Building A Wine Cellar

Building a wine cellar in your home is an idea that is gaining in popularity. Home wine cellars are storage spaces that protect wine from damaging external elements.

Because wine is a perishable food product, it's vulnerable to exposure to heat, light, and humidity. But if stored correctly, wines will retain their quality, and some will improve as they mature.

Before beginning your wine cellar construction project, think about how you want to use the room. There are two options: storage only; and storage plus entertainment. If you intend bringing your guests there to have a glass while discussing your favorite opera, you will obviously need more space and furntiure than if you are only going to store wine there.

Additionally, you might consider having the room on the first floor of your home rather than in the basement. Many older homes have both a formal living room and a den. The living room is never used.

You might want to convert it by building a wine cellar there. Once you think about how to use the room, and approximately how much wine you will keep in the room, you can begin designing it.

If you are building a wine cellar in your basement, on a cement floor, the floor has to have a vapor barrier and be sealed to minimize the affect of humidity. Whether or not to add a finished floor is up to you.

If the room will be on the first floor, just be sure the floor can hold the weight of the racks, coolers, and wine bottles. A simple and inexpensive insurance policy is to add a lollie column or two below the room.

Once the flooring issues are resolved, you should make sure that the walls, ceiling, and floor (if above the basement) all have R-19 insulation to help you maintain a constant temperature. If you're in the basement and using one or more exterior concrete walls, apply the vapor barrier and sealant as you did with the floor. Make sure the vapor barrier is facing the right way, or you will get moisture penetrating the room.

Next comes the door. Many homeowners use a solid wood door with weatherstripping. Technically, (and for maximum protection from the atmosphere) the ideal door must be windowless and insulated. And the weatherstripping should make the door opening air tight.

Your climate control can be achieved in two ways. You can purchase wine coolers in various sizes; or you can make the room a separate zone, added to your central air conditioning system. The room should be kept at about 55 to 58 degrees, and humidity should be 50% to 70%. If you choose to buy the wine cooler(s), the best place to shop is on the internet. Look for free shipping.

Your lighting should be dim. Too much light will hinder your effort to maintain the quality of your wine. If you're tight for wall space, placing the light switch on the outside of the wall might be helpful.

The finishing elements of your room are up to you. However, you should avoid cedar, or other woods that emit an odor. And you should not use oil-based paint - stick with latex.

Depending on space and your preferences, little extras like a tasting counter (or a bar), humidor, and a place for your wine accessories, are all nice touches.

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