This Old House (1979)

Episode Overview

The episode kicks off with landscaper Roger Cook and his team setting up a granite block curb around the driveway island to shield it from stray vehicles. Inside, Charlie Abate highlights the butcherblock island countertop and shares tips on its maintenance. In the older front rooms, painting contractor Steve Kiernan details the preparations his crew undertakes before painting the library's woodwork and applying shellac in the parlor. Outside, the team installs a new gas barbecue and side burner, while mason Lenny Belliveau demonstrates his technique for dry laying a brick floor in the screened porch. Meanwhile, our plumbing and heating expert places a chimney cap over one of the fireplace flues and explains the aluminum liner he installed to manage the damp and cool exhaust from the gas burner. The episode also showcases the house's air-conditioning system, featuring chiller units outside and discreet outlets inside. Finally, Jeff Hosking walks us through the process of cleaning, screening, shellac-ing, and waxing surfaces.