Triglycerides plus Calcium Hydroxide = Glycerin + 3 Calcium Salt that are hydrophobic The science of the soap is simple and as follows If you were to do a basecoat you may want more of the larger intact lime granules, and if you were to do a final coat you may want less larger aggregates and more finer particles to aid in a more tight polish. There is no standard mixture for Tadelakt, and different gradients of sifting mesh could be used to further correct the aggregate mixture in the product before use. The lime more often than not will have varying levels of hydrualic characteristics and could be more or less strong and quick in its set. More unknown is that the lime itself in Morocco for Tadelakt is entirely unmodified, and used directly after burning. There are two things that make Tadelakt unique: the first being that it utilizes slightly hydraulic lime NHL 2 equivalent, and triglycerides in soap to produce its overall effect. If we don t need to buy a special product to make Tadelakt then what is the process and how do we stay true to the original techniques? Tadelakt is not a plaster, but a technique, a passion, and the perfection of creating something beautiful from a raw material with endless possibilities. This plaster is not any different than lime mortar that has been used in Britain on so many of their exteriors however they apply it and process it completely differently meaning it is not Tadelakt. Simply put adding air to the plaster mix means you have Tadelakt plaster on your wall. Lime Base + Carbonic Acid = Pure Limestone + Water The chemistry of tadelakt works like this. The Answer is lime, they use lime that is burnt crudely and has a large amount of lime that has been crushed but did not fully burn and will not break down into water, as its still calcium carbonate and not calcium oxide. All of these contradictions just mean that we should ask the question what is Tadelakt at its core, and what really is being used in Morocco to create this amazing finish? If the lime is pure from Morocco, then they claim that the lime from this area of the world is special and is waterproof because of the area it is mined from. If you closely look at the ingredients of the information or msds sheets, most of them all have added acrylics, rheological modifiers etc to ensure it is a lot more user friendly than pure lime mortar. There are some other manufacturers also but these are some of the main ones you will find. Flying and shipping their lime to the Western world makes no sense as its entirely against the principles of what lime plaster represents which is at its core ingenuity. What makes Tadelakt so intriguing is its simplicity, and that its locally sourced and processed with a limited carbon footprint. This lime in Morocco many claim to be more hydrophobic than another, or is able to repel water better however, most companies have modified their Tadelakt plasters in so many ways it would be hard to say they thought the original to be the best in the first place. These impurities create what is known as an NHL lime, that stands for natural hydraulic lime, and does not have an added admix to help the lime set similar to concrete. Lime in Morocco has some natural clay impurities that when burnt create a lime that sets under water, and will begin to form a solid structure as soon as water is mixed. Lime plastering in Morocco has been performed before acrylic admixes, before invisible penetrating sealants, and well before universal colorants and INOX Pavan trowels. The inferred meaning behind Tadelakt is simplicity, thickness, raw materials, and a high level of craftsmanship using simple tools and no commercial sealants. Obviously this seems conflicting and confusing. I have spoken even to manufacturers who claim they would make the plaster if they had a recipe, as many people ask for it, and others that claim all of their products are Tadelakt, and still some that claim any of their products can be used to make Tadelakt. Tadelakt is a term used very loosely in the construction industry, and often refers to some mixture of lime that is applied thinly and has black olive oil soap added to it to create what is known as the “Lotus Effect”.
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