Build A Wine Cellar In Your Basement With Glass Stone Wood And More
The right form of storage for wine is crucial as it affects its taste. Storage conditions affect the taste of the wine. For them, we have to maintain a balance of temperature and humidity levels. The basement is one of the best places for wine cellars. Now, is the time to turn your home basement into a wine cellar! To incorporate it into your home, you can test our basement wine cellar ideas.
ID# 122401 | Houzz.com Credit |
Furring/framing Your Walls And Ceiling
Furring is the process of installing strips of wood to raise surfaces or prevent dampness, and to make space for insulation, also known as framing.
For the framing of your wine cellar walls, we recommend using 2×6 framing lumber.
This will improve the energy efficiency of your wine cellar, because the depth of this lumber size means you can install thicker insulation with a higher R-value .
Youll also save more money by using less lumber
If you are building from the ground up, a good choice would be pressure-treated lumber, because this will prevent rot.
For framing the ceiling, we recommend 2×10 framing lumber, so that you caninstall R-30 insulation. Youre recreating a cavern remember!
My Wine Cellar Building Summary Points:
- Wines should be stored horizontally, in a dark, vibration-free environment at 55 60 with 50 70% relative humidity.
- Most wines should be served at cellar temperature and allowed to warm as you drink them.
- An ideal wine cellar is airtight, well insulated and equipped with a properly sized wine cellar cooling unit.
- Air seal the entire wine cellar space, including the floor and ceiling, on the warm side of the cellar.
- Add as much insulation as practical for your space at least R-15. I highly recommend using tape-sealed, foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation when insulating over existing walls .
- Use a properly sized wine cellar refrigeration unit to cool the space and help maintain adequate humidity levels.
- A small USB-powered fan can significantly even the temperature within a cellar and reduce cooling unit cycling.
- Cedar boards make excellent cellar walls/ceilings they are an excellent fastener base for mounting racks and the look and smell terrific.
- I love VintageView display racks, especially for narrow wine cellars.
- Install a motion-sensor light switch that will turn on when you enter, and more importantly, turn off the lights after a set delay. This way you will never leave the lights on in the cellar which could quickly heat up the cellar.
OK on to the building keep reading for the details of my conversion of an unused basement closet into a high-performance wine cellar!
Also Check: Who Makes Black Box Wine
Wine Cellar Climate Control
Climate control will make or break your wine cellar. Wine is a delicate thing. It tolerates temperature and humidity changes only within a narrow band. If it goes above or below, then the aging process is likely to go awry.
When it comes to temperature, 55 degrees Fahrenheit is the accepted sweet spot. A range of 3-4 points above or below this temperature is acceptable. In chemistry, we learn that an increase in temperature increases the rate of reaction. If your wine cellar is too warm, your wine will age too quickly and produce other unwanted reactions. This will damage the quality and taste of the wine. On the other hand, if the conditions are too cool, chemical reactions slow down and your wine ages at a much slower pace.
There is also another aspect of temperature that can damage the wine and that is variability. Without proper climate control, temperatures in the wine cellar will keep swinging between cold and hot. In many cases, the cork sealing the wine is not 100% airtight. As it expands and contracts with temperature variations, oxygen finds its way inside the bottle. As any wine connoisseur knows, too much wine will damage wine flavors because of over-oxidation.
Circular Cuts Wine Rack
This DIY wooden wine rack from Craft Box Girls is a 4-bottle design that would be perfect for a kitchen counter or a dining room table.
The circular cuts are measured to make the wine easy to insert and also secure the wine bottles in case the rack is bumped. This isn’t a difficult DIY project, but it does require specialized woodworking tools such as a miter saw and a hole cutter.
Read Also: How To Make Red Wine Taste Better
Handmade Artistic Vintage Wine Rack
With this hand-built wine rack, you can add something artistic and creative to your wall. There is not much to the design as it is a simple piece of wood with a rebar, but this simplicity works for the piece. The way the rebar is shaped works well to support various wine bottles, and when it is hung on the wall, it offers a decorative quality even without the wine bottles on it. Its simplicity also allows it to be hung in various rooms such as a kitchen, dining room, and living room.
Benefits Of A Wine Cellar
Wine connoisseurs know the value of a well-controlled room for storing wines and other spirits. Unfortunately, the average homeowner may be clueless as to the need for a wine cellar.
That is why it is best to appreciate the benefits of a wine cellar before deciding whether to turn a closet into a wine room or not.
Maximize Shelf Life
Like any food item, wine is a perishable commodity. While it is true that wine tastes better with age, this can only happen if the wine stays in a highly controlled environment.
Wine spoilage results from an interplay of various factors, including light, temperature, and humidity. Controlling these factors improves wines shelf life, developing its full flavors and exciting tasting notes.
That is why many of the worlds best wines are aged in dark, cave-like rooms with just enough light for the sommelier to perform his routine monitoring. Read more about our article on how to turn a garage into a man cave here.
The same is true of a wine cellar in homes. This specialized room increases the wines shelf life, allowing the owner to enjoy a bottle upon opening.
Preserve Quality
Not only does a cellar extends a wines shelf life, but it also preserves every bottles quality. Excessive humidity can cause cork damage, introducing air into the wine which leads to oxidation and eventually, to wine spoilage.
High temperatures can hasten the wine aging process. Wines taste better if they undergo slow aging.
Serve Wine At Optimum Temperatures
Read Also: Can Wine Be Shipped To Oklahoma
Clever Diy Wine Rack Ideas
Home » DIY Projects
Looking for wine rack ideas? I’ve compiled a list of 20 clever DIY wine rack and cabinet projects, so you can display your collection of bottles!
Everyone loves wine, right? But it can be hard to find a place to store it all so that it’s easy to access while still looking great.
If youre done spending hours scouring the stores looking for the right solution, why not try a DIY wine rack instead? Not only can you make one that youll love, but youll be able to brag that you did it yourself as well!
Wine Cellar Refrigeration Cooling Units
If you plan on actively cooling your wine cellar you will need to acquire a wine cellar cooling unit. As tempting as it is to use alternate methods to cool your wine cellar, it usually makes sense to invest in a cooling unit designed specifically for wine cellars. Using central air conditioning ducts to cool a wine cellar space tend to lower humidity levels too much, be difficult to control and may not deliver cool enough air for ideal conditions. Window unit air conditioners generally do not work well as they are not designed to maintain wine cellar levels of cooling.
Cooling units made specifically for wine cellar cooling are designed to efficiently produce proper wine cellar temperatures and help maintain higher levels of humidity. If you are building a wine cellar that needs cooling, I highly recommend purchasing a wine cellar cooling unit.
There are several different makes of wine cooling units. I bought and really like my CellarPro 1800XT unit. This was the first and only cooling unit I have purchased. Ive had it since I bought it new in 2010 and used it without any problems since. I highly recommend CellarPro units.
Most wine cellar cooling units are designed as one of two basic configurations: 1) Self-contained Through The Wall units and 2) Two-part Split Systems.
Through The Wall Wine Cellar Cooling Units
Split System Wine Cellar Cooling Units
Qualtiy Wine Cellar Cooling Units
Read Also: Where Can I Buy Outlander Wine
Diy How To Build A Wine Cellar
In this video, this YouTuber tells us about the wine cellar he built and rebuilt with his father. It consists of him giving his thoughts about the project as well as lots of photos documenting the construction, and as you can see from the shots at the end, its a cellar to be proud of. This is a relatively simple plan for building a place to store your wine, so if youre looking for something that isnt overly complicated, this video should be of interest.
Wine Bar Ii Wine Rack
Some good homemade wine storage ideas use something that comes with wine in the first place such as wine boxes. This design has a nice vintage quality to it that makes it instantly attractive. It can support three wine bottles with ease too, and due to its size, you can freely set this up as a tabletop storage option or keep it on the floor. With the supplied hardware, you can even fix this to the wall. There is even space for you to stash some wine glasses as well so that you can quickly fulfill your drinking needs without straying too far from the storage rack.
Don’t Miss: Type Of Champagne For Mimosa
Wine Cellar Cooling Essential When Building A Wine Cellar
Wine cooling units are available in several different configurations. Take some time to choose the Best Wine Cellar Cooling Unit For You based on your cellar location and size. Wine cooling units work similar to air conditioners â they add cool air to the room and exhaust hot air. Most cooling units can be installed if youâre handy, with the exception of the split systems. Split systems require an experienced HVAC Contractor for installation because coolant must be added to the system once installed. For proper operation and effectiveness of your cooling unit, it is important to get the right size unit for your space, have proper insulation and vapor barriers.
Through-the-Wall Cooling UnitFully Ducted Cooling UnitSplit System Cooling
Minimalistic Diy Tabletop Wine Rack
For those of you in need of something simple and small to handle just a couple of wine bottles, this tabletop wine rack is perfect for you. It can hold two bottles with ease, which can be more than enough for some people. The bottles simply look good settled in that position too as they come across not just as something to drink, but also as décor within their own rights. This is why it is such a wonderful idea to place out where everyone can see such as in the dining room. It can breathe new life into your rooms décor, providing the area with something clean yet bold enough to stand out.
Recommended Reading: Wine Stores In Raleigh Nc
Hexagon Shaped Metal Wine Rack
This hexagon-shaped wine rack looks great for people who love to showcase their collection. It is different than any other kinds, and it will easily hold up to six different kinds of wine!
How to do it?
Luckily for you, this rack is available on Amazon! However, if you wish to do it on your own, make sure that you:
Step 1: Have a couple of sturdy wine corks that you will use as a base.
Step2: Use thin metal straps and place them into the cork by drilling little holes.
Step 3: Use a sturdier glue so that it seals in the end.
Minimalist Rustic Wine Bottle Holder
For those of you that need to save more space, then this minimalist wine bottle holder is perhaps the best option for you. This hangs on the wall well, but it also has a thin design so that it doesnt hog too much of the wall. By doing so, you can set this up in an apartment or condo setting well enough. It gives you space to stash your wine bottles, and it also can help you add to the decorations in the room. There are several wood stains you can select from as well so that you can personalize this as much as possible to best suit your homes style.
Read Also: Aurin Estates California Chardonnay
Prime And Paint Walls
One of the last steps is to finish the room with paint. Be sure to prime and then paint with a water-based, zero VOC exterior grade paint.
This is more durable than interior grade paints and will do better at withstanding the high humidity environment. Oil based paints can cause an odor that lingers and can be difficult to get rid of, especially in a hermetically sealed space like a wine cellar. Be sure to let the paint dry completely before adding bottles to your cellar.
How To Justify The Cost Of Building A Wine Cellar
The indulgence of collecting wine, storing wine and sipping wine is nothing new. Custom wine cellars of today are undoubtably a luxury. With that said, many people say that building a wine cellar is easy to justify. Why?
If you enjoy buying and drinking wine, there comes a time when you must consider where to appropriately store your red wine. You may not consider a wine cellar to be a cost-effective venture. After all, the upfront cost of having one created alone may outstrip the value that it provides to the average drinker. However, collectors will argue that having a wine cellar opens so much potential to save, or even earn, money in the long run.
Also Check: Who Delivers Wine To Your Home
Insulation Is Necessary When Building A Wine Cellar
A vapor barrier is critical in controlling the humidity of your wine cellar. This barrier keeps the higher humidity from flowing out of the room, and prevents warm and most air from getting in . The vapor barrier helps to prevent excess condensation build up if you are using a cooling unit.
The interior walls of your wine cellar should be insulated with a minimum of R13 for 2 x 4 framing . If you live in areas of very high summer temperatures or very low winter temperatures, we recommend that you insulate with R19 and R30 where your framing allows. Ceilings should be insulated to a minimum of R19 with R30 being preferred.
Rustic Wine Room Design Ideas
Beautiful wine cellar design. Stone walls with tile floors and custom built wood racks. Single bottle, diamond and storage.
Rustic wine room design, wood single bottle racks with center barrel.
Large wine cellar design with stone basement walls and wood racks.
Large basement wine cellar with wooden diamond and single bottle wine racks.
Rustic wine cellar with stone walls and wood ceiling. Custom built wood wine racks with a wood center tasting table. Glass doors.
Beautiful wine room featuring custom built racks, shelves and drawers. Medium stained real wood. Stone tile floors. Vertical wall paneling.
Beautiful wine room design with brick walls and ceiling.
Small rustic wine room with custom wood racks and shelves.
You May Like: Wine Country Inn Jacksonville Or
How Do You Cool A Wine Closet
Wine cellars are a highly controlled environment that promotes the gradual aging of fine wine. It must maintain a constant temperature between 55- and 60-degrees Fahrenheit.
A higher temperature can hasten the aging process, change the chemical profile of volatile compounds, alter the wines color, and reduce sulfur dioxide levels. These factors can degrade the wines overall quality.
That is why an essential aspect of closet conversion into a wine cellar is determining its refrigeration system.
Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems
Homeowners have two options for cooling their closet wine cellars and maintaining a stable temperature for the wines.
A through-the-wall wine cellar refrigeration system looks like a window-type air conditioning unit with one side inside the wine cellar and the other side outside the closet. The evaporator coils on the systems wine cellar side reduce the ambient temperature to the ideal levels.
On the other hand, the condenser coils on the systems warm side circulate warm air, preventing it from reaching the wine cellars interior.
While this cooling system is affordable and straightforward to install, it does require adequate space for its condenser section to remove heat. It can also be noisier than a split system.
The principal advantages of a split wine cellar refrigeration system are its higher cooling capacity, better space efficiency, easier installation, and less noise. However, it is more expensive than a through-the-wall unit.
If You Have Access To Both Sides Of Your Stud Wall:
Install the vapor barrier between the studs and the warm exterior wall.
Typically, 1/2â³ plywood sheeting will be secured to all walls to anchor your wine racking, but it is not required if using nailers between studs. Although a standard 1/2â³â 3/4â³ sheet rock may be used, it is highly recommended that you use moisture resistant âgreen boardâ.
Don’t Miss: Davis Bynum Chardonnay 2017
Types Of Cooling Unit With Pros And Cons
Here we will break down the 3 different types of cooling unit, along with their pros and cons:
Through-the-Wall, Self-Contained Systems
Through-the-wall units go through the walls, and fit between the wall studs and between rooms.They tend to be self contained units, and are the easiest and cheapest ways to cool your cellar.
Pros:
Some of the best brands of cooling units are WhisperKOOL, Breezaire, and CellarPro.
You can browse our entire range of cooling units on sale here.
