On Dec 30, 2009, at 12:39 PM, sherri@******** wrote:

Hi Kay Lynn and Aaron -
I designing the surfaces for a huge residential project and would like to specify Tadelakt for the showers and accent walls. A couple questions:
- How much p sqft is the going install rate for Tadelakt?
- As the installer, how can I ensure that the Tadelakt is truly waterproof?
- I would like to use Tadelakt for an adobe style fireplace (steel frame w/ cement board substrate). Will the olive oil soap cause any problems with the heat from the fireplace? Does applying the olive oil soap affect surface breathability sim to other waxes?
Thanks a bunch for all your help throughout the years!

Cheers -

Sherri

Hi Sherri,

Apologies for the delayed response.  Install rates for Tadelakt can vary considerably, especially when doing smaller areas like showers.  I’d be looking in the $15-$25 per sq foot range to give yourself the time necessary to do those areas properly.  For straightforward walls it’s probably about twice as labor intensive as a basic AC wall and the material cost will be around $2 – $2.50 per sq foot.
Waterproof is not the right word for traditional Tadelakt finishes. Tadelakt plus olive oil soap applied properly should be described as hydrophobic(water-repellent).  The substrate preparation is very important of course.  Traditional Tadelakt will stain over time in high moisture areas although this is not a sign of failure of the material – it is actually a testament to the fact that the surface remains breathable.  We have a water-based carnauba wax which will give an added level of water repellency after the surface is applied, but I’d be careful not to guarantee there will be zero water staining over time even with that wax.  The Lucido wax is low but not a zero voc product.

Only issue with fireplace is that the soap will not protect against high-heat discoloration if flames are lapping over the surface.  But the soap is not flammable in any way.  The olive oil soap allows the surface to remain breathable.

We’re getting tons of requests to do some Tadelakt classes – seems like interest in that particular material has really surged this past year.

Talk to you soon,
Aaron

Here’s a Stucco Italiano Tadelakt floor installation done in Santa Fe last October:

LIME VS CEMENT

If I may quote Kit:

Designers in France are using it today for its silky texture and indescribable patina, which are unmatched by any other plaster finish available. It is absolutely stunning.”

Couldn’t have said it any better myself.  Here’s a link to the full post.

We love Tadelakt for walls, showers, floors, it’s a wonderful material.

Thanks also to Canadian Master Plasterer Steve Manby for turning me on to the post through his lime green plaster blog.  Check out the black exterior Tadelakt project he did this past spring in the Vancouver, BC area on a contemporary home. Very impressive.  Here’s a couple of photos:

That’s is LAME.  I’m a bad blogger, what else can I say.

I’ll blame it on Twitter.

OK I’ll make it up to you – I’ll post something fascinating about Venetian Plaster or Tadelakt or something equally compelling every day for the next week at least.  Then I promise to post no less than twice a week no matter what.  Hopefully making this public will give me some extra motivation as well as some accountability.

It’s been a great summer for us – hope all is well with you all out there.

Aaron

Press Release

1 - Stop the cracks – Can you do an exterior?  Sure!  Can you do a shower?  Sure!  But you gotta stop the cracks.  So you have to know what you are doing.  Or hire someone that does.  And a very important point to bear in mind – lime does not crack by itself.  But it cannot bridge cracks. It adheres to whatever substrate it attaches to.  So when the substrate cracks the lime plaster cracks with it.  And never promise a crack free finish because if you do not actually do the substrate construction and preparation how can you guarantee the thin veneer of decorative plaster we apply will hold?  This often falls outside of our area of expertise and responsibility.

That being said, EIFS mesh and primer systems usually work pretty darn well, in my experience.

MESH AND BASECOAT

2 – Penny wise pound foolish  (AKA prep with the good stuff, you’re worth it!) – So you gotta fill a wall that has orange peel texture because you want to run a nice shiny plaster over it.  So you get out the joint compound because it’s cheap.  You skim.  Then you sand.  Then you prime.  Twice.  Then you can apply your lime plaster.  Hey but wait a minute, why didn’t you just skim with our Marmorino Classic and then do your finish right over it?  Because it’s so damn expensive you say?  But think about it -  if you skim with the good stuff you’ll already have your first coat of lime plaster on.  You’ll have the proper suction and you can do your final coats the next day.  The money you spend on materials (joint compound vs lime plaster) should be more than offset by the money you save on labor, no?

3 – Scrape don’t sand – Got some excess gunk on the walls before you start?  Or did you get some trowel lines from your first coat?  Before you throw up the giant cloud of dust with that sandpaper try breaking out a putty knife and scraping.  Less work, less dust, more better.

4 – Taping – it’s not paint – Yes it’s not paint so don’t tape right up to inside edge of where your wall meets your baseboard or crown molding or whatever you are protecting.  Otherwise you’ll bury your tape underneath your plaster and it will chip or crumble off when you remove your tape.  Allow for the thickness of the plaster material you will be using and tape away from the wall by 1/16″ or more depending on what material you are using.

NOT LIKE THIS

LIKE THIS

5 – Do not assume the people doing your prep are going to do it properly.  Unless they work for you. And then only if you know what you’re doing.  Which is debatable.

• UPDATED 8-18-09

VENETIAN PLASTER AND FAUX FINISHERS:

http://twitter.com/VistaCustmClrs
http://twitter.com/GregthePainter

http://twitter.com/shaktispace
http://twitter.com/smartartstudios
http://twitter.com/FauxDaddy
http://twitter.com/KimKimCherie
http://twitter.com/momsiepalooza
http://twitter.com/barnmom
http://twitter.com/annielore
http://twitter.com/PaintedLadyRach
http://twitter.com/Token12ga
http://twitter.com/singingwalls
http://twitter.com/carolreynolds
http://twitter.com/IcingStudios
http://twitter.com/LynneRutter
http://twitter.com/artistryinfaux
http://twitter.com/muralmaker1
http://twitter.com/FikeStudio
http://twitter.com/faithfaux
http://twitter.com/goldleafwalls

OTHER  – INCLUDING DECORATIVE CEMENT AND PLASTER CONTRACTORS

]]> http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/social-media/twitter/venetian-plaster-and-faux-finish-people-on-twitter-updated/feed/ 3 http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/tips-tricks/venetian-plaster-videos/venetian-plastering-tip-scale-composition-of-distressed-finishes/ http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/tips-tricks/venetian-plaster-videos/venetian-plastering-tip-scale-composition-of-distressed-finishes/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 17:05:35 +0000 Aaron Cohen http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/?p=467 So you created a beautiful distressed finish sample board.  Your client loves it.  But a sample board is not a wall, not even close.  What should you consider when transitioning to larger surfaces?

Here’s some advice on how to take your distressed finishes from the sample board to the wall:

We went through a number of samples to find just the right color and texture.  Below is a sample wall I did just to make sure the owners were completely comfortable with the finish before we got started.

The clients asked me to come up with something that would work well in their elegant Mediterranean home. It was easy to see how using a richer color for the interior walls would help accent the substantial crown moldings, baseboards, and casings and give the home more richness and depth. The owners commented that once the walls started getting plastered the paint job on the walls began to look like primer – as if the house had not been completely finished until we showed up.

My good friend Bill Kaiser, owner of Elite Plaster in Bend, Oregon, and his brother David came up to help out with the project.  Both guys, although relatively young, have a great deal of expertise in Venetian plaster application, as well as extensive exterior stucco knowledge.  Bill’s done numerous exterior applications with Intonachino in central Oregon over the past few years.

We ran our material as a modified wet-on-wet application.  First coat was applied and allowed to go to set – as soon as we were sure there were no soft spots on the first coat we went right back in with the finish coat, waited for that to firm up, and then came back with a clean trowel to press and smooth the finish.

This technique saves some time and materials as compared to a traditional application in which one allows the first coat to go completely dry and come back next day.  Another advantage of going wet-on-wet is that the residual moisture in the first coat gives the second coat more open time, eliminating concerns about cold joints and lap marks even over large walls.  I wouldn’t recommend the same application on an exterior – you’re much better off doing a full first coat and letting it dry completely for exteriors.

We still have a week’s worth of work doing sealer and finishing columns and a couple of accent areas next week, but most of the wall surfaces are complete.  Those exterior stucco guys move fast!  Here’s a before of the hallway:

And after:

I’ll post more finished shots when we get ‘er all done.

]]> http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/tips-tricks/venetian-plaster-installation-intonachino-x-fine-interior/feed/ 7 http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/tips-tricks/venetian-plastering-tip-how-to-tint-your-wax-to-soften-contrast/ http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/tips-tricks/venetian-plastering-tip-how-to-tint-your-wax-to-soften-contrast/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 14:17:16 +0000 Aaron Cohen http://www.stuccoitalianoinc.com/?p=470

This is a really helpful little trick for calming down your Venetian Plaster finishes, especially the more saturated colors.  Pay careful attention, though, about not overtinting your wax. Be conservative and always test a small area first to be sure.  You have to wait until it dries back to really know what you’re going to get.

We’ll post more short subject tips in the future so stay tuned.