Building Your Own Custom Wine Cellar
If you have a large collection of wines, you have likely considered installing a dedicated room to house your supply. This can seem like a daunting project. However, it doesn’t have to be complicated to build a custom cellar if you keep a few things in mind.
When building a home wine cellar, it’s best to frame an interior room especially for this purpose. Outside walls and concrete can experience temperature fluctuations that can be hard to control and should be avoided. No special construction techniques are needed when building the room itself. However, you will need to make sure that the room is well insulated and has a vapor barrier. This will keep the cool air inside where it belongs and also ensure that the needed humidity stays present. Also, if you are building the cellar in your existing home, make sure that you close all the vents in the area. You should also determine how you plan to cool the room during the planning process. The simplest setups utilize a small, self contained air conditioning unit. For best results, carefully plan the placement and keep the wine cellar cooling units on a thermostat. For a more unobtrusive look, you can duct the room and keep the actual cooler in a different area of the house. This will make your custom wine cellar quieter and also more attractive.
Once you have the basic infrastructure in place, you will need to determine the best setup for the room itself. Your floor should be finished with a natural and heavy duty material such as stone, tile or marble. Vinyl is not the best choice but can be used if you have tight budget constraints. Carpet should never be installed in your custom wine cellar as it is subject to moisture damage and mildew. You will also want to install a sufficient number of wine cellar racks. Use the space to the best advantage, including plenty of storage space. You can also set up a serving station and a small sink for cleanup. Hardwoods like mahogany, oak and redwood are preferred. Never use an artificial finish on the cabinetry. It can actually off-gas and leave an unpleasant taste in your wines. Sufficient lighting should be installed to enhance the design. It’s also very important to choose a suitable door to the cellar. It should be heavy duty and seal tightly enough to hold in the cool air and moisture.
As you can see, installing a custom wine cellar isn’t as difficult as you might have suspected. It can be accomplished as a do-it-yourself project if you are handy with power tools and dimensions, or you can hire a contractor to do the work for you. However, you should carefully supervise the planning and construction to ensure that you get the desired results. While your contractor will likely have experience with the actual construction, they will need your guidance with the specifications and needs of your home wine cellar.
