[8] Abram initially studied mechanical engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst,[6][7][9] where he became a brother of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity.

[7][9] After leaving college, Abram worked for three years for a multimillion-dollar New England–based construction firm,[6] and was rapidly promoted to a position as a site supervisor.

A one hour special titled The House that Norm Built aired online and on PBS stations on October 3, 2022, surveying his career with the program.

They needed a convenient place to videotape, and used the shop in the small building that Abram built in 1979 in Morash's backyard.

[4] The program showcased furniture or other projects and emphasized classic, elegant designs, made using a combination of simple handtools and newer power tools and equipment.

[6] He delivered the 2001 commencement speech at the North Bennet Street School in Boston, which is renowned for its commitment to teaching craftsmanship.

Norm Abram is well known for his soft spoken, calm manner of explaining precise, efficient woodworking techniques.

Norm Abram has lived with his wife, Elise (a skilled potter),[16] in a custom modified classic two story Colonial, timber framed home that he built in Carlisle, Massachusetts, with the assistance of his father and other professionals.

[24] More recently, he bought a new old house in Rhode Island near the coast, where he plans to build a new woodworking shop, and he is also interested in learning shipbuilding.

[16][23] His fondness for plaid shirts is well-known and at times parodied,[4][6] a prime example being the character Al Borland from Home Improvement, portrayed by Richard Karn.

Abram and his wife enjoy cooking and entertaining, visiting museums and art galleries, boating, kayaking, and fishing.