Exquisite Plaster & Design · Albany, Oregon
Tadelakt
The Shower
Tile Can't Match
Ancient Moroccan plaster. Waterproof. Mold-free. Timeless.
Tadelakt is a 2,000-year-old Moroccan lime plaster — completely seamless, naturally waterproof, and the healthiest shower finish available. No grout lines to harbor mold. No tiles to regrout. Just one beautiful, living surface that improves with age.
What is Tadelakt?
A 2,000-Year-Old
Answer to the Modern Bathroom
Tadelakt (ta-deh-LAKT) is a traditional Moroccan lime plaster finish that has waterproofed hammams and riads for centuries. The name comes from the Arabic word for "to rub" — and the process is exactly that: lime plaster applied by hand, then burnished with a smooth river stone and sealed with black olive oil soap to create a naturally water-repellent surface.
The result is a completely seamless wall — no grout, no tiles, no joints. The organic lime material actively inhibits mold and bacteria, making it one of the healthiest shower finishes available. In Oregon's damp climate, that matters.
"Most people don't realize their tile shower is a mold factory. The grout lines are where it hides. Tadelakt gives you a shower that's genuinely clean — and far more beautiful."
The honest comparison
Tadelakt vs. Tile
Both can finish a shower. Only one will still look good in 30 years with zero maintenance.
- ✕ Grout lines harbor mold and bacteria
- ✕ Requires regrouting every 5–10 years
- ✕ Grout discolors and stains permanently
- ✕ Cold, hard surface underfoot
- ✕ Can crack with movement or settling
- ✕ Generic appearance, mass-produced look
- ✓ Completely seamless — no grout lines
- ✓ Naturally waterproof and self-sealing
- ✓ Inhibits mold and bacteria naturally
- ✓ Warm, tactile, spa-like surface
- ✓ Flexible enough to handle movement
- ✓ One-of-a-kind, hand-crafted finish
Why homeowners choose it
Six Reasons Tadelakt
Belongs in Your Home
Fully Waterproof
Unlike regular plasters that need sealing, Tadelakt's waterproofing comes from the material itself — lime polished with olive oil soap creates a surface that naturally repels water without any synthetic sealers.
Zero Mold Growth
The high pH of lime plaster creates an environment where mold, mildew, and bacteria cannot survive. This is a chemical reality, not a marketing claim — the same reason lime was used in building for millennia.
Completely Seamless
No grout lines. No joints. No transitions. Tadelakt flows from wall to floor to niche as one continuous surface — visually cleaner, easier to wipe down, and impossible to pick apart over time.
Truly Long-Lasting
Tadelakt showers in Morocco have lasted hundreds of years. With reasonable care, a properly installed Tadelakt shower will outlast every tile shower installed in your neighborhood this year.
Warm & Spa-Like
Lime plaster has a warmth that tile can't replicate. The surface is tactile and soft underfoot. It creates the feeling of a high-end spa or a Moroccan hammam — in your own home.
Completely Custom
Every Tadelakt application is hand-crafted and one of a kind. Color, texture, sheen level, and finish style are all customized to your space — it will look like nothing you've seen in a showroom.
Where Tadelakt Works
Beautiful Anywhere
Water Lives
Showers
The most popular application. A seamless Tadelakt shower transforms a bathroom from functional to extraordinary — and eliminates grout maintenance forever.
Soaking Tubs
Tadelakt wraps freestanding and built-in tubs in a smooth, warm surface that feels as good as it looks. Far more elegant than tile surrounds.
Bathroom Walls
From accent walls to full bathrooms, Tadelakt replaces tile with a continuous, breathable surface that works beautifully in any style — modern, organic, classical.
Kitchen Backsplashes
Tadelakt makes a striking and practical kitchen backsplash. Heat-resistant, easy to wipe clean, and far more distinctive than subway tile.
The installation process
How a Tadelakt Shower
Comes to Life
Consultation
Amy reviews your space, discusses colors and finish style, and answers every question. No obligation.
Sample Board
A custom color and texture sample is created so you can see exactly how your finish will look before we start.
Substrate Prep
The surface must be perfectly prepared. We apply a waterproof membrane and primer to ensure the plaster bonds and performs correctly for decades.
Plaster Application
Tadelakt is applied in multiple coats by hand, each layer building depth and strength. The surface is then burnished with a stone — the traditional method.
Soap Sealing
Black olive oil soap is worked into the surface to complete the waterproofing reaction. This final step is what makes Tadelakt genuinely water-repellent.
Why Amy Stewart
Oregon's Most Experienced
Tadelakt Installer
"Tadelakt isn't something you can fake or rush. The burnishing, the soap sealing — every step matters. When it's done right, you get a shower that's genuinely healthy, genuinely waterproof, and genuinely beautiful. That's what I deliver every time."— Amy Stewart, Exquisite Plaster & Design
Your questions answered
Common Questions
About Tadelakt
- Albany
- Corvallis
- Salem
- Eugene
- Portland
- Bend
- Statewide & beyond
Ready for a Shower
Worth Waiting For?
Book a free consultation with Amy. We'll talk through your project, answer every question, and create a custom sample so you can see exactly what you're getting.
Or email amy@exquisiteplasterdesign.com · Based in Albany, Oregon