Introduction
Tadelakt is a word derived from Arabic meaning to knead or massage. It is a traditional Moroccan plaster technique used originally to waterproof cisterns for the storing of drinking water and then as a coating for wet environments such as fountains and hammams (Turkish Baths). The extraordinary impermeability characteristics are comparable if not superior to the cocciopesto mortars used by the Romans for the construction of aqueducts, cisterns and baths. Tadelakt has been used outside in Morocco for 1000 years and survives today on some historic buildings.The architecture is characterised by manually shaped surfaces, organic forms and roundedcorners.
A group from Kreidezeit, a German firm specialising in natural paints and plasters, went to Morocco to investigate this fascinating material and wrote up their experiences in a book “Tadelakt” Gert Ziesemann and Martin Krampfer.
They discovered that the main base of the plaster is lime, specifically an eminently hydraulic lime which Berber artisans produce by burning limestone found 1.5m below ground in the Marrakech region of Morocco.The limestone is burnt in kilns fired by olive tree and palm wood, this makes the natural hydraulic lime which is then mixed with a fine sand made from marble or limestone. Natural Tadelakt is light in colour so pigments are added to create a range ofcolours.
The application of Tadelakt varies slightly in Morocco, sometimes it is applied in one thick coat and sometimes in two coats. In the preferred two coat method, the first coat is left until almost dry,then a second coat applied. Any trowel marks are removed as the plaster starts to set and then the surface is flattened with a river stone which compresses the aggregate and closes the pores. While the Tadelakt still contains moisture an olive soap or a black olive soap (savon noir) is applied and stoned into the surface. This soaping provides the Tadelakt with its waterproof qualities. The Tadelakt will gain its bonding strength within the first ten days and be fully set afterapproximately thirty days.
Our supplier Mike Wye & Associates Ltd , are able to provide colours form the chart or mix your own that can be named by you and stay in database for the future reference .
