Count concrete blocks on a pallet from a photo

Counting concrete blocks on pallets and in part-used stacks

Building supply yards count block deliveries against the order, and masons check how many blocks remain between lifts so the next load arrives in time. Blocks come cubed on pallets, often banded, with their hollow cores open on one face. Photograph the pallet side where whole block ends show, square-on and at block height, so each block reads as one rectangle.

Hollow blocks carry the biggest trap: every block shows two or more open cores, and a loose count can mark the holes instead of the blocks. Mark one whole block, cores and webs included, as your example so the counter matches complete units. Half blocks, corner blocks and solid blocks can share a pallet; give each kind its own example, up to three, and compare the Found per example lines. Once an example is marked, the Ignore small detections setting under Advanced helps if chips or crumbs pick up dots.

A cubed pallet hides its center, so a face count times the pallet depth is an estimate and should be labeled that way in the tally. Part-used stacks on site are rarely regular; walk around them before assuming the hidden rows match the face you photographed. Clay bricks have their own brick counter, and the same pallet routine applies to paving block deliveries.

Check before you record the total

• Each dot sits on a whole block, not on one of its cores
• Half and corner blocks have their own example if they matter
• Rows hidden inside the pallet are marked as an estimate