1315 - Mechanical Systems and Interior Finishing December 9-15, 2002 | June 9-15, 2003 HI, I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN TO
OUR BIG COLONIAL PROJECT
WHERE TODAY WE'RE
TAKING A CLOSE LOOK
AT OUR COMPLETED
FRONT GARDEN.
ALSO, WE'VE GOT
THE CONDENSER
BEING INSTALLED,
THE STAIRCASE BEING BUILT
INSIDE THE CENTER ENTRY,
AND WE'RE TAKING YOU
ON A TRIP TO GLEN MAGNA,
A COLONIAL REVIVAL ESTATE
FROM THE LATE 19th CENTURY
ON THE NORTH SHORE
OF BOSTON
WHERE THEY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL
ANTIQUE SUMMER HOUSE.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD
TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
SEARS
WELL, WE'VE JUST
PUT THE SOD DOWN,
BUT LAST WEEK WE INSTALLED
A LOT OF PLANT MATERIAL,
AS THEY SAY.
WE PLANTED BIRCH TREES
IN THIS WHOLE AREA
OF THE HOUSE OVER HERE,
WHICH KIND OF WILL HELP
TO SOFTEN THE LINES
OF THE GARAGE
AND THE DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE,
AND ALSO KIND OF
DO A SEGUE, IF YOU WILL,
TOWARDS THE EVERGREEN BUFFER
THAT'S STILL ON THE SIDE
OF ALL OF THESE LOTS
IN OUR EXURBAN LOCATION.
WE'RE LUCKY THAT WE'VE GOT
OVER AN ACRE OF LAND HERE,
AND THERE'S STILL
A LOT OF WILD TREES.
SO, RUTH FOSTER,
WHO'S HELPED US
WITH THE DESIGN,
DECIDED THAT IT WOULD
BE GOOD TO KIND OF HAVE
A TRANSITION LIKE THIS,
AND SHE'S PUT IN
ABOUT 9 OF THESE BIRCHES.
WE'VE LEFT
A STANDING WHITE PINE
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE,
AND SO SHE'S ADDED NUMEROUS
OTHER WHITE PINES.
AND I'M GLAD
OF THE CHOICE,
'CAUSE THEY'RE
A RELATIVELY HEALTHY PINE.
RIGHT NOW A LOT
OF PLANT MATERIAL
IN NEW ENGLAND ESPECIALLY
IS VICTIMIZED BY A LOT
OF DIFFERENT INSECT PESTS,
AND THE WHITE PINE
IS A VERY STRONG ONE,
AND THEY'RE FAST-GROWING.
SO YOU'LL HAVE
ABOUT 5 OF THESE WHITE PINES
GETTING CLOSE
TO THE SIZE OF THE BIG ONE
AND CREATING, AGAIN,
A BORDER FROM THE SIDE
OF THE HOUSE--
FROM THE STREET.
AND RIGHT AT THE FRONT
OF THE PROPERTY,
SHE'S PLANTED A HALF-DOZEN
OF THESE CRAB APPLES,
AND THESE WILL GROW
RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
THERE'S 3 HERE
AND 3 MORE DOWN BEYOND,
AND THEY'VE BEEN PLACED
SO THAT AS YOU'RE DRIVING
DOWN THE ROAD,
THEY, TOO, CREATE A MASS.
AS THEY GROW LARGER,
THEY'LL BE A WHITE-BLOOMING
TREE IN THE SPRING,
AND THEY'LL MAKE
QUITE A STATEMENT HERE
ON THIS LITTLE CUL DE SAC.
AND THEN AT THE MIDDLE
OVER HERE,
WE START GETTING
A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMAL.
THESE 2 LITTLE CEDARS
THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN HERE--
THEY, TOO, WILL GROW
TO BE 10-12 FEET HIGH,
BUT THEY ARE THE SENTRIES.
THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE SOLDIERS
THAT STAND HERE AND ANNOUNCE
THAT THIS IS THE ENTRANCE
TO THE FORMAL HOUSE.
AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY
SEE RIGHT BEHIND ME
HOW THE PLANTING
THAT SHE'S DONE
IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE
REPLICATES THE REGULARITY
OF THE FACADE.
IT'S 2 FLOWER BORDERS
THAT ARE MIRROR IMAGES OF EACH,
AND SHE'S NOT GONNA
PUT IN A FENCE OR ANYTHING.
SHE'S JUST PUT IN
EVERGREEN PLANT MATERIAL
LIKE A RHODODENDRONS
AND THE ILEXES,
WHICH WILL CREATE MOUNDS
THAT WILL DEFINE THE EDGES
OF THE FLOWER BORDERS.
AND ON EACH SIDE,
LOTS OF FLOWERS
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN POPULAR
IN A COLONIAL GARDEN
LIKE THE PHLOX
AND THE ROSES.
BUT IN THE MIDDLE,
SHE'S PUT IN A RAISED
DIAMOND-SHAPED BED
WITH A TOPIARY,
AND APPARENTLY COLONIALS
LOVED TOPIARIES,
AND A LOT OF THE PLANTS
THAT THEY PUT IN THE GROUND
THEY STARTED FROM SEEDS,
SO THEY DIDN'T
REALLY GET FLOWERS
UNTIL LATE IN THE SEASON.
AND WE HAVE
LITTLE ASTERS HERE.
BUT RECENTLY
WE VISITED A GARDEN
ON BOSTON'S NORTH SHORE
THAT IS A COLONIAL REVIVAL
MASTERPIECE
FROM THE LATE 19th CENTURY.
WE'RE VISITING
GLEN MAGNA FARMS
HERE IN DANVERS,
MASSACHUSETTS,
ON BOSTON'S NORTH SHORE
WITH KATHY GIANOULIS,
WHO'S THE PROPERTY
MANAGER HERE AT
GLEN MAGNA FARMS.
AND THERE'S
SO MUCH TO SEE HERE,
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE WANT TO
CONCENTRATE RIGHT AWAY
IS A LITTLE BUILDING
THAT DATES TO 1793,
IS IT?
YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND IT WAS
DESIGNED AND BUILT
BY SAMUEL McINTYRE,
WHO'S PROBABLY ONE
OF THE BIG, BIG NAMES
IN TERMS OF
THE NEO-CLASSICAL PERIOD
IN THE LATE 1700s.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE HISTORY
OF THIS BUILDING.
WELL, THIS BUILDING
WAS BUILT, AS YOU SAID,
IN THE LATE 1700s
BY SAMUEL McINTYRE.
IT ORIGINALLY
STOOD ON A PROPERTY
ABOUT 4 MILES
AWAY FROM HERE--
THE DERBY FARM.
AND IT WAS MOVED
TO GLEN MAGNA IN 1901
BY MRS. ENDICOTT.
NOW, WHAT WAS
A LITTLE HOUSE
LIKE THIS BUILT FOR?
CERTAINLY NOT
A DWELLING.
IT'S MORE OF A FOLLY,
RIGHT?
IT'S MORE OF A FOLLY.
THE STORY GOES THAT THEY,
ON THIS PROPERTY,
THE GROUNDSKEEPER
WOULD LEAVE
FRESH-PICKED BERRIES
AND CREAM
ON ONE
OF THE BOTTOM ROOMS.
AND THE FAMILY
WOULD PROCEED UPSTAIRS
TO READ A BOOK
OR TO RELAX
OR A CUP OF TEA
ON A HOT DAY.
YES, A PLACE TO
GET AWAY FROM IT ALL.
AND SO THE SECOND STORY
IS REALLY
THE DESTINATION, RIGHT?
EXACTLY.
AND TELL ME,
BEFORE WE KIND OF
GET CLOSER TO IT,
THERE'S A LARGE STATUE
ON THE TOP
OF THE GABLE END
AND THEN
SOME BEAUTIFUL URNS.
WHAT DO THESE REPRESENT?
WELL, THE REAPER
IS ORIGINAL,
AS ARE THE URNS.
THE STORY GOES THAT
THE REAPER HEADS
TOWARDS THE WEST
AFTER A HARD DAY'S WORK.
AND ARE THESE
ORIGINAL STATUES?
THEY ARE ORIGINAL.
THE REAPER, HOWEVER,
IS A REPRODUCTION.
THE ORIGINAL REAPER
BLEW OFF THE ROOF
IN THE 1980s
IN A STORM.
IN THE 1980s.
BUT IT HAD BEEN THERE
SINCE 1901.
EXACTLY.
WHEN MRS. ENDICOTT
HAD THE HOUSE MOVED HERE
AND BASICALLY RESTORED
IT AND THE GROUNDS.
YES.
OK.
FROM A DISTANCE,
THE BUILDING ALMOST
READS LIKE STONE,
BUT OF COURSE
IT'S WOOD CONSTRUCTION.
FLUSH SO THAT IT
READS A LITTLE BIT
LIKE A MASONRY ELEMENT,
BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE QUOIN COURSES
ON THE CORNERS
YOU CAN REALIZE
THAT IT IS ALL JUST
WOODEN CONSTRUCTION.
AND IT'S DESIGNED
TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION
OF A GOOD, SOLID BASE
TO WHAT UP ABOVE
IS A VERY AIRY BUILDING
WITH THE SASH--
THE CURVED TOP SASH
IN THE MIDDLE--
AND THE FLUTED PILASTERS
AND THE SWAGS,
WHICH I BELIEVE
WERE ACTUALLY CARVED
BY McINTYRE, RIGHT?
YES, YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND SO THIS
IS ALL ORIGINAL,
EVEN THE GLASS
IN SOME OF THE WINDOWS
IS ORIGINAL TO
THE 1790s CONSTRUCTION.
EXACTLY.
OK.
ON THE OTHER SIDE
YOU WERE SAYING
THERE'S THE MILKMAID
STATUE, RIGHT?
THERE'S
A MILKMAID STATUE.
THIS IS A REPRODUCTION.
THERE WAS ORIGINALLY
A STATUE OF A MILKMAID.
IT WAS SEPARATED
FROM THE HOUSE--
FROM THE SUMMER HOUSE.
IT--20 YEARS LATER
THEY DID FIND IT.
IT WAS IN A FIRE
AT A MILL AT ANDOVER.
THE ONE THAT IS
CURRENTLY ON TOP IS A--
WAS CARVED IN 1924.
OK.
SO IT'S A REPRODUCTION.
BUT THE ORIGINAL
CARVINGS
WERE ALL BY McINTYRE
ON THE LITTLE BUILDING.
NOW, WOULD YOU
TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE ENDICOTTS
AND THE PEABODYS.
WHO WERE THESE FOLKS?
THE PEABODYS WERE THE--
JOSEPH PEABODY
WAS THE WEALTHIEST
SHIPPING MERCHANT
IN SALEM.
HIS GRANDDAUGHTER ELLEN
INHERITED THE HOUSE,
AND SHE MARRIED WILLIAM
CROWNINSHIELD ENDICOTT.
AND THE ENDICOTTS
AND THE PEABODYS
WERE PROMINENT
NORTH-SHORE FAMILIES.
SO THESE WERE
ALL WONDERFUL NAMES
FROM THE EARLY PERIOD
OF AMERICAN MERCANTILE
HISTORY AS WELL, RIGHT?
IN TERMS
OF THE CHINA TRADE,
IN TERMS OF
THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY
AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THEY'RE OLD FORTUNES.
NOW, THE PROPERTY HERE
IS PRETTY EXTENSIVE,
ISN'T IT?
HADN'T THEY AMASSED,
LIKE, 300-400 ACRES?
ORIGINALLY THE PROPERTY
AMASSED FROM 20 ACRES
TO 360 ACRES.
CURRENTLY WE OWN 11,
AND THE SURROUNDING 160
IS OWNED BY THE TOWN.
FABULOUS.
TELL ME ABOUT THE GARDENS.
THIS IS THE ROSE GARDEN.
ARE ALL OF THE ROSES
PLANTED HERE FAITHFUL
TO THE ORIGINAL GARDENS
DATING BACK TO 1900?
EXACTLY.
THERE'S NO VARIETY HERE
THAT WASN'T AVAILABLE
IN 1920.
WHAT ARE SOME OF
THESE VARIETIES?
LIKE THIS ONE IN FRONT
OF US, FOR EXAMPLE?
IN FRONT OF US IS
ROSA RUGOSA GRUTENDORF.
WE HAVE TO THE RIGHT
THE DARKER PINK
FAIRY ROSE.
AND THEN THE CLIMBER
IS NEW DAWN.
NEW DAWN
IS A VERY FAMOUS
CLIMBING ROSE, YES.
NOW, WHAT ABOUT SOME
OF THE OTHER GARDENS?
IS THERE
A MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE GARDEN?
THE ITALIANATE GARDEN.
IT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
GARDEN ON THE PROPERTY.
IT'S REALLY A GARDEN ROOM
ENCLOSED BY HEDGES
AND BRICK WALLS,
ISN'T IT?
EXACTLY.
NOW, THIS WAS RESTORED,
OR HAS THIS ALWAYS
BEEN MAINTAINED?
THIS WAS RESTORED.
IT BEGAN
IN THE LATE 1980s.
IT'S RESTORED BACK
TO ITS 1930s BEAUTY.
AND WHAT IS
THE PLANT MATERIAL
THAT'S USED HERE?
I SEE A LOT OF PEONIES
AND KIND OF
OLD-FASHIONED PLANTS.
WE HAVE BLEEDING HEART,
PEONY, LOTS OF PHLOX,
HOSTA, DIGITALIS,
HELIANTHUS,
CORAL BELLS.
MM-HMM.
GRANDMOTHER'S GARDEN.
EXACTLY.
I THINK THE MOST
STUNNING THING
I'M LOOKING AT, THOUGH,
IS THIS PERGOLA.
NOW, ARE THESE
MARBLE COLUMNS?
THESE ARE
MARBLE COLUMNS.
THEY WERE BROUGHT
TO THE PROPERTY
IN THE 1930s
FOR $5.00 A PIECE.
$5.00 A PIECE?
FROM THE CUSHING ESTATE
IN BELMONT.
SO THEY WERE
ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE
BACK IN THE THIRTIES?
EXACTLY.
THAT'S
A FABULOUS STORY.
AND, OF COURSE,
IT'S HOLDING UP
A GIGANTIC WISTERIA VINE.
RIGHT. THE WISTERIA'S
ABOUT 100 YEARS OLD.
NOW, WHY IS THIS PLACE
CALLED GLEN MAGNA?
MR. ENDICOTT BELIEVED
THAT GLEN MAGNA
WAS THE ANCESTRAL
BIRTHPLACE
IN LEICESTER, ENGLAND.
SO HE NAMED IT
AFTER HIS HOMELAND.
AND WHEN THEY
WERE BUILDING HERE,
I GUESS THEIR GOAL
WAS TO REALLY CREATE
A COLONIAL REVIVAL
ESTATE, RIGHT?
YES.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE BIG HOUSE.
THE HOUSE ORIGINALLY--
THEORY IS THAT
THE OLDEST PART
OF THE HOUSE
DATES BACK
TO THE 1690s.
HOWEVER, NONE OF
THAT EXISTS TODAY.
RIGHT.
IT WAS RENOVATED
IN 1896 TO WHAT
IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
WHICH IS REALLY
A MANSION HOUSE.
EXACTLY. REALLY,
THE OLDEST PART
OF THE HOUSE
IS THE WEST WING.
MR. ENDICOTT ADDED THAT
ON APPROXIMATELY 1824.
THE DINING ROOM
IS NOTABLE.
IT DATES BACK TO 1896
WITH EN GRISAILLE
WALLPAPER.
THE WALLPAPER
DEPICTS THE COURTSHIP
OF CUPID AND PSYCHE
FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY.
THE FRONT FOYER,
WHICH IS CHARACTERISTIC
COLONIAL REVIVAL WITH
THE CIRCULAR STAIRCASE.
AND THE GRAND PORTICO
AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE.
AND SO IT WAS
THE LAST GENERATION
THAT DID THE GARDEN
EMBELLISHMENTS, RIGHT?
YES.
'CAUSE THE ENDICOTT FAMILY
OWNED THIS HOUSE
FOR ALMOST 140 YEARS.
144 YEARS.
MAGNIFICENT. KATHY,
THANKS FOR THE TOUR.
THANKS, BOB.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
OF THE AIR-CONDITIONING
CONDENSERS
AT OUR BUILDING SITE.
OUR CONDENSERS
HAVE ARRIVED,
AND THEY'RE INSTALLED HERE
ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
NOW, THEY ARE
THE KEY ELEMENT
IN PROVIDING
A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT
IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.
THEY'RE GONNA
COOL OUR HOUSE.
MOST PEOPLE
DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
HOW THESE THINGS CAN
AIR CONDITION YOUR HOUSE,
SO I ASKED MY FRIENDS
AT KENMORE TO EXPLAIN.
OUR AIR-CONDITIONING
EXPERT KEVIN CALLAHAN
IS GONNA EXPLAIN
TO US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THESE LARGE BOXES
THAT YOU SEE OUTSIDE
OF HOMES TODAY.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT
AN AIR CONDITIONER,
PER SE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT
MORE THAN THAT, RIGHT?
CORRECT. THIS IS A CENTRAL
AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM
THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN,
AND THIS IS
THE OUTSIDE COMPONENT
OR THE CONDENSER.
RIGHT.
THE AIR-HANDLER COMPONENT
IS IN THE ATTIC
IN THIS HOUSE.
CORRECT. THERE'S
ONE AIR HANDLER
IN THE ATTIC,
AND THERE'S
AN AIR HANDLER
IN THE BASEMENT.
WE'VE REMOVED THE SCREWS
OFF THE GRILLE
SO THAT WE CAN LOOK
AT WHAT'S IN HERE,
'CAUSE THERE'S
NOTHING HERE BUT THE FAN,
WHICH IS EXTRACTING AIR
FROM HERE, RIGHT?
CORRECT.
MM-HMM.
AND THEN WHAT'S IN HERE?
WHAT IS THIS BLACK
SURROUNDING AREA?
THIS BLACK
SURROUNDING AREA HERE
ARE THE FINS
THAT SURROUND THE COIL
WHERE THE FREON GAS
PUMPS TO
FOR THE HEAT TRANSFER
TO TAKE PLACE.
SO THE COPPER COIL
IS FILLED WITH FREON,
AND THEN THE FINS
HELP TO...
TRANSFER THE HEAT.
EXACTLY.
AND IN THE CENTER HERE
WE HAVE
A SCROLL COMPRESSOR
WHICH COMPRESSES
THE GAS.
OK.
SO THE REASON THE THING
HAS TO BE SO LARGE
IS THAT YOU'VE GOT
A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF COILS...
SURFACE AREA.
SURFACE AREA
BASED ON THE TONNAGE?
CORRECT. THIS IS
A 3 1/2 TON UNIT,
AND IT'S CALCULATED TO
REMOVE THAT MUCH HEAT.
WHAT DOES A TON TRANSLATE
TO IN TERMS OF BTUs?
EACH TON IS ABOUT
12,000 BTUs.
OK. NOW, WHEN YOU'RE
LOOKING TO SHOP
FOR NEW EQUIPMENT,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR?
WELL, BOB, YOUR VIEWERS
SHOULD BE FAMILIAR
WITH 2 KEY TERMS.
THE FIRST IS THE SEER,
OR THE SEASONAL ENERGY
EFFICIENT RATIO.
THAT IS THE MEASUREMENT
OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
OF THE PRODUCT,
SO THE HIGHER
THE SEER,
THE BETTER
THE EFFICIENCY.
WHAT'S THE SEER LEVEL
WITH THIS PRODUCT?
THIS PARTICULAR PRODUCT
IS A 14 SEER RATED
CONDENSER.
AND WHAT'S THE--
FOR EXAMPLE,
TO MEET ENERGY STAR
REQUIREMENTS,
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO--
ENERGY STAR REQUIREMENT,
YOU HAVE TO BE AT LEAST
10% OVER
THE BASE STANDARD.
SO IF YOU ARE OVER THAT,
YOU GET
THE ENERGY STAR LABEL
FROM THE DEPARTMENT
OF ENERGY.
OK. NOW, WHAT KIND
OF A LIFE EXPECTANCY
DO YOU GET OUT OF
APPLIANCES LIKE THIS?
WELL, THE AVERAGE
EXPECTANCY IS 15 YEARS
FROM THESE PRODUCTS.
IS THAT RIGHT?
CORRECT.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF THEY
HAVE TO BE REPAIRED,
YOU CAN CALL CERTIFIED
SERVICE PEOPLE TO COME,
BUT CAN
THE DO-IT-YOURSELFER
SOMETIMES DO
MINOR REPAIRS ON THIS?
YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THE DO-IT-YOURSELFER
CAN ORDER THE PARTS
AND DO THE REPAIR
THEMSELVES.
IN FACT, THEY
CAN GET THE PARTS
FOR THIS PRODUCT
FOR ALL MAJOR HEATING
AND AIR-CONDITIONING
EQUIPMENT
FROM PARTSDIRECT.COM.
RIGHT, THAT MAKES
A DIFFERENCE, TOO,
'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT CAN DO MINOR REPAIRS.
CORRECT.
EXACTLY.
WELL, I'M SURE
WE'LL GET LOTS OF YEARS
OF USE OUT OF THIS.
THANKS, KEVIN.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANKS, BOB.
COMING UP NEXT,
WE'RE BUILDING THE STAIRCASE
IN OUR CENTER ENTRY.
STICK AROUND.
NEXT TIME ON...
WE'LL TAKE A CLOSE LOOK
AT THE COMPLETED
ELIZABETHAN GARDEN
AT OUR CENTER-ENTRY
COLONIAL PROJECT.
ALSO, THE AIR-CONDITIONING
CONDENSERS ARE BEING INSTALLED,
AND WE'RE BUILDING
THE FINISHED STAIRCASE
INSIDE THE CENTER ENTRY.
THEN WE'LL BE TAKING YOU
ON A TRIP TO GLEN MAGNA,
A COLONIAL REVIVAL ESTATE
FROM THE LATE 19th CENTURY
IN DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS.
WE'LL TOUR
THE RESTORED GARDENS
AND LOOK AT A BEAUTIFUL
ANTIQUE SUMMER HOUSE.
SO DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME
ON HOME AGAIN.
NEXT TIME ON...
WE'LL BUILD A STAIRCASE
AND VISIT
THE ANTIQUE SUMMER HOUSE
AND GARDENS
AT GLEN MAGNA.
DON'T MISS IT.
OK, NOW,
THERE'S ONE FEATURE
THAT YOU'LL FIND IN ALMOST
ANY CENTER-ENTRY COLONIAL,
AND THAT'S A STAIRCASE.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK
WITH JOHN KILEY WHO IS--
HOW ARE YOU, JOHN?
WHO'S DOING THE FINISH
PART OF THE INSTALLATION.
BUT, GENERALLY,
A CONTRACTOR--
AND THIS IS
A CONTRACTOR'S SPEC HOUSE,
AS IT'S CALLED--
WILL HAVE
THE FRAMING CREW
DO THE OUTSIDE WALLS,
PUT IN THE DOORS
AND WINDOWS,
CLOSE THE HOUSE
TO THE WEATHER.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE
ANY STAIRCASE CONSTRUCTION
AT THE ROUGH LEVEL.
SO YOU'VE GOT
YOUR ROUGH STRINGERS
HAVE ALREADY BEEN
CUT INTO PLACE.
AND, IN FACT, IN THIS CASE
WE'VE GOT INSULATION HERE
BECAUSE WHOEVER
THE INSTALLATION
CONTRACTOR WAS
PROBABLY ASSUMED
THAT IT WOULD BE
A COLD BASEMENT DOWN THERE,
SO HE ADDED
THE INSULATION,
BUT WE DO HAVE
A FINISHED BASEMENT.
BUT, JOHN, YOU'VE GOT
A DIFFERENT APPROACH
TO BUILDING
THE FINISH END
OF THE STAIRCASE.
YES.
YOU ARE CONFRONTED
WITH SOME STRINGERS
THAT SOMEONE ELSE CUT.
CORRECT.
AND YOU'VE GOT
TO DELIVER A PRODUCT
THAT ISN'T GONNA SQUEAK
AND THAT'S GONNA--
WHAT'S YOUR APPROACH?
MY APPROACH IS I GET
THE RISE AND THE RUN.
THE RUN IS THIS WAY,
AND THE RISE IS
FOR THIS.
YEAH, WE'RE RISING UP
TO THE SECOND FLOOR
HOW MANY FEET?
BE 110 INCHES UP
AND 116 INCHES
TO THE LANDING.
SO WE'RE TRAVELING
LATERALLY
FROM THE FIRST STEP
TO THE LANDING.
116 INCHES.
THAT DIMENSION.
WHAT DOES TRANSLATE TO
IN TERMS OF--
THAT'S--
BE TRANSLATED INTO
THERE'LL BE 13 STEPS
IN THE--
THEY'LL BE
APPROXIMATELY 9 INCHES.
MM-HMM.
AND THE RISE WILL BE--
THERE'LL BE 14 OF THOSE,
AND THIS PARTICULAR
SET OF STAIRS
CAME OUT TO 7 7/8.
AND YOU HAVE
TO HAVE IT BETWEEN 7--
NO HIGHER THAN 8 1/4.
YEAH, THE CODE DOES NOT
LET YOU HAVE A RISE
THAT'S HIGHER
THAN 8 1/4.
FINISHED STEP--
FROM STEP TO STEP.
OK. BUT SHOW US
WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY
STARTED HERE
SO THAT
WE CAN UNDERSTAND
YOUR APPROACH.
WELL, I CUT
EVERYTHING OUT MYSELF.
EVERYTHING'S PRE-CUT.
PRE-CUT.
THE SKIRTS
AND THE RISERS
AND THE TREADS.
THOSE DIMENSIONS
I GAVE YOU.
AND THEN I--THIS
HAS ALL BEEN PLOWED.
AND THIS IS PLOWED...
TO RECEIVE THE TREAD.
THE TREAD.
AND THEN YOU'VE
PRE-DRILLED SOME HOLES...
IN THE BACK
SO I CAN SCREW
FROM THE BACK.
THIS IS--
THESE ARE PRE-DRILLED
SO THEY'LL SCREW
INTO THIS SKIRT.
AND THEN YOU NAIL THIS
INTO THIS SIDE.
NOW, THIS
PARTICULAR ITEM HERE
IS SET UP LIKE THAT
BECAUSE THERE IS--
EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY.
FORGOT ABOUT THIS.
THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS
A TREAD BRACKET.
THEY CALL THESE
TREAD BRACKETS.
THEY'LL GO IN
FOR A DECORATIVE--
RIGHT. NOW, THIS
IS JUST A TEMPLATE
OF ONE, RIGHT?
YES. WELL,
THIS WILL BE EXACTLY
WHAT THEY'LL LOOK LIKE.
OH, THEY WILL
LOOK LIKE THIS?
YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, WELL,
LET'S WATCH YOU PUT
SOME OF THESE TOGETHER,
'CAUSE THE OBJECTIVE IS
TO ASSEMBLE ALL OF THIS,
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE DONE,
YOU SLIDE IT INTO PLACE,
RIGHT?
CORRECT.
OK.
APPLY GLUE HERE.
GLUE ON THE BACK
OF THIS ONE.
SLIDE IT INTO PLACE.
NOW, I ALREADY
HAVE THE LINE MARKED
SO I KNOW WHERE
IT'S GONNA START.
PUT MY SCREWS IN.
[MUTTERS]
CHECK YOUR LINE.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY
WHAT HAPPENS.
YOU CAN GO ON
TO THE NEXT ONE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, JOHN, YOU'VE
GOT THEM ALL FASTENED.
WHAT'S
THE NEXT STEP NOW?
NEXT STEP NOW IS TO
SLIDE THE WHOLE SET
OF STAIRS
INTO THE PLACE
WHERE IT'S GONNA STAY.
SOUNDS LIKE A BIG JOB.
CAN I HELP YOU,
OR IS IT JUST
GONNA GO EASILY?
HA HA!
NOTHING TO IT.
NO. NOW YOU JUST...
AND THEN THE NAILING--
YOU DON'T ACTUALLY NAIL
ANYTHING ON THE FRONT
OF THE STRINGERS.
YOU'LL JUST
BE NAILING THE SKIRTS.
THE SKIRTS. OK.
OK.
EXCUSE ME.
WE'LL CONTINUE BUILDING
THE STAIRCASE IN A MOMENT.
DON'T GO AWAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO
ALL OF THE RISERS
ARE IN PLACE NOW.
AND THEY'RE
MADE OUT OF POPLAR,
WHICH IS A GOOD
STRONG AND STABLE WOOD.
THE TREADS
ARE MADE OUT OF OAK,
WHICH WILL LAST
FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND YOU SEE
WE'VE GOT A RABBET HERE
ON THE BACKSIDE OF IT
WHICH CORRESPONDS
WITH THE BACKSIDE
OF THE STRINGER.
AND, OF COURSE,
THE FRONT OF EACH TREAD
HAS A BULLNOSE
CUT INTO IT.
AND YOU'RE USING
CONSTRUCTION ADHESIVE
AND THEN
CARPENTER'S GLUE.
THE CARPENTER'S GLUE
GOES ON THE POPLAR
AND ON THE BACK
SO THAT IT BASICALLY
WORKS WITH WOOD ON WOOD.
THE CONSTRUCTION
ADHESIVE
IS WORKING BETWEEN
THE STRINGER WOOD
AND THE BOTTOM
OF THE TREAD.
THERE WE GO.
VERY, VERY NICE.
BEAUTIFUL.
NICE FIT, JOHN.
WHAT ARE
THOSE MARKS FOR?
THOSE ARE FOR
SO I CAN NAIL HERE
AND HIT THE RISER.
SO HE'S
GONNA GO RIGHT
INTO THE RISER
WITH A COUPLE
OF NAILS.
TO BOLT AND SPLICE.
THEN 1 1/4 INCH SCREWS.
SOME KIND OF SCREWS I SCREW
FROM THE BACK OF THE RISER.
AND THERE AGAIN
YOU GOTTA HAVE
THE RIGHT TOOL
FOR THE JOB.
ALL RIGHT,
SO WHAT WE'VE GOT NOW
ARE A BUNCH OF WEDGES
THAT ARE JUST CUT
TO FIT UNDERNEATH
THESE TREADS,
BUT YOU CAN'T SEE THAT,
'CAUSE HE'S REALLY
STICKING HIS HAND
IN THERE.
IS THERE MUCH OF A GAP?
ABOUT 1/4 INCH.
YEAH, SO YOU NEED THEM,
AND YOU'VE GOT
YOUR ADHESIVE THERE,
SO ONCE
THE ADHESIVE SETS,
THERE'S A VERY RIGID
STAIRCASE.
THANKS, JOHN.
WE'RE RUNNING
OUT OF TIME.
COME HOME AGAIN
NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND
ALL OF OUR TIME IN THE KITCHEN
WE'LL LOOK AT
OUR KITCHEN CABINETS,
HOW THEY'RE INSTALLED,
WE'RE MAKING TEMPLATES
FOR THE COUNTERTOPS,
AND THEN WE'RE
VISITING THE STONE SHOP
WHERE THEY'RE ALL
BEING CUT.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU
HOME AGAIN.
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