Ytong or brick? The big comparison for building a house in 2026

Ytong (aerated concrete) and ceramic brick (Porotherm, Heluz) compete for most Czech new builds. Both materials are proven and both make an excellent house — but they differ in details that matter depending on your priorities.

Thermal insulation

Ytong, thanks to millions of air pores, insulates superbly on its own — Lambda YQ blocks build a passive-standard wall without added insulation. Brick in its ground, wool-filled variants (Porotherm T Profi, Heluz Family 2in1) reaches similar values, but ordinary perforated brick needs insulation. A draw — the specific block decides, not the brand.

Acoustics and strength

Here brick leads: it is heavier, so it damps noise better and carries more load (longer spans, heavy tiling, wall-hung kitchens without anchor experiments). Ytong is softer — heavy fixings need special anchors, and we recommend Silka acoustic blocks between rooms.

Speed and accuracy of building

Ytong cuts with a hand saw, bonds with thin-bed adhesive and lays fast and clean — mistakes are easy to fix. Ground brick on foam is also quick, but cutting needs a bench saw. For self-builders Ytong is friendlier; for our crew the difference is minimal.

Moisture and indoor climate

Aerated concrete absorbs more water — protect it during construction and expect longer drying over the first heating seasons. Brick absorbs less and stabilises faster. Both walls are vapour-open and create a healthy indoor climate.

Price: how the finished house differs

For a 120 m² house, the Ytong-vs-brick difference is roughly CZK 100–150 thousand — less than a complex roof or premium windows can add.

Our recommendation

• Brick: when you want maximum strength, acoustics and a "traditional" heavy house.
• Ytong: when you build economically and fast and value easy workability.
• VELOX: when you want a monolith with thermal mass and walls in 3–4 weeks — more in our VELOX article.

Compare your house price in all four materials in two minutes in our online calculator — just switch the wall material and see the difference immediately.