Microcement vs Tadelakt
Tadelakt is a traditional Moroccan lime plaster that requires master-craftsman application. Microcement is engineered for repeatable, modern application.
Tadelakt is beautiful but expensive and slow to apply — and finding a skilled tadelakt artisan in Ireland is hard.
Microcement delivers a similar polished mineral aesthetic with predictable colour, faster application and our 5-year materials warranty.
Choose tadelakt for heritage projects; choose microcement for new bathrooms, kitchens and pools where you need certainty and speed.
At a glance
| Microcement | Tadelakt | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Cement and polymer with mineral pigments | Traditional Moroccan lime plaster |
| Application | Systemised coats — repeatable and specified | Hand-burnished with stone and olive-oil soap |
| Colour consistency | Predictable across batches and areas | Variable by nature — part of its appeal |
| Waterproofing | Water-resistant once sealed | Water-resistant through burnishing and soap treatment |
| Floors | Yes — Microtraffic and Micronoslip are floor-rated | Primarily a wall and wet-room surface |
| Maintenance | Mild cleaner; periodic reseal | Re-soaping with black soap to maintain water resistance |
| Availability in Ireland | Kits and colours stocked, shipped nationwide | Few specialist artisans available |
| Best use | Bathrooms, kitchens, floors, pools, commercial | Heritage and hammam-style feature spaces |
Where tadelakt still wins
We supply microcement, but it is not the right answer everywhere. These are the cases where we would point you elsewhere.
- An authentic Moroccan or hammam aesthetic — the deep, burnished, slightly undulating surface is genuinely its own thing.
- Handcrafted lime character, where the variation and the maker's hand are the point rather than something to control.
- Heritage feature walls and breathable lime substrates where a traditional material is the correct conservation choice.
- Small, high-impact spaces — a single wall or a compact wet room — where an artisan finish carries the whole room.
What it costs in Ireland
Tadelakt is priced by craftsmanship: it is slow, hand-burnished work and finding an experienced applicator in Ireland is the bigger constraint. Microcement is priced by material and area, at roughly €35–€70/m² supply-only.
Our complete kits are €516.60 for 10 m², €867.15 for 20 m² and €1,186.95 for 30 m², all inclusive of 23% VAT, with 73 colours available and nationwide delivery, so a whole bathroom can be specified and budgeted up front. We also supply PURE lime-based microcement, with mandatory Lime Sealer whose microporous film preserves the substrate’s breathability. See the pricing page for the full list.