Carpenter in Morocco: Sedari, Wood, What to Ask

Before you agree with the carpenter

• Photos of the space and its measurements
• What you want: sedari, a door, a cupboard or something else
• The type of wood, the frame and the finish
• Does the price include transport and fitting?

Step by step

1. 1

   Say exactly what you want

   At the first meeting

   Tell the maâlem (master craftsman) what you want: sedari, a door, a cupboard, a kitchen, a table or just a repair. Say whether you want a new frame, carving, painting, inlay, or only a change of decoration. Photos of the space with measurements say more than a style name that changes from one souk to another.

2. 2

   Ask for the sedari drawing before he starts

   With the carpenter and the upholsterer

   Sedari can run along one wall, sit in a corner, or wrap around the walls in a U shape, raised on a wooden base or low to the floor. Ask for a drawing showing the base, the back, storage underneath if you want it, and the mattresses and cushions the upholsterer will make.

3. 3

   Ask which wood suits the space

   Before you choose the wood

   Moroccan woodworkers use thuya, cedar, oak, walnut, acacia and lemon wood, among others; painted, carved and inlaid wood each have their own look. Not every wood suits every job. Ask what the frame is made of, what is only veneer or decoration, and whether the wood can handle the damp in that room.

4. 4

   Look at the decoration, but test the frame

   On a sample or at the workshop

   Geometric or floral carving, painting, gilding, metal thread and inlay give a piece its character. Check whether the carving is deep and even, whether the edges are crisp, whether the doors open and close well and whether the piece stands straight. Decoration pleases the eye, but the frame is what lasts.

5. 5

   Heard a name you don't understand? Ask for a photo

   When the maâlem or the shopkeeper says it

   "Mario classique", "B couliss"... these are names you hear in the souk, and each workshop understands them its own way. So don't rely on the name alone. Say clearly what you want: a cupboard with ordinary hinged doors, with sliding doors, or something else. Then ask for a photo or a drawing with the measurements, the type of wood and the finish. If the doors slide, check that the price includes the rail, the fitting and the upkeep.

6. 6

   Choose a carpenter near you whose work you can see

   Among the professionals on Hdaya

   See the carpenter's work with your own eyes, ask who will actually make the piece, and send photos of the space with measurements. The photo shows what you want, and a written agreement makes everything clear from the start.

Questions people ask