This Old House Hour Season 8 Episode 13 Roxbury Project, Part 1 of 10

In season 8 episode 13 of This Old House Hour, viewers are introduced to the Roxbury Project, Part 1 of 10. The show follows homeowners Sarah and Kevin as they work with a team of experts to restore their 1870s Victorian home in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

The episode begins with a tour of the house by homeowners Sarah and Kevin. They explain that the original staircase was removed in the 1970s and replaced with a narrow, steep staircase that doesn't meet building codes. The team of experts from This Old House will work to replace the staircase with a new design that fits the original style of the house.

The first step in the process is to remove the old staircase. Contractor Tom Silva and carpenter Jeff Sweenor carefully remove the treads and risers before taking out the stringers that hold the stairs in place. They also remove the old handrail and newel posts, which will be replaced with custom-designed pieces that match the original style of the house.

With the old staircase removed, the team begins work on designing the new one. Kevin and Sarah work with architect Holly Cratsley to come up with a design that fits the aesthetic of the house while also meeting modern building codes. They decide on a design that includes a curved handrail and balustrade, which will wrap around the newel post at the bottom of the stairs.

In the meantime, master carpenter Norm Abram and woodworker Shaun Bevan work on repairing some of the original woodwork in the house. They carefully remove a section of the old baseboard molding and create a template to replicate the design. They then use a combination of hand and power tools to create a new section of molding that matches the original perfectly.

The show also takes viewers on a tour of a nearby millwork shop, where the team is working on some of the custom pieces for the new staircase. They explain the process of creating a curved handrail, which involves bending a solid piece of wood using heat and steam. They also show how they are creating the newel posts using a combination of hand and machine tools.

Throughout the episode, viewers get a sense of the challenges involved in restoring an older home. The team must stay true to the original design of the house while also meeting modern building codes and incorporating modern amenities. They must also work around unexpected obstacles, such as the discovery of a squirrel's nest in the wall.

Overall, This Old House Hour season 8 episode 13 provides a fascinating look at the process of restoring an historic home. From the design process to the actual construction work, viewers get a sense of the skill and expertise required to restore an older home to its former glory.