Product Overview
TADELAKT MOROCCAN LIME PLASTER
Tadelakt is an ideal lime-based powdered plaster finish for showers, bathrooms and other wet areas. Tadelakt is a lime-based smooth wall coating. It is a water repellent lime plaster suitable for humid environments which can be used on the interior and exteriors of buildings. Tadelakt is a unique blend of marble dust, fine marble aggregate, slaked aged lime and other materials, which is designed to create a beautiful smooth, medium polished finish that blends perfectly in multicolored applications. Inherently water-resistant and durable, Tadelakt can be used on a variety of exterior and interior surfaces, including showers. Its traditional application includes being polished with a river stone and treated with a soft soap wax to acquire its final appearance and water resistance. Tadelakt has a luxurious, soft aspect with undulations due to the work of the artisans who finish it; in certain installations, it is suitable for making bathtubs, showers, and washbasins and confers great decorative capacities.
Uses: Interiors/Exteriors
Sizes Available: 1 Liter, 1 Gallon & 4 Gallons
Consumption Cover: Approx. 75 - 100 sq. ft. per 17 KG (FINE GRAIN) / Approx. 50 sq. ft. per 17 KG (COURSE GRAIN)
Composition: Hydrated lime powder, limestone aggregates, clays, and different additives to facilitate application.
Application field: It can be applied to any surface with proper prep work and priming.
Performances: Good workability, water resistance (if protected), excellent breathability (before protection), excellent natural anti-mildew.
Appearance: Powder is to be mixed with water with particle stones of 0.8 mm size
Application: Stainless Steel Trowel/Spatula
Dilution: The product should be diluted with water in a ratio of about 32% water by weight of powder material. The mixture is to be thoroughly mixed and, for best results, should be used between 4 hours and 24 days from the preparation.
Drying: Carbonation 3 hours at 20°C to the touch, 48 hours at 20°C below the surface, 180 days stable.
Application Temperature: Min. 5°C - Max 33°C - U.R. < 85 % about.
Viscosity: 200,000 ± 25,000 CPS = 20° C (white) pH after 30 days. 12.5 ± 0,20
Vapour Resistance: µ 24 ± 2 medium (ASTM norms)
Vapour Permeability: gr/m2 x 24 h = 260 ± 30 (ASTM norms)
Coat Thickness: 1,7 mm. ÷ 2,10 mm.
Inflammability: Nonflammable
VOC Classification: As per Dir. 2004/ 427 EC, Cat . A/c: Paints for exterior walls of mineral substrate. Eu limit 75 g/l (2007) 40 g/l (2010). This product contains 0 g/l of Voc.
Storage: 24 months. Product maintains its characteristics best if protected from extreme heat or humidity.
Safety Norms: Lime products are caustic. Avoid contact with eyes. Rinse eyes immediately if product comes into contact with them. Be careful not to rub the eyes since the stone sand could scratch the eyes. Seek medical advice if necessary. Do not use eye drops or any kind of lotion unless prescribed by a specialist. Keep out of reach of children.
Disposal: Product must be disposed of according to norms and regulations in force. Containers must be sent for recycling.
We have drawn up the material presented above to the best of our technical and experiential knowledge. Nevertheless, our suggestions and recommendations are not guaranteed. We reserve the right to make modifications to the present information without previous warning.
This product can be custom tinted to any Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams color, this is an additional cost based on color/pigment. Please call 708-452-8819 for tinting charges.
HOW TO APPLY:
- The ideal substrate is new plaster composed of lime, a little cement and sand. It can also be applied over old substrates as long as there is no crumbling and it has been treated with a primer.
- Mix an container of material with about 1 and 1/2 gallons of water. Once the material is well-mixed, it can be colored and then left to rest for about a half an hour. It can then be applied, either that day or the next. (The material will still be good for several days if it is kept in a sealed container away from heat. However, it’s best to apply it within 2 or 3 days.)
- After the substrate has been prepared, the first coat, tinted or not (white), is applied with a metal trowel. (With the traditional Moroccan method, it is applied with a tool similar to a Swiss trowel which leaves a slightly wavy surface.) Let the first coat dry completely (overnight). Remember that part of the pattern that is left in the first coat will be visible in the finished work.
- Before beginning the second coat, we advise to replace all the protective tape. For the second coat, apply the material with the color of your preference with a large, metal trowel. It should be applied over the entire surface smoothing out any marks left by the trowel, keeping in mind that any marks left at this stage with remain visible in the final surface. (For those wishing for a completely smooth surface, pass over the entire surface with a with a sponge float.)
- Let it dry a little until it loses its shine, which is due to an excess of water. In some places you will see a slight lightening of the color.
- At this point you can apply the third coat using the same material and the same big trowel, or a smaller one if you chose. The important thing is to use a trowel with sharp edges. Apply a thin layer, pressing (unifying) the second and the third coat into one thickness. You will have to pass over the surface numerous times, always moving the trowel in different directions until you achieved the desired finish. If you see bubbles appear during this stage, you’ll need to wait a little more before the final burnishing stage.
- It may be advantageous at the final stage of polishing to use a plastic trowel, especially with lighter colors, to avoid burning the surface. At this point in traditional Moroccan applications, the burnishing is done with a polished stone that, given its round shape, allows the artisan to follow the wavy surface which has been created in the preceding coats with the Swiss-type trowel.
- When the Tadelakt is still wet but quite firm to the touch, usually after one or two hours, it can be protected with a special Moroccan soap (the same one which is still used in the public, Moroccan baths) which is made from olive oil. The soap is spread as is, or diluted up to 300%, with water. Since this soap is very dark, we advise that it be well diluted when applied on light colors in order to avoid unwanted discolorations. Normally it should be applied with a metal trowel, rubbing it on the surface until it is completely absorbed. Any excess soap can be removed using a cloth after about 10 minutes.
