How to apply Tadelakt - part 3

[@zanart21]

I may never tadalakt anything but I started getting interested in it when watching videos of people building hand built houses ( like cob Straw bale adobe etc. ) many people used tadelakt from scratch experimenting with the right mixes of lime etc. fascinating stuff and your videos made the process very clear using pre made products. Thanks. doing a whole bathroom might not be a one man job, unless there were smaller defined areas you could work on one at a time.

[@B30pt87]

That was great! (All three of them.) After watching these videos, I'm confident I can do my own work on my bathroom - after a test board of course. Thank you for putting out such informative videos.

[@keithdietrich]

That was exactly what I needed to know ... Thank you ...keep up the excellent work of truly green product use !

[@gatesguitarrepair741]

Most excellent, expert instruction. Many thanks!

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Thanks for your comment - we're very pleased the video was helpful to you!

[@isabelamacavei1333]

Great product though I'm still few steps back trying to learn if this would bond onto any type of surface. I also wonder if the finishing part (done in small circles) needs to be done after the olive soap is still wet; if it cures fast, why doesn't the "shining" action be done in small portions? Imagine a full wall being dry before the process is actually finished. Is that process safer to be done manually versus with a small rotating buffer blade?

[@sarahfromtheuniverse]

So beautiful. What a lovely art.

[@elizabethjudy6340]

Links to where we can buy products would be great! Thank you!

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Elizabeth, here's a link to the Tadelakt & Polished Plaster section on our website. We're hoping to add product links to the videos soon www.mikewye.co.uk/product-category/tadelakt-polished-plasters/

[@kai7437]

Upkeep? I watched a video by Vision-pd repairing his Tadelakt shower and asked about upkeep. He said his Tadelakt required frequent maintenance - that it needed to be re-coated with soap and wax every 2 weeks in order for water to continue beading up on the surface. In your experience, how often does a Tadelakt shower require re-coating with wax/soap in order to maintain its water-resistant finish (assuming everyday use by 2 adults)? Thanks.

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Kai, with the tadelakt we use, the soap will only clean the surface after carbonation. The water repellent properties that the soap gives when it reacts with the lime only happens while the tadelakt is 'green'. The wax however can be reapplied at any time, once a month if used every day, although this may vary.

[@krakenfelt1]

Is it possible to use regular hydraulic lime or do you need the product mentioned? Thanks for putting together what has to be the best tadelakt tutorial :)

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Caspar, thank you for the kind comments. Tadelakt can be made with natural hydraulic lime (some recipes online) but it is a lot of trial and error, this product is consistent.

[@laylawehr5653]

Thank you for the great videos. I've done my own test board but really struggled to find the right time for polishing. When I started with the stone according to your instructions, initially there was no plaster on the stone. But then it would create wet skid marks and a little film of wet plaster would appear on the stone. Is this supposed to happen? I also tried waiting until it was drier but at that point I did not manage to create a sheen and it appeared to have been too late. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Layla, thank you for your kind comments. The walls very rarely dry in a uniform manner. You have to monitor which areas are drying quicker. If you are leaving snail trail like marks then those areas are still a bit too wet. If areas are drying too quickly then you can add more olive soap to bring it back a bit. If the plaster is coming off on the stone then leave those areas longer.

[@laylawehr5653]

Thanks so much for your reply!

[@punchout2418]

What kind of stone are you guys using for polishing?

[@ralphst.george572]

Hello Mike, great video. When applying the policing soap, can you use a roller, or do you recommend brushing it.

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Ralph, the soap has changed to a concentrate since this video. Once diluted I now put it in a small spray bottle, then spray on and trowel in, it may be a bit thin for a roller.

[@okafka5446]

That looks amazing? What's the rough cost of materials to cover the walls of a bathroom 30 metres squared?

[@MikeWyeLtd]

It's going to be around £25 + vat + carriage per m²

[@okafka5446]

@@MikeWyeLtd Thanks so much for getting back to me.:-) Any idea (ball park figure) what the application cost per square metre, would be by a skilled plasterer?

[@MikeWyeLtd]

@@okafka5446 You would be looking at upwards of £250 per m² including materials

[@RCC9]

Hi can I ask what causes blisters? We’ve been getting a few in this product are we putting the coats on top of each other too soon ? We also wasn’t using the stone we used trowels to soap

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Rosko, basically it is being overworked while too wet. This will happen with most plasters. If you get any blisters, leave that area to dry back, this should get rid of any small ones. Bigger blisters, you will need to remove and redo.

[@alananderson3695]

is there a technique for more of a matte finish on the walls instead of the polished look using Tadelakt?

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Alan, you can keep it more matt by doing less burnishing with the stone but it may not be as water repellent.

[@eliprema2049]

Thank you ❤️🙏

[@jimhurley6707]

Hi Matt, Great video! Can you tell me approximately how long you waited before the second coat was dry and you applied the soap. Also after applying the soap, did you let the soap dry completely before stoning/polishing the surface? Thanks, Jim

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Apologies for the delay Jim, it varies but on the sample boards about an hour before the second coat. On a wall though once you have finished applying the first coat there is probably time for a cuppa and then on with the second. Let the soap dry, I have found a squirty bottle and trowel is the best way to apply it, this cuts out the chance of dried brush strokes.

[@JunkyDotCom]

Thank you

[@elendil354]

Why not a bigger stone or a machine on that last part? Its seems excessively labour intensive.

[@MikeWyeLtd]

It's all about compressing the surface, massaging the soap in and pulling the aggregate together which is best achieved by using a smaller stone. Yes it is labour intensive but it gives lovely results.

[@thomasstone2844]

@@MikeWyeLtd Have you tried a larger stone or mechanical grinding stone like the Husqvarna TCS grinding stones and then done a side by side analysis? Reason being--I think you would see the same DOI/Gloss/Compaction/Fill. Would be interesting.... Not saying that doing it one way is best but this is an excellent material. We can keep the traditional methods and innovate! One doesnt mean the end of the other.

[@B30pt87]

@@thomasstone2844 I'm guessing any kind of stone that has the word 'grinding' in its name would take material off - the opposite of burnishing.

[@kai7437]

What * are * we supposed to use to clean Tadelakt? You only mentioned what * not * to use for cleaning Tadelakt (no bleach, no abrasives, no modern cleaning products). I'm sure sinks, baths, pools, and showers would develop slime/mould/soap scum like any other bathroom with regular human use. I'd love to know both what tools (eg. soft cloth, non-scratch scourer) and products are safe and effective to use (eg. earth-choice bath&shower cleaner [Citric Acid, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside,C12-14 Pareth-8, Cocamine Oxide]). Also, how does the level of porosity and resistance to developing mould compare with modern tiles? Modern tiles have the downside of grout being an easy target for mould while the tiles themselves tend to offer no porosity for the mould to adhere to. Does Tadelakt exist somewhere between the porosity of grout and tiles, or is the finished strength and seal very similar to modern tiles? Also, I've heard of Tadelakt for swimming pools. Do you know if Tadelakt, once finished, provides a safe enough sealed surface for a fish pond? If anything leeches out of the Tadelakt into the water from the soap or lime I'm sure it would kill delicate fish. I like the versatility and accessibility of Tadelakt, just wondering if it would be naturally unsuitable for a fish pond. You also mentioned it is only water-resistant... not water-proof... does this mean it would degrade or leak if permanently submerged such as if used for a swimming pool? Thanks

[@MikeWyeLtd]

Hi Kai, we tend to use Marseille soap or Corfu soap for regular cleaning, these are both olive based soaps.

[@kai7437]

@@MikeWyeLtd similar/same to what is used for burnishing?

[@MikeWyeLtd]

@@kai7437 Similar, the olive soap used for polishing has a slightly different make up. Steer away from anything with acid in it as lime is an alkaline product.