Ep 12. Dutch Door, Landscape Checkers
- January 27, 2018
Ask This Old House is a popular home improvement and renovation show that features experts and hosts who provide useful tips and advice on various home maintenance and renovation projects. In this episode, season 16 episode 12, the hosts visit a homeowner who needs help with a Dutch door installation and they also help another homeowner with a landscaping project.
The first segment of the show focuses on the Dutch door installation. The hosts visit a homeowner who wants to install a Dutch door in her kitchen. The homeowner explains that she wants to be able to open the top half of the door to let fresh air in while keeping her dogs inside. The hosts explain that installing a Dutch door involves cutting the door in half and installing hardware that will allow the top and bottom halves to open and close independently.
The first step in the installation process is to cut the door in half. The hosts use a circular saw to carefully cut the door along the horizontal center line. Once the door is cut, the hosts lay out the hardware for the door and begin installing it. They explain that the hardware includes a hinge that connects the top and bottom halves of the door, as well as a latch that will hold the door closed.
The hosts also explain that installing a Dutch door requires some additional weatherproofing, since the door will have a seam in the middle where the two halves meet. They use a weatherproofing tape to seal the seam and then install a weatherstripping along the edges of the door to further seal it against the elements.
Once the hardware and weatherproofing are installed, the hosts hang the door and test it out. They show the homeowner how to use the latch and how to open and close the top and bottom halves of the door. The homeowner is thrilled with the result and thanks the hosts for their help.
In the second segment of the show, the hosts visit a homeowner who needs help with a landscaping project. The homeowner explains that she has a large backyard that she wants to turn into a checkerboard-style patio. She has already laid out the checkerboard pattern using different colored pavers and now needs help leveling the ground and filling in the pavers.
The hosts begin by measuring the height of the pavers and the depth of the surrounding soil. They explain that they will need to remove some of the soil to make room for a base layer of gravel and sand that will hold the pavers in place.
Using shovels and rakes, the hosts begin leveling the ground and removing the excess soil. Once the ground is level, they spread a layer of gravel and then a layer of sand on top. They use a plate compactor to pack down the layers of gravel and sand and create a solid base for the pavers.
Once the base layer is in place, the hosts begin laying the pavers in the checkerboard pattern. They use a rubber mallet to firmly set each paver in place and then add a layer of sand on top to fill in the gaps between the pavers.
The final step in the landscaping project is to add some finishing touches, such as edging and plants. The hosts use a brick edging to define the border of the patio and then plant some flowers and shrubs in the surrounding soil.
The homeowner is thrilled with the final result and thanks the hosts for their help and expertise. The episode concludes with the hosts reminding viewers about the importance of proper installation and maintenance when it comes to home improvement projects.
