What is tadelakt?

While microcement is gaining popularity is recent years, tadelakt is still unknown for many homeowners.

Tadelakt is a traditional waterproof and decorative plaster used in the Marrakech region of Morocco. It is a natural, lime-based plaster.

Tadelakt means “to rub in” or “massage” in Arabic. Today’s application is an ancient process taught and passed on by the Moroccan masters. Tadelakt was first used in the 11th century to waterproof the royal Berber cisterns.

The traditional material has a particular and time-consuming application process that involves soaking the material before applying it in a thick layer, compressing it, and then polishing it by hand with a flat stone and finally soaping it to create a chemical reaction that creates a waterproof finish.

You can find many modern brands of tadelakt plasters that are modifications of the original material. They often come premixed in a bucket to increase ease of application. So it’s important to know what kind of “tadelakt” you’re getting. 

But one thing is for sure, if you decide by this material, get the help of a professional since this is not a DIY project for the home.