The tadelakt makes it possible to obtain an atmosphere as soft as a traveler in the bathroom. Chicer and less raw than waxed concrete, it brings warmth, softness, and color to a room, all with great elegance and style. Widely democratized today, tadelakt can be used by everyone, to meet all decorative desires. Its raw and authentic charm is particularly appreciated to enhance bathrooms.
Tadelakt, what is it?
The word tadelakt comes from Arabic, more precisely from the verb “Malaka” which means “to massage, rub, polish”. Tadelakt is a coating technique widespread in Morocco. Appreciated for its impermeability, tadelakt was originally designed to protect the walls of hammams from humidity. It was also used in riads or basins but also for making pottery and Moroccan jars. The tadelakt is made of a lime (traditionally lime from Marrakech), tinted with natural pigments and polished with pebbles to give it the smooth and shiny appearance, close to the stone, that we know it. Today, tadelakt has been modernized and is generally made of a mixture of lime and marble powder and polished with a trowel. Interior designers like to use it for its traditional and warm spirit and its many colors. It can be used in all styles of decoration. It fits in just as well with a modern or rustic universe, in an apartment as in a house. It’s up to you how you want to use it!
The advantages of tadelakt in the bathroom
First of all, this material is intended to be aesthetic and hygienic (it is indeed, like concrete, an antibacterial, in particular, thanks to the fungicidal and bactericidal properties of lime). It is also a completely ecological coating. Another advantage: tadelakt supports a very high humidity rate, hence its use for hammams, perfect for avoiding latent humidity in a bathroom. It also lets the walls breathe. With it, no moisture-related mold problems or paint blisters, which is common in wet rooms like the bathroom.
Tadelakt also offers a wide range of shades to meet all your decorative desires and has different finishes depending on the desired appearance: black soap which brings a very shiny appearance, and makes the walls permeable to water (perfect for rooms of water), and catches the light; satin wax for a discreet satin finish and silver luster wax to add a metallic veil. Last advantage of tadelakt: is its durability: it indeed has an exceptional lifespan and will not move for decades if it is well maintained.
The disadvantages of tadelakt in the bathroom
If it has many advantages and is very aesthetic, tadelakt also has some disadvantages, which it is important to know before choosing this material. The tadelakt must in particular be laid according to the rules of the art. It is also essential that the support is prepared perfectly. Each support has a different method of preparation, do not hesitate to take advice from a professional. Be careful also during the first weeks: tadelakt needs time to find its real hardness. Avoid blows or watch out for defects! Finally, tadelakt is a relatively expensive material: count between 150 and 200 euros per m². For this reason, it is common to use it only on small surfaces.
