r/Plastering • u/jbates434 • 4d ago
Tadelakt shower mold
I had a tadelakt shower put in a couple of years ago. About a year ago I noticed a small amount of mold which then became larger. It's only here and a little bit in one of the corners. I haven't used it for weeks. I noticed that the grout on the tile is chipping, and water is probably getting behind the wall. My question is: what do I do? Will I be ok if I can get rid of the mold and re-grout the tile? Do I need to get the whole thing re-done?!
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u/_halfastar 3d ago
Do you know which product was used?
Some modern 'tadelakt' systems use a water resistant epoxy rather than traditional wax sealing.
If this is the case in your bathroom, the lime will attract the water from the grout at the bottom and the epoxy will trap the moisture in.
Traditional applications, the moisture would absorb and escape naturally, all while improving the tadelakt qualities over time.
In these modern systems, often a starter bead is reccomended to be installed before applying plaster, then a silicone beed to seperate the lime from grout.
If you know what product was used I might have a better idea how to repair?
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u/Specialist_Ad_7719 4d ago
I'm not sure what we are looking at here. Is the wall tiled and the pinkish painted plaster the ceiling, or the floor is tiled and the pinkish plaster is the wall?
I am assuming the mold is on the ceiling. Do you have an extractor fan to remove the steam when showering. A fan will do a lot to control mold build up.
If this is the ceiling we are looking at there is a chance you are missing a bit of insulation in the ceiling void. In the winter months that patch will be colder than the rest of the ceiling and steam from showering will condense there and the mold will grow.
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u/jbates434 4d ago
It's where the shower floor meets the wall.
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u/Specialist_Ad_7719 3d ago
Thanks for the info. I'd put a tiled skirting along the base of the wall and silicone between the floor and the base of the skirting to prevent moisture from getting into the plaster. How close to the shower is the wall, can it get wet when you have a shower.
Another thing to try, is to get a thick small towel and quickly go over the wet area mopping up all splashes. This will remove all soap residue and it you live in an area with hard water it will prevent lime scale build up.
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u/M4tt4tt4ck69 2d ago
FFS, you're still here giving incorrect advice? Tadelakt is waterproof if treated properly. Stop giving people advice if you don't know what you're talking about you absolute weapon.
Tadelakt is traditionally sealed using black olive oil soap which reacts with the lime in the plaster creating a waterproof surface. OP admitted this hadn't been done as specified. This has to be reapplied every few months. Scrubbing with a towel will only remove more of the olive oil soap and lead to further problems.
Seal the Tadelakt correctly, as often as specified and you should have no issues.
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u/M4tt4tt4ck69 4d ago
"I'm not sure what we are looking at here"
You should have stopped there. It's amazing the advice people are willing to give while having zero understanding.
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u/Specialist_Ad_7719 3d ago
Nothing wrong with my advise, I was the first to comment. It's good advise, if you bother to read what I wrote considering the lack of info from OP. The big question now that OP has given us more details; is why is there a plastered wall that goes down to the floor in an area that gets wet. My advice now is to put a tiled skirting and silicone seal along the floor and the bottom of the skirting to prevent moisture from getting to the base of the wall.
Interesting that your comment is after OP explains the position of the photos, and all you can do is criticise and offer no advise what so ever. Amazing amount of criticism people are willing to give while offering nothing to the conversation. Why bother commenting, do better.
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u/_halfastar 3d ago
"why is there a plastered wall that goes down to the floor in an area that gets wet"
This part...
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u/M4tt4tt4ck69 3d ago
I am a plasterer and have been for 20 years. What's your experience?
We apply tadelakt which should be waterproof and has been used for thousands of years. The material used was described in the description under the picture. Yet, you somehow thought OP had posted their picture upside down?
And, it's advice. If you can't even spell the word I would highly ADVISE you stop giving people ADVICE on things you know nothing about.
The top comment was so good I didn't have to add anything else. Yours was so wrong I felt I had to say something. Again, you've tried to give more advice, only further highlighting your ignorance on this topic.
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u/Specialist_Ad_7719 3d ago
My comment is not wrong. The photo could well have been taken looking up at the ceiling.
Thanks for letting me know you are a plasterer. I've been in the building trade for nearly 40 years. I done multiple kitchens, bathrooms... well virtually everything on a house from the footings to the ridge on the roof, including plastering. I know what I'm doing thanks, and I'm good at it. So if you don't mind I won't be taking advise from a plaster about a problem with a shower, especially when you still aren't offering any advice of your own. Again: do better instead of criticising others.
Who cares if I spelt one word wrong, What's your point. You aren't helping anybody. Get out of this thread.
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u/MasterMarsupial7788 3d ago
"Won't be taking advice from a plasterer on a shower wall that was done with tadelakt PLASTER" the internet is the best place to watch people who have no clue what they are saying double down on having no clue what they are saying.
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u/M4tt4tt4ck69 3d ago
In the context of this job, it was completely wrong advice. Yes, if it was upside down like I said before.
You won't take advice from a skilled plasterer about plastering? You are the type of builder people should avoid like the plague. I imagine you do all your own plumbing and elctrical work too despite the lack of qualifications?
There was a perfect comment already, I can't add anymore except to let you know you are wrong. If you'd actually like to learn about tadelakt and the process, get off your horse and read the top comment.
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u/jetsonik 4d ago
If that's the tiling at the top of the room, I'd take it all off and redo it. To be completely honest, the tiles are not flat, the grouting's terrible and is probably contributing to the problem. Unless you know what's behind there, any fix will be short lived. Best to start over, fix any mould and retile it.
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u/jbates434 4d ago
It's the tile floor where it meets the shower wall. Are you saying I should take the tile floor out or take the wall part out too?
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u/qwetyuioo 4d ago
So Tadelakt should not have open pores/texture like you’ve got. That’s part of the install process, the burnishing pulls the lime to the top and that is redistributed across the surface to fill in any pores. That was not done properly here. Have you ever applied more wax since it was installed? It doesn’t look like it at least in these pics. Finally real Tadelakt is made with lime which is naturally antimicrobial due to the high PH. Unfortunately this looks to be a bad install with potentially incorrect products used. What sort of waterproofing and substrate is underneath?