This Old House

Kevin

Today on "This Old House"...

Tom

If you look right here on the plan, you can see. We've got a diamond here, diamond up there, and that pattern is established by the height or the coursing of the shingles.

Kevin

Look at that. Subtle, like we said, but that makes a big difference, Tommy.

Tom

It does make a statement.

Kevin

What happened to all this plumbing here?

Richard

I've never seen anything like this before.

Roger

There's already rot going on in that trunk.

Kevin

So what have you found up here?

Tom

Well, a bit of a surprise.

Richard

It's really the classic plumber's lament.

Kevin

Nice!

Richard

It's five bathrooms, it's a kitchen, it's a full new mechanical. It's -- It's gonna be a biggie.

Kevin

It sounds like you guys have a plan.

Molly

I think we do.

Laughs

The money's in the detail. Kevin

That is beautiful.

Kevin

Hi, there. I'm Kevin O'Connor. And welcome back to "This Old House," here with our 1890s shingle-style home up on Massachusetts' North Shore. Now, last time we were here, Mark McCullough and his crew were actually building this foundation for us right here.

There used to be an old garage, and when that came down, we had an opening, so Mark, he actually found that granite block on the property and was able to work it back into the original foundation. And, Mark, now you're working on these beautiful sweeping staircase right here to the front door.

Right. Kevin

Did you find this block on the property, too?

Mark

Kevin, it's that same stone wall out back. It's a gift that just kept giving, so...

Kevin

And you were able to do this without my help.

Mark

That's right. That's right. Amazingly enough, we got through.

Kevin

And, so, for the steps, what do we got?

Mark

Steps,

we have... Kevin

Can I step on these?

Mark

Yeah. Just step in the middle, if you wouldn't mind.

Kevin

What do we got?

Mark

Yeah. Stay in the middle. Bluestone tread. Under that is a bluestone riser.

And under that is a concrete block frame.

Kevin

Unbelievable. All right. We'll be back to check with you later.

Mark

All right. Thanks, Kevin.

Kevin

So, imagine pulling up to this house and getting to walk up this staircase for the first time. What a way to enter the home. As you come through the front door, we have got a big, open foyer in here, and that leads into this room. Now, this -- Well, it was always a living room, and you can see it's gonna stay a living room, but the kitchen is now gonna be on the other side of this stud wall right in there.

And there was a window here. That window has now become an opening, a doorway out onto what was a three-season porch, green rug and all. This has been closed in because we have a dining room here. On the other side of this, we're gonna have a breakfast nook.

Tommy, Charlie, how are you guys?

Kevin. Tom

Good, Kevin. How you doing?

Kevin

We're doing all right. So, today's job is to get windows in this corner right here, one and two. And look at this monster. What are we working with?

Tom

We're working with actually six individual sash that are all mulled together to make this nice unit right here.

Kevin

And are they operable? What do we got?

Tom

We got two operable windows. The big one right here on this side is a casement. And the other one on that side is a casement. So we basically have a picture window, picture window, picture window, picture window with a mull in them.

Kevin

And, Charlie, you've got yourself a square opening, framed, but obviously a curved top right here.

Charlie

We do. So, we actually have some framing that will, you know, follow the arch that we'll install, and then we'll cut out sheathing to match.

Kevin

Beautiful. Okay. So we got a plan to get this thing in?

Tom

Yeah. We were just stripping it back so we can get to the nailing flange. We had to take a piece off the bottom. So now we're gonna stand it up, and then we're gonna continue to work on the opening.

You ready? One, two,

three. Kevin

What's the material we're working with here, Tommy?

Tom

This is a wood window with an aluminum clad, so no maintenance to the outside at all.

Kevin

Beautiful.

Tom

Yeah, nice window. So, you can see that this window here, these little red things, that means that this window is operable. Fixed,

operable. Kevin

Love it.

That is beautiful. Tom

Yeah. It's gonna be nice. So we got to get going on that opening. So, it all starts with the square opening, and now we have to frame the opening to match the window, and it all starts with that radius up there and a piece of plywood.

Take the plywood, we'll hold it up there, and we'll scribe the radius of the window. We've also put some reference lines right here to represent the underside of the beam and the wall. What we need is that piece right there, so we actually cut this piece right here so it looks like this. Hold it tight to the corner and the underside of the beam, and we make our radius from the opening that we've made.

From there, we take a scrap piece of lumber, and this is a 2x8, and we'll cut all of our pieces from this template which will give us the structure that we need

to make up for our corners. Kevin

Got you.

Tom

So, now we have to build these up in each corner, and we'll put three pieces in each corner. So we'll put it up high and push it tight to the beam, tight to the ceiling. We'll put another one against that, building it up slowly. All right?

So, once we get those screwed in place, we put the third one on, but we keep it flush with the wall. It gives us a place to nail our wallboard and a trim, but it also gives us an opening right here so we can put foam in there and create a thermal break from the cold air outside. That should be the underside of the beam. I only want to do this little corner here.

And transfer the plumb line up. Now we take the same template that we made all of the inside structural pieces from. I'm gonna put it on the line, but I'm gonna pull it away just a little bit and in a little bit because I don't want to cut it exact. We're gonna make a rough cut first, so I just trace it.

Like that. Now I'll cut that with a circular saw.

Saw buzzing

Tom

All right. So, now I'm gonna finish this cut up right here using a router bit that has a bearing on the bottom that will ride right along that and give me a perfect cut. All right. This window is really heavy.

So what we're gonna do is, we'll walk your side over first, Charlie, then, Kevin, walk yours, and then back and forth and try to get it through the window opening.

Charlie

I got you.

Tom

You like to get the window -- the bottom to come out and then down. Here we go. There you go. Now rotate it up.

There you go.

Grunting

Tom

Just get it in a little. That's it. We're in. All right.

Now we got to get the flange out.

Charlie

Yeah.

Tom

No caulking across the bottom because we don't want it to lock water in there. All right. Window looks good. That is one heavy unit.

Kevin

It's a nice window, though.

Tom

Now it's all installed. All we have to do now is air-seal around the perimeter with more tape.

Kevin

Nice job,

boys. Charlie

Looks good.

Nice job. Charlie

Nice-looking window.

Pounding

Kevin

Time is money, as they say. Tommy, would you hook me in, please? Manufacturers are always trying to speed up the installation of their product, and that's exactly what's going on with this new asphalt roof shingle. So, this is the new roof for our front porch right here.

There never was one. There was a garage down there. This has been added, and so now obviously this all needs to be shingled. Bobby, how are you?

Charlie?

Bob

I'm doing great. You?

Charlie

Kevin.

Kevin

So, roof goes down, but first, you guys got to start with the drip edge?

Charlie

Yeah, we're putting copper drip edge in. Some of the advantages of copper drip edge -- one, it was chosen because that's what they want on the house, is copper details. Copper drip edge is probably three times the money, but it also probably lasts three times the long, and they really wanted the copper detail on the house.

Kevin

Seems fair, right?

Charlie

Seems fair. It's a working balance, but it does us a couple things. It protects the leading edge of the starter strip, as well as the first course. Plus it also helps kick the water into the gutter.

Kevin

Right. We don't want that actually coming back onto that fascia right there. So you're nailing that right into the plywood sheathing right there?

Charlie

Yeah. We actually try to hit the rafters, also.

Kevin

Hit the rafters. Nice. And you guys have a self-sealing membrane that you're putting down on the sheathing, as well?

Charlie

Yes, and once the copper's installed, we'll take it, peel it back. And peel and stick,

basically. Kevin

Yeah.

Charlie

Take that right out of the way, and it bonds right down to the copper.

Kevin

Okay. All right,

Bob. Here you go. Bob

Thank you, Kevin.

Kevin

So, what are we working with?

Bob

What we're working with, Kevin, is an asphalt architectural shingle.

Kevin

Architectural, meaning not the old three-tab.

Bob

Not the old three-tab. What it is, Kevin, it's dual pieces of shingle that are laminated together, which give you these extra little piece of laminate so that it gives you more of a designer look.

Kevin

Yeah? So, what's with this idea that the manufacturer says they're faster to install? What are they talking about?

Bob

They're talking about the nailing line. The nailing strike zone used to be just maybe, like, 3/4 of an inch, so...

Kevin

Right here where the overlap is?

Bob

Right there where the two pieces are laminated together, yes.

Kevin

That's the size of a finger, yeah.

Bob

Now they've increased that to about 2 inches.

Kevin

That makes a big difference when it comes to speed?

Bob

It's far faster, Kevin, for us to install. And then, also, what they have is -- Once we lay this first shingle in, they have this top line here which we can line up on the top of the previous shingle, and that gives us our exposure line.

Kevin

Ah, okay. I got it. Now, I mean, you guys have snapped lines, but, I mean, that gives you a good option if you want it.

Bob

It's an option. On a long run like this, we typically chalk every horizontal line.

Kevin

Okay. You ready to put those in?

Charlie

Yes.

Kevin

So, two-ply ridge cap. Nice and beefy. I like that right there. Uh, how much longer for the rest of the roof?

Bob

The rest of the roof, Kevin, it will take

approximately two weeks. Kevin

Two weeks. It's all got to be stripped and then reshingled.

Bob

There's two, three layers in some areas we have to take off, inspect and replace some of the roof boards, and then start the whole process again.

Kevin

All right. Cool. Thank you, guys.

Appreciate it. Charlie

Thank you.

Kevin

Cape Ann is the birthplace of the American fishing industry. For centuries, fishermen have left this port in Gloucester in search of Atlantic cod. Permission to come aboard?

Mike

Yes, sir.

Thank you. Mike

Come aboard.

Kevin

Let's do it. Thank you, Roger.

We're good to go. Kevin

Let's do it. And even though the fishermen and the cod have suffered a perfect storm of hard times, you can still find a captain to take you out for a day on the water. So what is it about fishing, Roger, that you love so much?

Roger

It's everything, Kevin, about being outside. You have the ocean. You have people. You have boats.

You have fish. It's just a tremendous place to spend a day.

Kevin

You catch one every once in a while, right?

Roger

Once in a while, and then down home, I might get striped bass. Out here, it's probably gonna be haddock and maybe a cod, even though they're out of season right now.

Kevin

Okay, Mike. Where have you brought us?

Mike

We're in a place called the Pasture, about 5 miles out of Gloucester here.

Kevin

What, 200 feet to the bottom or so?

Mike

We got 200 feet to the bottom. 197 feet.

Kevin

What did we say, Roger? We got 100 bucks on who brings in the first fish?

Laughter

Roger

One of those guys, huh?

Kevin

Yeah, I got something.

That's a haddock. Kevin

What do we got...? What do you got there, Roger?

Roger

What do I got here? I got I believe a pollock.

Kevin

I didn't know they had minnows in Gloucester.

Roger

You know, the hard ones to catch are the little ones, you know?

Kevin

That's a beauty. All right, Mike. I'm gonna need another piece of bait there. What are we using?

Mike

These are a local sea clam that are caught in these waters.

Kevin

Yeah?

Mike

And they're excellent for catching cod and haddock. They also make a good chowder if we don't catch any fish. Roger! It's a cod!

Kevin

Hey!

Mike

No. No, I'm sorry. It's a haddock.

Oh. Mike

False alarm.

Kevin

Nice job, Roger. Nice job. Roger, you might be in the way. This guy's tail might flap you right in the face.

Laughs

Mike

You guys.

Oh. Mike

That's a minnow.

Laughter

You've got a small baby cod. Kevin

Look at that, huh?

Mike

Yeah. They get bigger than that, of course.

Kevin

Yep. Three dorsals on the top. Look at that beautiful coloring.

Mike

Beautiful coloring. That's our state fish, codfish.

Kevin

Well, he's going back in.

Mike

All right. Let him go.

Kevin

Oh! You got something, Roger.

Got a fish. Kevin

Yeah.

Mike

Haddock?

Kevin

Look at that. Haddock?

Mike

That's a nice haddock right there.

Kevin

That is a nice haddock. Look at that guy right there.

Mike

I got him.

Kevin

Let's put a tape on him.

Mike

Eighteen.

Kevin

Ahem! For camera, let's do that again.

Laughter

Mike

Twenty-one!

Kevin

Forty-two?!

Mike

Oh, my God!

Kevin

Holy smokes!

Roger

State record!

Mike

It's a monster!

Laughter

Mike

We need a bigger boat! You got to replace your bait there. He got away. Why'd you let him get away?

Roger

I didn't.

Mike

You got to think like a fish. Try again.

Kevin

Ours is a shingle-style house, and, initially, the homeowners wanted to save the shingles, repair them, paint them, but that's a lot of work, so they decided to replace them, and we're gonna be using pre-primed, pre-painted white cedar shingles. And Tommy actually thinks that's gonna save the homeowners money. Tommy, they also want to break up the wall of shingles that's gonna be everywhere by adding a couple little patterns throughout.

Tom

Yeah. There's a lot of wall, and the architect drew a little detail right here. It's called a diamond pattern, and it's gonna be on the gable ends.

Kevin

Yeah. It's a subtle, little detail.

Tom

Let me show you what I have here. That pattern is established by the height

or the coursing of the shingles. Kevin

Right. That's the reveal right there? 5 inches?

That's the reveal. Kevin

Okay.

Tom

So, to make the diamond pattern, you take a shingle like this. So, I've made these shingles 5 inches because I like the width of 5 inches with a 5-inch reveal. So let me see. I take this out, and I take this shingle.

And I was to slide it down like that.

Yeah. Tom

Bottom of the shingle would end up with this coursing here, and then to get the angle, I would mark it off of this coursing right here.

So if you look... Kevin

Oh.

Tom

...that shingle goes right in there like that -- even on the bottom, coursing lines up here.

Kevin

So each diamond shingle is gonna be 5 inches wide?

Tom

And the angle, it represents 5 inches in height.

Beautiful. Tom

So they go like that.

There's your overlap. Tom

There's your overlap. Now, when you put these on, you have to make sure that you nail them much higher than you normally would with a shingle because you don't want to see a nail here.

Kevin

Right, but that creates the diamond

right in the middle right there. Tom

That creates the diamond.

Kevin

So, buy them this shape or cut them this shape?

Tom

Oh, you can buy them, and they come already precut, but, as you know, the height of the rows of shingles can change in relationship to the height of a window.

Right. Tom

You want that coursing to line up with the bottom of the window and the top of the window, so, sometimes, that coursing could be 5 1/4, it could be 4 7/8.

Right. Tom

And that's why I like to cut them in the field because I can then change that angle slightly by making my cut up higher. Good. I got it. All right.

So, our diamond is gonna go right here. You can see this is a center line for the beginning of the diamond. We've run a level off of our story pole over here and spaced this shingle 5 inches from this shingle, which is our 5-inch reveal.

Got you. Tom

All right. Now we take a square shingle, and we're gonna put it on this side, but I'm gonna try to use my straightedge across here so we can lay them all. Put it on one of those lines, and I'll pick a line here, put a nail, and tack it up high. Okay.

Now we can lay our square-bottom shingles all on our straightedge. All right. So now I'm ready to start building off of the diamond, so we're gonna set the next piece so that the bottom lines up with the angle right under that line right there. And now we'll go with the one on the other side.

Lay it in. Nail it high. Now I want to move our straightedge up for the next course. All right.

Now we're ready to put another one in the center. Line it up. Another diamond. All right.

Just lightly touch it against the other one. All right. Lay it in there. All right.

So now we need to get another line across for our next row up. Now the next thing we need to do is start transitioning the other way. We're gonna take a shingle that we've just cut a section off, and that gives us our other angle going the other way. Right there.

Good. Put that there. Here. Put them on a line.

Line on that side. All right. So, now I'm just gonna take the last two pieces with the clipped corners off of them. Now we're gonna put one on one side and one on the other, bring them together, put them on the line.

Kevin

Like that?

Tom

And now our coursing can continue off of these rows.

Kevin

And look at that. I mean,

it is subtle. Tom

It is subtle.

Kevin

But it is a nice little detail.

Tom

It really looks nice from a distance, too.

Kevin

Gonna break up this gable end. Nice job,

Tommy. Tom

Thanks for the help.

Richard

A new gas-fired condensing boiler was delivered to our basement today. It'll be installed over the next week. And not a moment too soon. We could use it on a day like today.

Now, that'll heat up water, and that water will circulate through radiant floor heating that will be in most of the floors throughout the building. When we got to this mudroom, though, we had a little bit of an issue. Kevin Bilo is doing our mechanicals, as always. How are you, my friend?

Bilo

Good, Rich. How are you?

Richard

Good. So, what was the issue here in the mudroom?

Bilo

So, the room requires 5,000 BTUs. The floor space that we put down we can only get 2,800 out of.

Richard

Okay, so you do a heat-loss calculation, and you look at the glass -- big windows and doors here. You got a cold door to a garage. This is a breezeway, so this is cold, and then you --

Bilo

We've got some cabinets in our way.

Richard

Right. So you've only got this much space. So there's cabinets in here, so you can't put it underneath there. It doesn't do you any good.

All right. So what are you gonna do?

Bilo

So, the typical wooden track system we use on the floors, we're gonna put it in the ceiling.

Richard

Okay, so, that track system, we've used it before. It's pretty straightforward -- plywood here, aluminum transfer on the back, and then the groove is made just for the tubing that you're gonna put inside. And you're gonna think outside the box and go this way.

That's correct. Richard

Which is good. Now, we've done it in showers, shower walls. We've done it in stair halls and stuff like that. So this is great.

Bilo

It should give us the BTUs we need.

Richard

Cool. and I see you've got strapping up here, insulation already there, and that's really important because we want to make sure the heat you make

gets driven back down in. Bilo

Correct. They'll put some blown-in insulation on top of it. Should force it down even more.

Richard

It'll be toasty roasty in here. All right. Let's get rolling. There you go.

Nail gun firing

Richard

So, straight shots all the way down and then the return bend at the end.

Man

I'm at 34...

Saw buzzing

Nail gun firing

Saw buzzing

Richard

To increase heat transfer and to eliminate any expansion noise, he adds this paste, this thermal paste. To get the tubing in, if you don't do a lot of this stuff, you take a piece of wood and you hammer it in. If you do it a lot, you use this.

Rapid clicking

Richard

Cool. Go for it, man. So, the tubing is a cross-link polyethylene, also known as PEX, and it's a super-tough plastic that can take a tight bend like this and not kink, and that's a radiant tubing you can trust. You can see the premade bends are perfect to hold the tubing in place and make it return.

Perfect job as always, Kevin. Thank you. This room will be nice and comfy. And that'll do it for us this week, but join us next week when Tommy's gonna repair a very old pocket door, and we'll show off a new low-profile solar panel.

So, until next time, I'm Rich Trethewey for "This Old House." All right. Let's turn on the heat.

Kevin

Next time on "This Old House"...

Jenn

North Shore boulders go in place today to create a level playing field.

I love it. Molly

Let's get another one.

We love these pocket doors. Kevin

Do they work? They kind of work. Hang on. All right.

Laughs

That will be restored. Kevin

Yeah. Well, never throw away a pocket door, right?

Tom

Pocket doors have sat inside these walls for 120 years. Today, they get restored.

Kevin

And today we'll learn how to lay out mosaic tile.