Krause Klad

What is Krause Klad?
Krause Klad is a cladding system made from handcrafted clay shingles. Each shingle measures 720 x 200 x 35mm, giving a larger, more elongated module than traditional brickwork. It is designed to bring an authentic, textural clay element to buildings in rural, coastal, and urban environments alike. A version measuring 500 x 200 x 35 is also now available.

What size are Krause Klad shingles?
Standard Krause Klad shingles measure 720 x 200 x 35mm. A version measuring 500 x 200 x 35 is also now available. Dimensions are nominal averages; as the products are crafted from natural clay, some variance in size and finish is expected.

What colours does Krause Klad come in?
Krause Klad is available in Ghost, Burnt Terracotta, Smoke Grey, and Iron Klad, with custom colours also available. As handcrafted clay products, shingles carry natural variation in tone and texture across the batch.

Is Krause Klad a brick or a tile?
Krause Klad is neither a conventional brick nor a roof tile. It is a handcrafted clay shingle used as a wall cladding system. It delivers the material authenticity of fired clay in a larger-format module that is fixed as cladding rather than laid as structural masonry.

What types of projects suit Krause Klad?
Krause Klad is highly versatile and has been used across rural, coastal, and urban projects. Examples include the Burnt Earth Beach House, which combined Krause Klad with custom Krause Bricks, and Mosman 5, which features Krause Iron Klad.

What is clay cladding?
Clay cladding is an external wall finish made from fired-clay elements, such as shingles, tiles, or panels, fixed to the building's structure rather than laid as masonry. It delivers the material qualities of brick, including durability and fired-in colour, in a lighter, non-structural cladding format.

What are the benefits of clay cladding compared to timber or metal?
Fired clay does not rot, warp, or corrode, and its colour is created in the kiln rather than applied, so it will not fade or peel the way painted or coated claddings can. Clay cladding also weathers gracefully, generally improving in character with age rather than degrading.

Does clay cladding require much maintenance?
Very little. Because the colour of fired clay runs through the material, there is no repainting, staining, or re-coating cycle as with timber or some composite claddings. Occasional cleaning is generally all that is required to keep a clay-clad facade looking its best.

Is clay cladding suitable for coastal environments?
Yes. Fired clay is unaffected by the salt air that corrodes metal cladding and accelerates the breakdown of timber finishes, which is one reason clay products are a popular choice for coastal buildings. Fixings and supporting structure should still be specified for the coastal environment.