Tierrafino STONE Tadelakt lime plaster

Tadelakt is a special job for the real professional. Learning Tadelakt takes much time. How to apply Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt

Lime Plasters Tadelakt Important

Because Tadelakt is an old lime tradition there are many different views on how Tadelakt should be applied. There are various ways for application. In workshops all ways of application are discussed. On this page we will describe a much used manner of applying Tadelakt lime plasters.

 

Application

Application of Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt is difficult. Timing is very important.

Circumstances

The air temperature and temperature of the wall/object should not be below 5 degrees Celsius.Keep doors and windows closed during and after application, and prevent any heat sources like heaters, lights and direct sunlight from drying the Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone out too quickly. Substrates should not absorb water too quickly (strong absorbing surfaces should be moistened a lot of water before applying Tadelakt or they can be treated with Tierrafino Fix).

Tools

Tools used for processing Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt are: a tub, mixer, metal trowel, plastic trowel, wooden float, sponge, polishing stone, brush, polishing cloth and various plastic materials like bags.
The stone used to polish Tadelakt, is preferably a semi-precious stone, like an agate stone. In all cases the stone must have a hardness of at least 7 out of 10. The harder the better. The stone must lie comfortably in your hand and should have a seemingly flat surface (somewhat rounded), with which polishing is done. Basalt and granite are suitable stones to work with, they can be shaped into, preferebly, oval shapes with rounded edges. In mineral and fossil shops, or at river beddings, it is possible to find good Tadelakt stones.

Adding water

Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt is delivered as a dry powder in buckets. It is possible to add water and apply the plaster immediately, but we strongly advise you the following procedure: Add 5,5 liters water to the 12,5 kg Tadelakt and close the bucket, stirring is not necessary. Let the bucket rest for a minimum of 24 hrs..
 When opening the bucket you will find a seemingly dry mass. Throw the Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt in a plasterer's tub, and by adding a little water, quickly a smooth paste will occur by stirring well.

Moisten support

All supports, strongly absorbing or not at all, should always be moistened just before application. This is to provide a good contact between wall and Tadelakt at application.
Freshly applied supports still contain enough water to give you enough time to achieve a good finish. The dryer the support, the more the wall should be moistened. Please read the chapter on supports written above.

Plastering / rendering

Apply the plaster onto the wall at a thickness of 4-5 mm. Allow enough drying time for the plaster to stiffen, so that only the surface (top 1-2 mm) is still workable.

Shaping

Flatten the surface, or determine the more precise shape of your object by using a wet wooden float (trowel), making circular movements. Different shapes of wooden floats are needed for different 3 dimensional objects. When the desired shape is not achieved, wait a short time and float again.

Smoothening

Now the wall/object can be smoothened by a metal or plastic trowel. More or less power is needed to bring finer lime particles to the surface, which are needed to create various effects, like stains in the old venetian style, or to make a very smooth surface.

Enhance effects

Before the surface has dried out completely, it is possible to create grooves (like in a grammophone record) in the surface by polishing with a stone. This is using the stone in the "wet" fase of Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt.
By doing this you can determine any wanted movements in the surface which you will be able to see eventually by different angles of light that they will reflect.
By waiting shorter or longer with polishing with a plastic trowel, the grooves made by the stone will be erased more or less. It is possible to finish the wall/object solely with a stone.

Scrafito

Before a Tadelakt wall has been polished with soap water, a Scrafito can be made by scratching the surface, as soon as the polishing is finished. The scratched areas are also waterproof after having been treated with enough soap water, by polishing these areas also become stronger.

Polishing with soapwater

Once the Tadelakt has dried enough to have reached its first shine by polishing, let it rest anywhere between 6 and 24 hrs. (depending on drying speed) before we start polishing with a mix of 50 x parts water and 1 x part Tadelakt soap. In extreme cases you will have to wait longer than 24 hrs..

If polishing with soap water is done too early, there is a chance that the surface will be roughened up again by the stone. Applying soap water to the wall can be done using a big brush. Prevent trickles running down the surface down below, if so, then quickly wipe away with a soft, dry cloth. Make small circular movements with the stone, make sure there is enough soap water on the wall/object for your stone to glide on. After polishing with a stone, put a sock in a thin plastic bag and rub the surface in circular movements.
The Tadelakt lime reacts with the soapwater and makes this lime plaster waterproof.

Polishing 2

As long as the Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt still has its wet shade it is possible to compress the lime somewhat by pressing, using a stone and soap water. Bathrooms and other wet areas require further applications of soap water, we recommend 5 coats.
After 6 weeks you need to apply soap water again to your wall/object with a soft cloth, and rub it in until the wall is dry again.

Repairs

Making repairs is possible. The surface should first be thoroughly cleaned. Tadelakt can now be applied and polished the same way as described above. It must be said that small repair-marks remain visible and can add charm to your wall or object.

Left overs

Tadelakt in wet condition, is perishable and processable for about 2 months. Once water has been added, Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt can be used within these 2 months, provided it is kept in a well sealed bucket. The hydrated lime will set somewhat in the sealed bucket. By adding a little water it can be broken down again and stirred back into a paste. Keep above 5ºC.

Drying time

Depending on air temperature, air humidity and absorption of the support, the Tadelakt applied needs anywhere between 2 hours and a day to dry out enough to be able to polish a shine onto it. After approx. 1 week the color can be seen as it wiil stay. After approx. 6 months Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone will be fully hardened out.
Walls of a shower cabinet can be used after one week, shower floors after 4 weeks.

Maintenance

Do not clean Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt with agressive cleansers. Instead use Tierrafino soap. Using Tierrafino soap will keep your wall or object not only clean but also maintains the waterproof finish.

Application advice

Allowing approx. 4 square meters of application per day per labourer, Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone is a very labour intensive material.

Composition

Lime.

Safety advice

Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone burns on the skin and especially in the eyes. When mixing protect your eyes and hands. When in contact with eyes, wash eyes well with water. With prolonged irritation please visit your doctor. Keep Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone out of reach of children.

Colour precision

Before working on a project always make a sample.
Since Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone consists of pure natural ingredients, small fluctuations in color may exist. Tierrafino cannot be held liable for color differences.

Material / sq.meter

Approx. 5 Kg Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone is used for 1 square meter at a thickness of 5 mm.
1 bucket 12,5 Kg = approx. 2,5 sq.m.

Storage

Store Tadelakt in a dry place. When stored in closed original Tierrafino buckets, Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt can be kept up to 2 years.
Tadelakt in wet condition, is perishable and processable for about 2 months. Once water has been added, Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone can be used within these 2 months, provided it is kept in a well sealed bucket. The hydrated lime will set somewhat in the sealed bucket. By adding a little water it can be broken down again and stirred back into a paste. Keep above 5ºC.

Disposal

Dispose of any Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone remains with regular building disposal.

Packaging

12,5 Kg bucket, 36 buckets to one euro pallet.

 

Substrate

Lime plaster: All suitable substrates for Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt have the same criteria:
-They must act as good mechanical keys, as Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone contains no glue it sets mechanically. This means that the surface of the substrate must be rough, with particles sticking out and with small cavities (1 - 3 mm).
-Substrates should not absorb water too quickly (strong absorbing surfaces should be moistened a lot before applying Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt or they can be treated with Tierrafino Fix).
-To avoid structural cracks, Tadelakt should only be applied onto substrates which do not warp when they come into contact with water contained by the plaster.
-Substrates must not be continually wet.
-Substrates should enable Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone not to dry out too quickly. One of the properties of lime is that it gains strength when it dries out slowly. Keep doors and windows closed during and after application, and prevent any heat sources like heaters, lights and direct sunlight from drying the lime out too quickly.
-any shrinkage or expansion of the background can cause cracks in the surface of the finished lime plaster Tierrafino Stone.
-All substrates are to be clean, dust- and grease free before any new layer, either Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt, concrete or tile glue, is applied. If necessary, ammonia should be used to remove any grease. Click here for the Tierrafino Stone Technical Data Sheet in which you can find a short overview of various suitable substrates.

Tierrafino Base Clay Plaster

Tierrafino Base clay plaster is very suitable as a substrate, but only in dry conditions (not in the bathroom).
The surface of the plastered layer must be left rough.
Should the Base clay plaster absorb water too quickly, prepare the surface with Tierrafino Fix. Tierrafino Fix has, among other properties, a sealing function (please see the Tierrafino Fix page for details and safety advice).

Brick walls

Brick walls are ideal as a substrate for lime plaster Tadelakt Tierrafino Stone.
Brick walls should be prepared by plastering a concrete mix; 1 x part cement, 2-3 x part mason sand and 1 x part gravel of 4 mm, make this layer at least 8 mm thick, leaving the surface of the concrete rough.
Leave the newly applied substrate to dry for at least 24 hrs. before applying lime plaster Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt. Start applying Tadelakt when the cement plaster is fully cured.

Concrete

Concrete walls are, because of their stiffness, very suitable for Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt.
Very smooth concrete walls: First apply a thin layer of tile glue onto the concrete and roughen this up for it to act as a good mechanical key for the next layer of concrete. Then after sufficient drying time apply a concrete mix; 1 x part cement, 2-3 x part mason sand and 1 x part gravel of 4 mm, make this layer at least 8 mm thick, again leaving the surface rough.
Coarse concrete walls need only be treated with the concrete mix, as described as with brick walls. Start applying Tadelakt when the cement plaster is fully cured.

Lime plasters

Onto fresh lime plasters, Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt can be applied after 24 hrs. drying time. Leave the plastered lime rough for it to act as a good mechanical key for Tierrafino Stone.

Tiles

Tiled walls are also not an ideal substrate for Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt. They have no absorption and make it difficult to achieve a good finish. Therefore in most cases it is best to remove all tiles.
When working on tiles, clean tiles with ammonia and apply "tile to tile" glue, a glue with good adhesion on porcelain, onto the tiles and spread out with a 4 mm glue comb, then apply the concrete mix of 1 x part cement, 1 x part mason sand and 2-3 x part gravel of 4 mm, make a layer of at least 8 mm thick, again leaving he concrete rough.
Start applying Tadelakt when concrete is hard, but not fully dried out. The surface will gain strength when concrete and Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt dry out together. However, should there be any risc of the substrate cracking, wait 30 days for concrete to dry out fully.

Although this product-description has been put together with utmost precision, Tierrafino will not be liable for any indirect or direct damage that may occur, by using the information offered in this product description. With every new edition of this product description, the older versions are not valid anymore.