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Restorer Guy, the newest Richmond television series, premiers on Tuesday
07/20/2009 7:59 AM by John M
Gable Painter’s new show The Restorer Guy will premier this Tuesday, July 21st @ 7PM on The Learning Channel (TLC):
Gable Painter (yes, that’s his real name) brings new life to old structures in Restorer Guy. A meticulous and obsessive home restoration expert, Gable Painter and his team get their hands dirty restoring historic homes in an effort to bring America back to its former beauty one house at a time.
He shot two episodes of his new show working on my front porch restoration and fireplaces. I could not be more happy with the work.
is this the same dude that was on “Flip This House” a year or two ago (for work he did on 800ish block of 23rd or 24th St. in Union Hill?
It’s gotta be tough being a star. Gable came on board after the new wood siding went up and the windows were in. The details of the facade and porch restoration is impeccable. His work 🙂
http://studiowolf.jalbum.net/porchrestore/
This show does shine a nice light on Richmond and these remarkable old houses.
How can I sign my home up. We are in desperate need of restoration work that we can not afford to pay for.
@12 You have to pay to have work done on the show according to the ad that John posted a while ago.
I don’t have cable. Is anybody planning on recording the show? I would love to borrow a copy at a later time if at all possible.
Gable is a good guy. Ive known him since his days at AmFamFit- he’s quite the eclecticist but to do what he does you need to be. Im glad to see the guy doing well and representing Richmond.
This guy rocks! Today in a society where everything seems to be disposable it’s refreshing to see someone has the knowledge to bring something back to it’s historical state! My husband and I saw him for the first time on Flip this House. We said then that he should have his own show! Glad to see it became a reality. I for one will be watching all his shows and probably the reruns too!
I sold this property roughly 1 year ago. It’s a fantastic building, was before renovations and shines after. I would suggest you all to tune in.
I found the show very disappointing. I was hoping it would focus on the actual restoration. Instead it was a typical paint-by-numbers reality “drama.”
Oh no, we’re behind schedule!! Oh no, not enough money! Hey, lets waste 5 minutes showing the crew drinking beer and complaining on the porch.
I really miss the days when these shows actually showed people DOING stuff and explaining how to do it.
well said mikedidnt see the show but after 35 years in entertainment buiss and contruction on the side stagnant tv crap is same as stagnant music crap or any other medium, didnt see the show but from the little i have seen of gabels work its top flight maybbe some one needs to tell him the joke about the difference between a monitor engineer and a toilet
Gable worked on the house behind us for “Flip This House”. I have never met anyone who took a job as seriously as he did. Gable walked us through the house several times when it was a shell talking about ideas for how to set it up. The detail he put into the place was amazing. He agonized over the paint scheme for weeks. The guy definitely has a passion for what he does and loves to share it with the people around him.
I know this is off the subject, but does anyone know what brand of “construction grade epoxy” was used? I need to fix up my old house (1913) and that would come in real handy. I especially liked the way it could be shaped. Thanks.
I came in on that part and wondered the same thing.
re #27, I didn’t see the show but for epoxy or wood-hardener you might try Siewer’s, they carry some quality products that are far superior to Bondo stuff you get at Lowe’s. Abatron is one brand that I like, it might be what Siewer’s carries.
regardless of the quality of his work (which i’ve seen a bit of good and a bit of not-so-good)… doesn’t it bother anyone, especially Deanna, that he drinks on the job and bad mouths the client on public television?? did this escape everyone else’s notice! if i were Deanna, i’d be wondering about suing for slander! Ridiculous! public bashing the woman who is (supposedly) paying him!
i thought the last show was pretty funny. I laughed for a good bit when the one guy realized that the mantle he spent all day searching for and then installing, was the mantle from his own apartment. The look on his face was priceless. Regardless of his work its a tv show, its supposed to be entertaining and as long as he accomplishes that then he did a good job.
Re #29, I checked out the Abatron online and it looks like that might be the stuff. Packaging is yellow, which matches what was on the show, and they claim it’s shapeable, so I think I’ll give it a try. Thanks for your input.
Gable Painter…I’m in love. Marry me. 🙂
I’m with Ramzi…Abatron is really good.
Abatron is OK, but if your repair is exposed to lots of moisture or foot traffic (like my back porch) I recommend Bondo Home Solutions Extra Strength Wood Repair Epoxy Kit, 20020.
You can special order it by the case via Pleasants Hardware. This is also shape-able, but it sets up harder than Abatron. I like it especially for rotten porch floor boards. I also use it for posts and other exterior trim.
For home owners (who aren’t just doing a cosmetic fix to sell a house) any patching product can look good for a few months, but, you’ve got to monitor the area because the “seam” around the new patch and the old wood is the weak link. Over time, rain water will seep in thru that seam, attack the old wood, and compromise your entire patch.
One way to help prevent this “seam” from opening is to caulk around the area (on the surface after priming and before top-coating) where the new patch meets the old wood.
Use the wood hardeners like both manufacturers recommend for the soft remaining wood surrounding your patch.
I think this man is awesome! Not only does he know his stuff but he has local respect. You can’t get a TV show by faking it all the way. He has to be doing something right. He may seem psychotic to some of you, but they are the methods to his maddness, and it seems to be that it’s what gets the job done right. I say right on Gable.
i getting ready to restore a house in louisville KY its 109 year old 4 bedroom and 2 bathroom home. im excited i want to flip it. does anyone know if restoring old homes in old downtown louisville, can you get grants for that?
also whats the main problems in houses like that?
it is turned into a duplex, how do you know witch walls to take down and which ones are supporting. im doing it on my own and im 18, im not all that skilled but i want to do this.
Brittany, I recommend you contact a number of people:
1) Your city’s building permits department to find out what’s required before you begin construction
2) Your city’s housing/historic preservation department to find out what kind of programs, if any, they have for restoring old houses
3) Someone in your city who has experience working with old houses. The potential “problems” you might encounter are too numerous to mention, but accidentally demolishing a load-bearing wall would definitely fit in the category of “problem.”
Googling all of this is probably a good way to start your search.
I want to see more of pikey, that dude is HOOOT!!! Is it just me?? Phewwww girrrrl!!! mmmmm
Loved the Jackson Ward restoration last night! I did a walk-through of that home when it was on the market… GP worked a miracle! From what last night’s episode showed, I cannot wait for next weeks episode to see the downstairs…
Restorer Guy used paint striper to remove paint off old hardware…which works…but a better cheaper method is to soak the hardware in white vinegar over low heat. It works great…I’ve used it one all types…comes out with a black film that scrubs off with soap and water.
FYI…I live in a circa 1825 home
Does anyone know how to get in contact with Gable. Does his company have a website?
you can find him on facebook
Finally a show about never quite made it,has been, alcoholic band dudes working…sort of.
I saw one of his shows, and from what I saw his work looks pretty darn good. I would like to know how to go about hiring him. Any body know if he does he do renovations for hire or just to flip? Email me at sportcars@comcast.net if you know.
I like renovation shows (doing a few renos myself) and this one in particular as it features heritage homes. I hope it gets renewed.