Shikkui Plaster is a traditional and innovative Japanese lime plaster made of slaked lime of high calcium purity with additives including seaweed extracts to help stability, soybean oil to improve workability and naturally boost water -repellent properties for exterior work, natural plant fibres to aid anti cracking (developed from centuries of earthquake experience) and other natural aggregates such as eggshells. Some blends of Shikkui Plasters have 50% added eggshells making it a truly eco-friendly product. Other additives include long grained Diatomaceous Earth mineral products of a type found only in Japan, which are formed from plankton skeletons and present hygroscopic qualities to help control humidity.
Shikkui Plaster formulations have been used widely throughout Japan for more than one thousand years, for both internal and external walls of houses, temples and castles, as well as for ceilings and specialist decorative purposes.
SHIKKUI Surface Coatings are a natural lime plaster system developed and manufactured in Japan for walls and ceilings that achieve a stunning range of traditional and modern finishes, including a full range of Venetian Stucco and stone effects. Customize color and texture for unlimited creative freedom. Shikkui coatings are zero-VOC, non-toxic, and made with up to 50% reprocessed eggshells – a rapidly-renewable, pre-consumer source of high-grade calcium carbonate – an ideal example of up cycling.
The coatings are highly porous and naturally antiseptic, so indoor air quality is actively improved for healthier spaces.
All Shikkui products are manufactured in Japan under strict requirements to product quality and human health.
Colors and Textures
Shikkui Plaster comes in a large range of naturally colored finishes and textures to suit all decorative design needs, ranging from matte to very highly polished surfaces with almost endless combinations in between.
How can Shikkui Plaster enhance your project?
Whether a single wall or ceiling, a room or series of rooms, or a range of buildings we provide a complete service to advise on colours and textures, together with a professional application service based on many years of practical experience. Our team will manage your project from start to finish providing the very best of service and giving you a finished product which is unique to Shikkui Plaster.
How Shikkui Plaster adds value
The special properties of Shikkui Plaster not only enhance the appearance of surface finishes but also add practical and valuable benefits, including:
- Natural components, no harmful chemicals
- Absorbs CO2, VOCs and odours
- High alkalinity properties naturally control bacteria, fungi and moulds
- Naturally anti-static – reducing dust accumulation
- Humidity regulating
- Fire resistant
- Absorbs and reflects light evenly
- Wide range of standard pre-mixed colours plus customised variations
- Unique and customised textures
- Less labour intensive – requires no sanding to attain highly polished surfaces
- Can be used towards LEED Credits
- Cradle to Cradle certified (Silver)
LEED Credits
Shikkui finishes can contribute toward up to 11 LEED credits in the following categories: Material & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation in Design.
Cradle to Cradle
All Shikkui products are Cradle to Cradle certified (Silver) for a higher standard of healthy and environmentally-responsible design. This certification is awarded only to products designed with the health of people and the planet in mind.
Cradle to Cradle is a registered trade mark of MBDC. For more details visit MBDC
ASTM Test Data
The Shikkui Surface Coatings have been tested in accordance with the ASTM standards by accredited testing laboratories in the United States.
Fire Resistance (ASTM E84)
Class A (Type I in other codes)
VOC Content (ASTM D3960)
Zero-VOC material
Shore D Hardness (ASTM D2240)
61-85 (depending on product)
Mold/Fungal Resistance (ASTM D3273/D3274)
Rating 10 (no fungal growth)
A Traditional Building Material Takes a Modern Form in Southeast Asia
Tagawa Sangyo announces the SEA debut of Shikkui Surfaces at Hospitality Asia 2011
Singapore – 14 February 2011 – Tagawa Sangyo, the Japanese manufacturer of sustainable building materials, continues the global expansion of its export operation with its regional debut at Hospitality Asia 2011 in Singapore (March 9-12). The company is premiering its two surface finish systems; Shikkui Surface Coatings, and Limix, the world’s first non-bake ceramic tile.
Both product lines are developed on the traditional Japanese building component called Shikkui, a natural lime-based technology used for centuries in Japanese architecture for its durability and beauty. Tagawa Sangyo combines the natural ingredients of Shikkui with award-winning innovation to deliver a customizable surface finish system that produces impactful designs and is engineered to remain maintenance-free for decades.
Shikkui Surface Coatings for walls and ceilings are a versatile plaster system that achieves a wide range of finishes including smooth Stucco Veneziano and textured stone effects. Its advanced workability and innovative pigment system considerably reduce labour for shorter lead times and cost savings. 100% recyclable and made with up to 40% reprocessed eggshells, Shikkui plasters are the most environmentally-responsible plaster finish system on the market; and the zero-VOC and nontoxic composition of the product make it one of the healthiest finishes available.
Limix for floors and walls is a customizable ceramic tile system. Its non-bake production process makes it highly configurable, including the customizability of colours and textures. Limix is 100% recyclable and can be made with up to 50% non-Shikkui aggregates, including recycled content. Through a ground-breaking manufacturing method that includes extreme pressure and the injection of sequestered carbon dioxide, Limix has the smallest carbon footprint of any man-made architectural tile.
Also debuting at the show is Lumie Cube, a smartly designed decorative accessory that actively scrubs indoor air of toxins and odours with its Shikkui composition and an innovative photocatalyst coating. It’s free-form configuration make it ideal for homes and hospitality environments.
All Shikkui Surface products are humidity buffering and naturally antiseptic, so indoor air quality is actively improved for the greater health and comfort of inhabitants. Both lines also enjoy the prestigious Cradle to Cradle (Silver) certification for its higher standard of health and environmental design (more at c2ccertified.com).
A full range of finishes of all three product lines will be on display at Hospitality Asia 2011. Visit Tagawa Sangyo at the Singapore Expo Hall 2, Japanese Pavilion, booth 2C-62-09.
Tagawa Sangyo is Japan’s leading researcher and manufacturer of sustainable building materials, and has lead innovation at the intersection of human health and building construction integrity since 1924. For the past five years, the company has expanded overseas to serve markets in the United States, Europe, and China. Its expansion into Southeast Asia reflects the company’s desire to meet the rising demands for building products that do no harm to inhabitants while minimizing the environmental impact of harvesting natural resources. The company’s most recent innovation was the incorporation of high-grade calcium carbonate yielded from reprocessed eggshells, a rapidly-renewable, pre-consumer source of CaCO3. For more information about Tagawa Sangyo visit www.shikkui.com (English) or www.shirokabe.co.jp (Japanese).