Newton, MA 14 - Recap

Kevin opens in the backyard, where he shows off the bluestone patio with its built-in bench. Climbing down, he talks to a mud-caked Roger, who is supervising the sod installation. Roger’s men first rake and then put down sod. An inch of rain the previous day required tarp protection, and plywood prevents soil compaction as the men walk on those parts of the yard not yet covered with sod. Roger tries to enlist Kevin, but Kevin evades sod detail for the kitchen.

Inside, Kevin watches as installers fit the kitchen counters, and speaks to Chelsie Arnold, the distributor’s representative. These countertops come from Israel (and, Chelsie assures Kevin, they are kosher). They are a man-made stone that is mostly quartz (93%), with the balance pigment and resin. Advantages include uniformity and a wide array of colors and textures – even some that imitate marble without the disadvantages of that stone. The Newton homeowners selected a dark green with a honed (matte) finish, edged to blend visually with the teak island top. Because the slabs come in 120” lengths, longer applications (like this own) require a seam. Putting the seams over dishwashers has caused problems when the steam and vibration pulls the seam apart. Here, the designers opt to put the seam in the middle of the sink cutout. There will be less of it, and it will therefore be harder to notice. The epoxy is strong enough to withstand drilling for the faucet, so the seam can go right through the faucet cutout. The homeowner has selected a drain board – a series of grooves cut into the counter next to the sink. As Kevin leaves, the installers start working on the cutout for the cooktop.

Rich Trethewey takes Kevin outside to look at the air conditioning condensers – there’s one for each floor and they are quite large, because they have to be. New government requirements for high efficiency mean larger fans the move more air. These particular units have a SEER of 16, topping the new minimum of 13. Inside, the contractors removed all the old duct work that served the heating plant and replaced it with new, well sealed and insulated duct work that ties into the cast iron floor registers on the first floor. The first floor air handler operates at two different speeds. A problem is that contractors must size the air handler for the hottest day of the year. But on cooler days, it may not operate long enough to remove sufficient moisture from the air. And moister air feels warmer. The two stage unit runs longer but at lower power, allowing it to dehumidify but using less power. Energy efficiency and effectiveness in the same package. The unit also contains a field charger that charges particles so they stick to the oppositely charged filter. The only required maintenance is periodic washing of the filter.

The new family room is physically connected to the kitchen. To visually connect them, Tom Silva paints the wainscoting in the family room, and duplicates it in the kitchen. He starts by cutting rails and stiles from MDF – medium density fiberboard, a material that paints well. Construction adhesive and nails attach an end stile and the base rail. A gauge block helps Tom position the interior stiles correctly, and nails tack them in place while the glue cures. With all the interior stiles in place, Kevin and Tom install the top rail the same way. Then they attach the final stile on the other end. Because he used the gauge block, Tom knows each “panel” is the same width, and can set up his chop saw to cut the moldings for top and bottom in batches. Kevin attaches them with pin nails. Finally, he adds an inch thick piece of MDF to the top with several pieces of custom molding, measured and replicated by Tom. That top “shelf” will eventually receive the balusters for the staircase this wall borders.

And at the main staircase, Jim Clark works to restore the paneling, starting with a thorough cleaning using trisodium phosphate and a rag. To avoid damaging the stain, he’s avoiding steel wool pads and abrasive cleanser pads. The TSP can take a little of the finish off, so Jim Clark uses a cleaner/polish to restore the luster. The wood upstairs was in far worse shape, so the painting team uses a chemical stripper to remove the old finish. A wipe-on neutralizer and a little sandpaper prepare those surfaces for varnish.

In the garage, Kevin talks to Sean Curry, a garage system specialist, about the wall system that accepts hooks and baskets (similar to systems used now in stores). He’ll also be coating the floor with a durable covering. First, they fill in the cracks, and then they diamond grind the floor to guarantee an absolutely smooth finish. They vacuum the dust and then roll on the mocha base coat (mocha being the color selected by the customer). Because this is a wet-cured product, the rainy conditions make it dry very quickly. The second coat is the bed coat, chemically like the first but clear. Vinyl chips are scattered into it before it cures, and two coats on top will complete the floor system.

The show closes with very sad news. Joe Ferrante, the tile contractor, passed away very suddenly. A part of Tom’s crew for over twenty years, his loss is deeply felt by everyone. He brought craftsmanship and laughter to the job site. But as sad as Joe’s passing is, his brother Mark and his nephew Eric will continue to provide tile craftsmanship to This Old House.

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