Porch Railing and Screen Door Installation

Project: Elmwood Neighborhood, Episode 6, Part 3



Bob joins homeowner Judi Lee for a restoration project involving a side "bench porch" that has been badly damaged by water and decay.

Carpenters Bob Ryley and Terry Bates are on site, and, before starting demolition, Terry explains the scope of the job. Next, Bob checks in with Amadeo DiRocco, who is doing some masonry foundation repair.

Terry continues work with new shingles, new railings from Forester Moulding, and new Chadsworth's columns.

Steps are taken to prevent future water damage to the richly-hued exterior. And last, a new screen door is hung, right as the landscaping (including the installation of a new sprinkler system) gets underway.
Part 1: House Five: Queen Anne Victorian Porch Restoration
Part 2: Porch Restoration: Custom Reproduction Moldings and Chatsworth's Columns
Part 3: Porch Railing and Screen Door Installation
Carpenter Bob Ryley helps install a new porch railing. A portion of the new re-milled second-floor railing has been assembled. To keep the individual balusters from spinning, a double-nail system at the top is put into each baluster, and the balusters are connected by a lattice joiner.

The crew then puts the rail into place and the top is secured by using three-inch galvanized screws to secure the rail to the posts. The finial is attached with a two-threaded dowel that screws into the new post. The open holes are filled with a two-part wood epoxy from Abretron, which takes 6 hours to set before it can be sanded.

A screen door with decorative wood flourishes is hung on the first-floor side porch. Clips and gaskets hold the screen, which clicks into place.

Last, Ocean State Lawn installs a sprinkler system. Black polyethylene pipe is being placed underground by a plow, then attached to sprinkler heads to create three separate zones, all controlled by Hunter Valves.
Part 4: Final Tour of the Restored "Bench" Porch House
The theme of community building in the historic Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, RI, is the focus of this project. Rather than tackling one house, Bob Vila is helping 11 neighbors tackle smaller projects like porches, kitchens, bathrooms, and even a third-floor artist's studio.

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