Warner hammered 124 off 154 balls before he was caught behind off Stuart Broad to break up a third wicket partnership of 158 with his captain, who went on to score 113 before his dismissal at the hands of spinner Graeme Swann.
Debutant George Bailey had joined in the batting pyrotechnics with two sixes in his 33 not out with Brad Haddin unbeaten on one as the rain that delayed play for 15 minutes before lunch stayed away and bright sunshine bathed the Gabba.
England, already facing an uphill task to save the Test after being skittled for 136 in reply to Australia's first innings 295 on Friday, got the cheap wickets of opener Chris Rogers (16), Shane Watson (6) and Steve Smith (0).
But they were rare highlights for the tourists in two sessions when they were distinctly second best with Swann coming in for particular punishment from Warner and Clarke.
A six and a one-bounce four were among 16 runs the Englishman conceded to the pair in one over and he finished the second session with figures of 1-113.
Australia had resumed on 65 without loss and Rogers was gone, caught at point from Broad's first delivery, before Warner had the five runs he needed for his half century.
That was clearly never the extent of his ambition and, with Clarke having weathered an early storm of short bowling and looking settled at the other end, Warner moved inexorably towards his first Ashes century.
He had a nervous moment in the last over before lunch when England appealed for leg before wicket and then referred the call to the TV umpire but the replay showed Swann's delivery missing his front pad and clattering into the bat.
Warner had another nervous few balls on 99 before finding a gap in the covers for two runs to claim his fourth test century, celebrating with a gleeful leap into the air.
The runs came of the bowling of Joe Root, the England player Warner infamously punched in a Birmingham bar before the first Ashes series of the year - one of a series of incidents which blighted his year.
Warner continued much in the same vein after passing the milestone but three balls after smashing Broad for his only six over the bowler's head, the Englishman had his revenge.
Clarke passed 1,000 runs at the Gabba and pushed his team's lead past 400 with two fours in one over off Broad before punching the ball through the onside for a couple of runs to claim his 25th Test century and his sixth in Ashes Tests.
Swann got a measure of revenge for the shellacking he had taken by tempting the Australia skipper, who hit his ton off 130 balls with 10 fours and one six, into stepping out only to miss the line for an ignominious dismissal his inning did not deserve.
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