Practical guide
Maxi Bricks vs Stock Bricks: Quantity and Size
Compare maxi and stock bricks using their installed face dimensions and total job quotes. Fewer pieces do not automatically make a suitable wall cheaper.
Updated 15 October 2026
Reviewed by the 99Tools team. Editorial and corrections policy.
Quick answer: compare installed coverage
A stock example with a 222 × 73 mm wall face and 10 mm joints needs about 51.932 units/m² for one leaf. A 290 × 90 mm maxi face with the same joint needs about 33.333. Multiply the appropriate rate by the same net area and waste before comparing prices.
Maxi is not one fixed dimension
Product ranges use the maxi name for different sizes. The calculator offers a common 290 × 140 × 90 mm example and a 288 × 140 × 88 mm flat-maxi example, both in length × width × height order. Check the actual face height and intended laying orientation on the selected product.
A like-for-like quantity example
For the same net 21 m² and 10% waste, the stock example needs 1,200 pieces and the 290 × 90 mm maxi face needs 770. A pack size can change both purchase totals. These are geometric unit comparisons for the same number of leaves, not a statement that the finished walls have equal performance.
Compare the complete wall, not piece price
Price the supplied units, mortar, labour, reinforcement, finishing and delivery. Confirm dimensions, strength, exposure suitability and the wall design separately. A larger unit can change handling and detailing, and a lower count is not a structural approval.
When to use supplier coverage
A manufacturer’s installed coverage can reflect its chosen gauge and product dimensions. If it differs from a generic geometric calculation, ask which assumptions it uses. Enter the confirmed rate through the supplier method rather than silently changing the brick height to force a matching answer.
Check the stated dimension order
A listing may use length × width × height while another uses length × height × width. Corobrik’s Cement Maxi 90 listing is an example of a different maxi format and labelled order: 222 × 110 × 90 mm in length × height × width order. Confirm the face actually laid and its installed coverage. Do not assume every product called maxi matches the calculator’s initial preset.
Confirm purchasing quantities
Round the complete requirement after applying one waste allowance, then apply the actual pack size if full pallets are required. Different products may have different pallet counts. A quantity of 770 units becomes 800 only in the hypothetical case of four 200-unit pallets; another pack size produces another order. Keep the unit price, pallet price and delivery on the same quotation basis when comparing alternatives.
Use the related calculators
Apply the explanation above with your own figures. Open a calculator below, check every input and review the result assumptions before making a decision.
Frequently asked questions
Are maxi bricks always cheaper for a wall?
No. Compare a suitable specification and the entire installed project quote, not only the piece count.
Does 290 × 140 × 90 mean a 140 mm face height?
Not when dimensions are given as length × width × height. In that ordering, face height is 90 mm and width is 140 mm.
Can I compare two leaves using different units?
Calculate each leaf separately with its own product coverage, then combine the quantities and quotes.