This Old House

Doors And Tabletops

General contractor Tom Silva shows master carpenter Norm Abram how he's restoring the circa 1720 raised panel front door with flexible epoxy and a new paint job. Countertop installer Danny Puccio is on hand as the 1,300-pound marble island top is hefted into the kitchen, and kitchen designer Kathy Marshall shows how the hole in the marble will accommodate a concealed compost bin. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows host Kevin O'Connor how he's upgrading the ducted HVAC system to go from one zone to three with the help of a plug-and-play zone damper system that makes retrofits and zoning a hot air system easy. In Plainville, Massachusetts, furniture maker Steve Staples shows Norm how he's making the custom farm table top out of reclaimed floor joists. Back in Bedford, Tom shows Norm how he is using two old doors found in the house to make sliding "barn" entry doors for the new walk-in pantry. Mason Mark McCullough installs the new raised brick hearth around the zero-clearance gas fireplace using the bricks from the old kitchen chimney. Homeowner Joe Titlow takes on yet another project himself, this time composite decking and replacing the rotted railings on his back deck.