The Magic of Tadelakt

Tadelakt has been known and practised for over half a millennia, but few know of it outside Morocco...we hope to change that!

We were first shown Tadelakt a few years ago by a lovely young Mexican woman who learned the technique with her mom in Morocco.  She translated the materials to what was available in her hometown and became proficient enough to share it with us.  Thank you Camila!

In a nutshell, Tadelakt is a lime plaster that is painted with a basic soap and burnished with a smooth stone to harden the plaster and create a waterproof layer...similar to returning the lime powder back into limestone!  For a very brief history of Tadelakt, check out this French website: https://marocdesign.fr/histoire-du-tadelakt/

I had heard of Tadelakt decades ago, but was initially told it took days of hard labour to complete.  Thankfully, this is not the case, as you'll discover during our Focus on Finishing Fast Cob Workshop in May.  Like all natural building techniques, it requires some physical labour, but it is more than manageable, even for those that are committed couch potatoes!

If you'd like to learn and practise the art of Tadelakt, it will debut on Lasqueti Island during our Focus on Finishing Workshop from May 14-18, 2026.

Please note that we limit our workshops to 7 learners so when the workshop is full, you'll have to wait until 2027.

To find out more about our workshops, please visit cob.lasqueti.ca\workshops.  If you'd like to join us, scroll down that same webpage and fill in our online application form to start the process.

We're excited to meet you and help you discover that Natural Building Artist inside of you!  Our workshops are always a fun time for everyone!