 |
| Solid concrete block | IS 2185 Part 1 | Boundary and load-bearing walls | ₹30–55 |
| Hollow concrete block | IS 2185 Part 1 | Compound walls, sheds | ₹28–50 |
| Clay hollow block | Porotherm type | Thermally insulated walls | ₹55–110 |
Quality checks before you accept delivery
- Knock two bricks together — a metallic ring means well burnt.
- A fingernail scratch should leave no mark.
- Dropped from 1 m, a good brick shouldn't break.
- Water absorption under 20%: soak 24 hours and weigh.
- Uniform colour, sharp edges, no white salt patches.
- Lay 20 bricks in a row and check the total length against the stated size.
- Reject bricks with cracks, lime nodules or warped faces.
- Fly ash bricks should carry the maker's mark and a strength report.
Pro tips
- Soak clay bricks before laying. AAC blocks need only a light sprinkle and thin-bed adhesive.
- Mortar: 1:6 cement–sand for 9-inch walls, 1:4 for 4.5-inch walls.
- Fix mesh at the column–wall joint before plastering AAC walls to stop cracks.
- Lay bricks frog-up and fill the frog with mortar.
- Limit masonry to about 1.5 m height per day so mortar can set.
- Keep mortar joints a uniform 10 mm, with line and level on every course.
- Stagger vertical joints — never align them course over course.
Mistakes to avoid
- Underburnt yellow bricks that soften when wet.
- Laying dry bricks that suck water out of the mortar.
- Mortar joints thicker than 12 mm.
- Filling wall cores with broken bats and loose mortar.
- Building walls on a slab without checking the engineer's wall layout.
Where you can save
- Lighter AAC walls can reduce steel and foundation cost in multi-storey homes.
- Buy directly from the kiln in lots of 10,000 or more.
How much you need
About 8 bricks per sq ft of built-up area, or 500 bricks per m³ of masonry.
Brands to know
Wienerberger Porotherm, Magicrete, Biltech, HIL Aerocon, Siporex
Related materials
CementThe binder that holds the whole house together.SandFine aggregate for concrete, mortar and plaster.Aggregate and gravelCrushed stone that gives concrete its body.TMT steelReinforcement inside every column, beam and slab.Shuttering and scaffoldingThe temporary moulds and platforms behind every slab.