Aerated or ceramic block: which to choose

Both materials answer the same brief: a warm wall without thick insulation. They differ in how they behave on site and what they demand of the rest of the structure.

Comparison

When to use aerated block

One- or two-storey houses, a tight budget, speed matters. The block is light, cuts with a handsaw and goes up fast even with a small crew. Non-negotiable: damp protection from below, reinforcement every third or fourth course, and a finished façade within the first season.

When to use ceramic block

Three storeys and up, heavy floors, a need to hang appliances and furniture on the walls. Ceramic block is stronger, holds fixings better, fears damp less and lasts longer. The material costs more and the laying demands a skilled mason — sloppy work erases the thermal advantage entirely.

Which is cheaper in the end

Material: aerated block is 25–40% cheaper. Labour: laying ceramic block costs more because it is slower and needs skill. But aerated block adds the cost of a façade you cannot postpone, plus special fixings.

In practice: on a small house aerated block wins on the total budget. On a large or multi-storey building the gap closes, and ceramic block leaves you with fewer constraints later on.

We stock both. If you are undecided, tell the manager the number of storeys and the floor type and we will price both options, so the comparison rests on figures rather than impressions.

We stock these positions in Building materials.