In the world of celebrity carpenters, Norm Abram is a deity. Women see him as their answer to ever-drip faucets and never-budge husbands. Men watch slack-jawed, imagining themselves in plaid shirts wielding a router or a Chippendale dresser.
The master carpenter of This Old House and New Yankee Workshop is retiring, but not before a one-hour tribute special that will feature classic moments, archival footage and interviews with friends and peers.
Norm Abram
Master carpenter of This Old House since its 1979 premiere and host of New Yankee Workshop a decade later, Norm Abram has inspired millions of homeowners to renovate and restore their homes. Seen across the country as the ultimate home improvement guru, everyone wishes he lived next door.
Norm’s easygoing manner, common-sense approach to renovation, and trademark plaid shirt made him instantly popular. He has appeared on more than 40 shows and is a frequent guest in nationally syndicated cartoons, including on Steven Spielberg’s Freakazoid!
The son of a physical-education teacher, Norm grew up to be an exquisite craftsman dedicated to doing things right. He measures twice and cuts once. He works eight to 12 hours a day, five or six days a week, just like Mick Jagger—only much calmer.
TV Host
Norm Abram built a reputation as TV’s original home improvement guru. His master carpentry expertise on This Old House and its spin-offs, including The New Yankee Workshop, gave viewers the confidence to tackle home improvement projects themselves.
Despite his enduring popularity, Norm never sought fame or fortune. He simply wanted to be able to support his family with work he loved.
Abram has a knack for making complicated carpentry techniques easy to understand, and his calm demeanor is infectious. His emphasis on traditional craftsmanship and hands-on learning has inspired many to pursue woodworking as a career or hobby.
This Old House and its spin-offs have produced seventeen Emmy awards and 82 nominations. The program has even made its way into the pop culture, with Tim Allen starring as homeowner and carpenter Tim Taylor and Richard Trethewey as his arch-rival Al Borland on Tool Time. Norm’s dedication to quality workmanship and teaching has also earned him many friends and fans around the world.
Carpentry Expert
Carpentry was an early passion for Norm Abram, who learned the craft from his father. After gaining some experience with his own construction company, Abram was offered a job by GBH creator Russell Morash to help build a barn. Morash was impressed by Abram’s work, which led to a long-standing partnership on the hit television show This Old House.
During the 43-year run of This Old House and the subsequent series, Abram helped millions of homeowners renovate their homes. His expertise and charisma helped him become a household name and inspired many to take up woodworking.
Outside of his professional life, Norm enjoys time with family and is committed to his community. He also loves to teach, often conducting workshops for aspiring carpenters. His strong work ethic and humility have helped him achieve enduring success. The Norm Abram Special celebrates his legacy, highlighting his classic moments, archived footage and interviews with friends and peers. The one-hour tribute special premieres October 3 on GBH. For more details please visit painting toronto
Family Man
Abram's love for construction began at a young age, with him working for both his father’s and uncle’s grading and seeding business and excavating large development projects. He established his own business, Abram Construction Services Inc. in 1965.
As the son of a carpenter, he worked with his dad on weekends and summers and learned by doing and asking questions. His work was noticed by a TV producer named Russell Morash who invited him to a project to help build a barn, and he was "discovered".
He has appeared in over 1000 episodes of This Old House and has also hosted the New Yankee Workshop. Abram's work has been featured in many other shows and his skills have helped thousands of homeowners across the country. Abram has a deep sense of responsibility to his clients and is always delivering a quality product and the best service possible. He is a true family man who takes great pride in his work.