Tadelakt

Tadelakt is a much imitated style of lime finish from Morocco. The name comes from the Arabic verb to rub, which refers to the finishing stages, where the plaster is polished with a very smooth stone. ‘Authentic’ Tadelakt uses lime and other materials from a specific region in Morocco, but the name really refers more to the process than the product.

Buyers of Tadelakt should be wary of products that only mimic the look of Tadelakt. These are fine per se, and generally don’t pretend to be anything but an imitation, but if you are planning to use your Tadelakt finish in a wet context then you’d better stay clear of imitations.

Tadelakt was developed and used specifically because of its waterproof characteristics. Originally used to line oasis wells, it was later used in traditional Moroccan bathhouses. Installed correctly, which consists of multiple layers of lime plaster, finished with several treatments of black olive soap, and polished meticulously with small smooth stones, Tadelakt offers a completely waterproof gleaming finish. As such it is best used in shower and wetroom situations.