Cold Weather Brick Laying
With the bricklayers on hand, Bob discusses the techniques being used, and explains the “anti-freeze” that has been added to the concrete to retard the cold weather’s effect on the material.
Archives: BV TV
Insulating the Foundation
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley insulate the foundation of an attached solar greenhouse.
Burrage House Tour
Bob takes a walk down Boston’s Commonwealth Avenue for a look at an upscale solariums from the last century, that of the Burrage House.
Attaching Steel Support Beams to the Foundation
The structural steel supports are delivered and while Bob discusses the supports’ unique construction, contractor Bob Ryley drills the necessary holes for the supports to be fastened to the foundation.
Pouring the Concrete Foundation
Bob watches as the crew prepares the footings for the greenhouse foundation. Contractor John Pratt pours the concrete, using a conveyor instead of a traditional pump. Meanwhile, Bob and contractor Bob Ryley start inserting the reinforcing rods.
Brooklyn Botanical Garden Tour
Bob takes a trip to New York City to tour the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, a spectacular, world-class museum greenhouse.
Foundation Layout
The foundation has been hand-dug and the forms laid for the footings. Bob and contractor Bob Ryley discuss the layout of the greenhouse foundation and framing.
Demolition of the Front Porch
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley discuss the demolition of the existing farmer’s porch, and, once the electricity has been turned off, they begin to remove the roof.
Plans for the Greenhouse
Bob, the architect, and the homeowner discuss plans for the new greenhouse. The exact position of the greenhouse in relation to the existing house is chosen so as to maximize the amount of southern light the space receives in the colder months.
Tour of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Bob begins the new state-of-the-art greenhouse project with a look at Boston’s most famous solarium, part of the quirky and romantic Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.