Tadelakt and Microcement Bathrooms in London

Short answer. Tadelakt and microcement both give a London bathroom walls without grout lines. Tadelakt is a Moroccan lime plaster polished with stones and sealed with black soap, which gives a soft, hand made look, while microcement is a thin cement based coating that can run across walls and floors as one continuous surface. Zavoré supplies and installs both.

For every decorative finish we install in London, from Venetian plaster to limewash, gilding and murals, see our decorative finishes specialist in London page.

Zavoré lays this for you too. Our own team provides tadelakt installation across the UK, including Venetian plastering in London.

Why seamless finishes suit London bathrooms

Bathrooms in London terraces and flats are often small, sometimes tucked under a roof slope or squeezed into a former box room. Tiles break those walls into lots of little squares and grout lines that need scrubbing. A seamless finish makes the room read as one surface, which helps a small space feel calm and uncluttered. Fewer joins also means fewer places for grime to collect.

Tadelakt. Lime, stone and soap

Tadelakt comes from Morocco, where it has long been used in hammams, the traditional steam baths. It is a lime plaster applied by hand, compacted, then polished with smooth stones. Black soap, made from olive oil, is rubbed into the surface. The soap reacts with the lime and makes the finish resist water.

The look is soft and organic, with gentle movement in the colour and rounded edges. Tadelakt asks for some care. It prefers mild cleaners, and a fresh coat of black soap now and then keeps it in good order.

Microcement. Thin, tough and seamless

Microcement is a cement based coating laid in several thin coats and sealed at the end. Because it is only a few millimetres thick, it can often go over a sound surface such as firmly fixed tiles, which can save stripping a bathroom back to brick. Every base still needs checking first, because a loose or cracked surface will show through.

It suits floors as well as walls, so a whole wet room can be finished in one material. The look is more even and urban than tadelakt, and it comes in a wide choice of colours. Our comparison of tadelakt and microcement goes into the differences in more depth.

Planning a London bathroom

• Waterproofing. Wet areas need tanking first, which is a waterproof layer fitted behind the finish.
• Ventilation. A working extractor fan helps any bathroom finish last.
• Order of trades. Pipes, wiring and the shower tray or drain should be in place before we arrive.
• Access. Tell us about stairs, lifts and parking, as our team and tools travel from Birmingham for a planned block of days.

If you live in a leasehold flat, check your lease before changing a bathroom floor, as some leases have rules about it.

To compare colours, order a sample board, call 07592 929191 or email sales@zavore.co.uk. You can also see how we work across the city on our London page.

Questions we get asked

Is tadelakt waterproof?

Polished and soaped tadelakt is very water resistant and is used in showers. It still needs a waterproof layer behind it in wet areas and regular care with black soap.

Can microcement go over bathroom tiles?

Often it can, if the tiles are firmly fixed and the surface is sound. We check the base before agreeing to it.

Which is easier to look after?

Sealed microcement is generally simpler day to day. Tadelakt prefers gentle cleaners and an occasional black soap treatment.