Construst The Perfect Wine Cellar Or Wine Storage Room

If you have a growing set of wine, it may be time to think about constructing a wine cellar. Some time ago the custom wine cellar room was unusual; today more and more wine connoisseurs are learning about wine cellar construction or contracting the work out to those who know how to do the job right.

Wine cellars are more than a dark, cool place to store a collection of wine bottles. Todays custom wine cellar is a controlled environment where humidity and temperature are regulated to allow wine to accurately age without damage to corks, labels or the wine itself.

There are two kinds of wine cellars. One is a room that has been specifically designed to store wine in the correct environment and the other is a stand-alone component that copies those conditions. A stand-alone wine cellar is not as valuable as a custom-built version, but some people desire the aesthetics of a small cooled refrigerator over a custom wine cellar. Those who do choose a custom cellar have three simple considerations for proper construction.

Temperature Control and Venting

A wine cellar room is used to hold and age the wine in the bottle rather than keeping it at a serving temperature. (A stand-alone wine refrigerator is best for carrying wine out of the cellar to hold at serving temperatures.) Aging wine is a balance of time, temperature and the chemical reactions that occur as a outcome of the two.

Wine should be matured in conditions ranging between 55 and 65 percent humidity and a steady 55 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take one degree. Wine kept at higher temperatures will mature faster and wine experiences chemical reactions at higher temperatures that destroy the notes of the wine over time.

In some locations of the country, property holders with basements often find that conditions are right for basic wine storage, but seasonal temperature and humidity variations ought to be avoided. The ultimate storage solution is a custom-built or DIY-construction wine cellar with climate and humidity control using a wine cooling unit to maintain the temperature at a steady 55 degrees.

These components are available in a range of sizes and the dimensions of your wine room will control what size you need to purchase. In no way buy a wine cellar cooling system too small for your room; you may never get a steady, optimal storage temperature and the wine cooling system will become overtaxed trying to keep up.

Wine cooling units demand proper venting, and your wine cellar construction plan requires either a hole in the wall to allow venting outdoors or enough vent space to circulate warm air out of the room. Check the specs of your wine cooling system; most require a venting space at least two times as large as the wine cellar space itself.

Electrical power is also an issue. Custom wine cellar builders recommend a dedicated power source to run a wine cellar refrigeration system. Those who want to use a shared power source often find the unit overloading with blown fuses and other electrical problems.


Insulation and Vapor Barriers

The wine cooling unit is only part of your climate control plan for a custom wine cellar; you also need a vapor barrier made of plastic sheeting used on the hot side of the wall. Some people cover the interior of the wine cellar before placing the insulation, leaving the plastic loose so that insulation can be placed between the studs in the wall. Wrap the ceiling and the walls, or your vapor barrier will be unfinished. Once the barrier is installed, the insulation will come next.

Good wine cellar building requires the right kind of insulation for your walls and ceiling. For instance, if you are building a 2x6 wall, R19 insulation is recommended, but if you have a smaller wall of 2x4, R13 may be your best bet. (The R designation represents the heat resistance of the insulation.) Ceilings need R30. Custom wine cellar builders should never set up the insulation loose without filling the substance into the sections, as this reduces the insulations effectiveness.

The next phase is to install a style of drywall called green board, which is moisture-resistant, making it a bit more expensive than regular drywall. Install an exterior-grade door to the wine cellar and your climate control plan is complete.

Lighting and UV Exposure Control

Wine is damaged by UV exposure, which is why the bottles are usually made out of dark glass. Stay away from putting in fluorescent bulbs in the wine cellar, as they give off UV radiation. Control the intensity by using recessed lighting on a dimmer and avoid shining light directly on your wine bottles for long periods of time. Some wine cellar racks are made with sections that hide bottles from the light which can help lessen the exposure, but if your bottles are stowed in plain view, try to avoid the spotlight effect on your bottles.

Other Concerns

Just about any type of flooring can be used in your custom wine cellar. If your home is big enough for a tasting room to complement your cellar, you may wish to give them both the same look, but by no means use carpet and rugs in the cellar space. They simply cant hold up to the required humidity levels without giving away to mold. Mold growth will destroy your wine, as can any powerful odor from chemicals or cheeses. A wine cellar should be used only to store wine; keep food in a different area.

Constantly examine the temperature and humidity in your wine cellar with an external sensor or gauge. Never assume that the wine cooling component will always work properly. A quick glimpse at the external gauge can give you early warning if the wine cooling system is having difficulties, or if the unit is showing a wrong readout because of a bad sensor or other technical problems.

Creating a custom wine cellar may call for some thought to the design demands of proper wine cellar storage, but once correctly built, you may realize that your collection grows rapidly; its simple to invest more money in wine when you know it will be stored securely for maximum delight.