View ChannelsFeatured: Finance
View ShowroomsFeatured: Radiantec - Radiant Solar Heating

BobVila.com

Home

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Tour

Bob starts the new state-of-the-art greenhouse project with a look at Boston's most famous solarium at the quirky, romantic Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. We look at a house where the owners want to build a greenhouse.

Get Adobe Flash Player to see this content.

Chapters from this episode

Plan for the Greenhouse Now Playing

Plan for the Greenhouse

Demolition of the Front Porch Now Playing

Demolition of the Front Porch

Tour of the Home Layout Now Playing

Tour of the Home Layout

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Tour Now Playing

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Tour

Clip Transcript For:

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Tour

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Now let's meet Hilliard Goldfarb the chief curator here at the Isabella Stewart Gardner hi I'm Bob power. Nice to meet here it's a great spots also little bit about this extraordinary glass roof overhead one -- the first skylight enclosed courtyard in America. It's. Big courtyard about 45 by seven feet approximately -- and the original skylight with 1500 millions. We've."

" The steel trusses supporting it used an original list is not the original now although it's designed to look exactly like the original at a cost of nearly a million dollars in the process of doing climate control. We re done these skylight made tempered especially tempered glass yes. All the controls light and UV and admission at the same time allow the plants into your growing certainly you don't have to worry about killing the -- the law to study on that to make sure that the nikkei's failure who was mrs. Jack Gardner. When she came from well to do New -- family -- Jack Gardner of distinguished Massachusetts Stanley moved up here from the New York and the 1860 for him. She was renowned quarter. The literary circles in which he traveled but primarily. For her great taste than a level arts and political hot. And he built when the greatest collections in America not the first rock feel to come to these shores with the Christmas -- center an American -- collection and she built this house at the museum right that's right. Because by 1996 with it -- mr. -- intention in -- on remembrance she realized that he wanted to create a new team for the public."

" Wouldn't wonder -- a courtyard in the middle of an art -- him. I think -- it reflects a level horticulture and the fact that you wanted to re create effective of the -- plots that she design that it is no provision in creation."

" And she had of went to Italy in eighteen and seventeen crew reflect the architectural elements. Including. Policy from the Condo or of that decorate the courtyard and crisply painted affection of the Stucco walls to keep the paint as -- actually wanted."

[-]

More Videos »Related Videos

Stucco Walls

Bob meets with John Clancy who is applying "California" stucco inside the greenhouse. A tint is applied to the mix to match the interior and a latex bonding material helps keep the stucco adhear to the walls.

Selecting Paint and Painting the Exterior Stucco Walls

Bob meets with Pat Estevez to discuss exterior paint selection and application techniques. Several paint colors are being used to accent the kitchen addition. Acrylic paint is used to stand up to the harsh sun and resist mildew.

Painting a Stucco and Wood Exterior

Bob reviews some of the work done on the house so far. The house was built in 1921 and the exterior stucco walls are in good shape overall. The woodwork, however, was in bad shape as it is 80 year-old wood combined with New England winters. Most of the wood trim was repaired using western red cedar. The gutters on the gambrel roof were also replaced. The porch columns were repaired after suffering insect damage. These stone columns were filled with concrete by mason Kevin Latham. Some new stucco was added where the back door was removed and replaced with a new slider and small window. To add this stucco wall, wire lath is placed over felt paper and plywood. Then a brown coat is added and allowed to cure before the finish coat goes on. Fergus Cullen of CertaPro Painters reviews the issues involved with painting the house. Different parts of the home's exterior are older than others. The old stucco is in good shape, while the new stucco needs to be primed and painted using a couple of coats. The window uses a couple of different materials. The frame has been replaced with Azek, which does not need to be painted but will be painted to match the rest of the trim. The Azek is especially effective in areas where there is a lot of moisture and rot may be a problem. The natural wood surrounding the window will also be primed and painted to match everything else. In some areas the old paint is peeling off in sheets and "alligatoring" or creating check marks in the paint. The old paint used in these sections is likely lead paint and does not have the flexibility New England winter and summer temperature fluctuations. All the areas with chipping and peeling paint will be scraped down, the edges sanded, and then primed. When complete, the texture will be retained but there will be no chipping or peeling involved. Some shingles on the lip of the roof have sustained significant water damage. The damaged shingles are replaced and painted with a solid color stain. This stain looks like paint but penetrates into the wood. There will be a little difference in texture between the old shingles and the new, which comes with having an older home. The most important thing to remember when painting at the end of the season is overnight temperatures. Painting is possible as long as the overnight temperatures are above 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The paint must be given time to cure at the proper temperatures. Painting is also not possible during times of high humidity, which is a problem that plagues hot, humid climates in the South.

How to Repair Chipped or Cracked Stucco

Repairing chipped or cracked stucco is an easy project, but you'll need to set aside a few days to complete it.