Let's Get Plastered

We at Dar Mystere like to get plastered in both senses of the phrase. These days it's usually the DIY version like this...



Rather than the eyes-looking-in-different-directions version of old after one too many Sambucas.

But seriously, some advice for budding restorers. It's seems that when Moroccan workmen get cracking on a job, there is no consideration for the mess they make to the surrounding fixtures and fittings so long as it doesn't impinge on their particular task. Plaster, render and all-sorts flying off all over the shop, splattering zellij, woodwork and small children. A long time back I was trained as a civil engineer and studied project planning and critical path analysis. Your average workman is not interested in either of these subjects. They will get on with their job regardless and do their job well. I have seen plastered walls finished, only for the electricians to come along and start chopping out channels for their ducting wires. The plasterer does not mind. He will not complain to the electrician. You can pay the plasterer again for repairing what the electrician has ruined if you wish.

You, your supervisor or manager has to have good organisational skills and understand the logical sequence of events in the renovation process. And, hey presto, the work can advance without doing everything twice.

Even so, you can see in the image above the mess on the zellij from the plastering process. This will just need a good clean although there are some areas of the dar that have been damaged. There is generally little attention paid to protecting existing fixtures.




So in this image, the lovely green tiles around the halqa (the big hole in the top of traditional medina houses) have been cleaned of render under which they were buried for some months. That is why this is a pleasing image. Things are getting cleaned.