A clinker is a brick fired at such a high temperature that it is almost vitrified and therefore dense, absorbs very little water, and rings brightly when struck — which is where the name comes from. In everyday Dutch usage klinker usually means the fired clay paving brick, but hard facing bricks are called clinkers too.
Because the clay is heated to just short of sintering, the brick is dense, strong, abrasion-resistant and frost-resistant. That suits it to duties an ordinary facing brick will not survive: paving, marine and river works, plinths, and elevations that take a lot of driving rain. Clay pavers are tested to the European standard EN 1344.
Common sizes
| Format | Length × width (approx.) | Units per m² (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Waal format | 200 × 50 mm | 100 |
| Dik format | 210 × 70 mm | 68 |
| Kei format | 210 × 105 mm | 44 |
Thickness is usually between 60 and 85 mm. For a drive that carries cars, choose the thicker options.
Where it applies
- Paving — terraces, drives, paths and residential streets, laid in stretcher bond, herringbone or basket weave
- Brickwork — hard clinkers in plinths, string courses and anywhere that takes splashing water
- Hydraulic works — quays, revetments and culverts
- Permeable clay pavers — a variant with widened joint spacers through which rainwater infiltrates directly
Practical tips
- The base decides the result — lay pavers on a well-compacted sand bed of 30 to 50 mm over a stable sub-base; where cars run, that means 150 to 300 mm of compacted granular sub-base underneath
- Do not forget the fall — allow 10 to 20 mm per metre of fall, always away from the building
- Fill the joints — brush in sharp sand or jointing grit and then vibrate with a rubber mat on the plate compactor so you do not chip the pavers
- Edge restraint — without restraint at the edges, paving always spreads; bed the edging in concrete
- Choice of bond — herringbone and basket weave carry load best; stretcher bond looks calmer but is less stable under traffic
- Cost — allow roughly 25 to 60 euros per m² for the material, depending on size, colour and whether the pavers are new or reclaimed
Related terms
- Brick
- Concrete paver
- Bond pattern
- Quarter bat
- Infiltration
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.