History of use of Tadelakt and Carved Gypsum

Gypsum carving has been a part of monuments and structures for a long time. Alabaster, a form of gypsum which has been widely used for sculpture building by many cultures including Ancient Egypt and Rome. Over the years, it has demonstrated its versatility and has become an everyday name in homes, buildings and structures. Let’s take a look at its timeline.

Ancient Egypt

Gypsum’s first recorded use can be seen in the construction of Pyramids. And as the world witnesses, it is still visible and standing after 5000 years. What else is needed to prove the durability of the material?

18^th Century

A French chemist by the name Lavoisier began research on gypsum and studies its properties. Large deposits of gypsum were discovered near Paris, and hence the name ‘Plaster of Paris’ came into use.

19^th Century

People started using gypsum boards in construction. Named after Augustine Sackett, it was called “Sackett Board” and had thin layers of Plaster of Paris placed between wool felt paper.

20^th Century

Due to rapid demand constructions during the world war I for construction of military housing, there was a sharp increase in the demand of gypsum board. Gypsum board’s fire-resistant qualities also made it a preferred choice for military housing.

Modern Day

Now over 97% homes use gypsum board. It has remarkable qualities to adapt recast and reformulate into many varieties of plasters and valuable materials. They have also started working on its environmental aspects to make it eco-friendly for the environment.

Tadelakt or Moroccan lime plaster have been known to give seamless finish especially for wet areas like the bathroom.

It's got its roots in the mountains of Marrakesh. In the eleventh century, people found deposits of limestone which acted as the source for Tadelakt. Now Marrakesh is known around the world for the unique polished lime plaster found in the region.

The original Tadelakt artisans believed that it was necessary to caress the walls to experience and enjoy the real texture of Tadelakt. It is believed to be as soft as silk. But it has never been easy to mould and work on such a complex and intricate material and has required years of expertise.

At Ornate décor, they have been proving their capabilities and their talent for carving gypsum and Tadelakt through the years. To know more about them check their website http://www.ornate-decor.com/home

How is gypsum different from sand cement plaster

In this modern era getting better and creative in not just a choice but a necessity, and so it applies to every possible field. Being creative is not just about finding new ways but essentially finding finer methods. Thomas Edison once said, "there's a way to do it better-find it". Gypsum chemically known as "calcium sulphate dihydrate" is that superior way to do things that were already done. It is most commonly used to manufacture gypsum boards which are premier building material for wall, ceiling and partition system in residential, institutional and commercial structures. ASTM standards governs the manufacture of gypsum boards.

Other than this there are several other usage of gypsum:-

• as a soil additive for crops
• in surgical and orthopedic casts
• to control the tartness of beer

and few more but the most superficial role is gypsum boards, so let's see how its composition works.

FACTS

Gypsum is a nontoxic minerals, which is useful to humans, animals and most importantly to the environment. It is favored over plywood and hardboard because of its fire resistance property. It has sound control, economy, versatility, quality, and convenience. Through the advancement of gypsum, homeowners are replacing their old interior surfaces rapidly and at a cut-rate. Now, it has been most commonly used for walls and ceilings in newly constructed homes.

1.FASTER CONSTRUCTION

Gypsum plastering is present days solution to time-consuming straining process of sand cement plaster as sand cement plaster initially needs 28 days of water curing and then POP(plaster of Paris) is used to smoothened the surface. On the other hand, gypsum finish walls and the surface is paint ready in just 3 days.

2.INDEPENDENTLY USED

River sand mining is environmentally harmful and so it’s even banned in many states. Where as gypsum plasters comes in ready to use bags, we only need to add water and it's easy to use. The vivacity of gypsum plasters allows it to grow its boundaries and so it has.

3.CRACK ELIMINATION

Gypsum cracks and gaps in between is the most unignorably and major problems in sand cement plaster due to high heat of hydration and improper curing, it destroys the surface and makes it look cranny. But, this problem never occurs with gypsum plasters. Therefore, the walls are free from shrinkage cracks.

4.LESS STRUCTURAL LOAD

The weight of artificial ceilings and designs puts an extra load on the structural building, hence they need to be light weighted. The density of sand cement plaster is 1860kg/m3 which is 50% more than that of gypsum plaster having density of 700kg/m3. So once again gypsum plastering reduces the structural load on the building.

5.REDUCES BILLS

With being creative one needs to be smart too., only putting designer ceilings won't fit our needs unless it's affordable too. Gypsum plasters have a low thermal conductivity (0.25w/m-k) when compared to sand cement (0.72w/m-k). Hence it helps in keeping the house warm in winters and cool in summers which in turn saves energy costs.

To know more about Gypsum and its diverse use in decors visit www.ornate-decor.com/home