Clinker

Clinker bricks were valued for their unique appearance and used extensively in Edmonton, unlike most other places where they were considered garbage.

Clinker refers not to a style, but to a construction material that proved quite popular in Edmonton. Clinker bricks were bricks that were overfired when being made. The excessive temperatures caused minerals in the clay to form a natural glaze, with hues of red, green, yellow, and purple. Some bricks also fused together in clumps, adding to their unpredictable appearance. Unlike elsewhere in Alberta, builders in Edmonton came to value these unique bricks for the aesthetic quality they provided. Clinker bricks have been used in scores of structures in Edmonton – most commonly for Craftsman style houses – and constitute one of the only vernacular building traditions unique to Edmonton. These bricks are most commonly seen in buildings built before World War II.

Characteristics

Irregularly shaped
Unpredictably colored with hues of red, green, yellow, and purple
Harder and denser than regular bricks

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Becker Residence

The unusual combination ofclinker brick and Foursquare design makes this home unique in Edmonton.

Frederick S. Jones Residence

This clinker brick bungalow was built by expert masonFrederick Jones, who was also responsible for the clinker brick masterpiece Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church

Holy Trinity Anglican Church is a clinker brick masterpeice.

Trudel Residence

Built in 1928, the Trudel Residence is a single storey bungalow, and one of the few residential works by Richard Palin Blakey, who was the provincial architect from 1912 to 1924.

William Brown Residence

This 1927 Craftsman style house, located on a corner lot in The Highlands,uses clinker bricks to create a very pleasing look.