10 Easy Tips for Building a Wine Cellar
There are many ways you can add a bit more value to your own home, but most of these ways can be quite expensive. However, the cheapest way to bring that value to your home is by building a wine cellar.
According to Wine Racks America creating some space for your wine collections would be a great inclusion to your home both for your use and showing off to your friends. It doesn’t have to be in a specific format and design. You can make your wine cellar the way you want it.
Building custom wine cellar designs has been the dream for many wine collectors because of the desire to make it unique and special. However, there are basic principles that apply before you can think of designing that special wine cellar for your home. Here are 10 easy tips to help you build a wine cellar in your home:
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Think about the Functionality and Use of your Wine Cellar
Right from the beginning, you need to know the purpose of why you need to build such a thing in your house. This puts together everything that has to do with how the wine cellar will be used and its basic function. For instance, you need to be clear on whether it will just be used for wine storage or it will also be a place for wine collection display and entertaining guests.
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Stay up-to-date with wine storing standards
There are already established optimal storage conditions for wine that must be adhered to. Basically, for most ideal setups, you must ensure that the temperature in the cellar is between 50 and 65°F for properly keeping the wine. The humidity in the storage space should be kept somewhere between 65 and 75%. Although, deviating by a little from these numbers won’t hurt your wine. Since a cellar is always underground, this kind of humidity and temperature may be natural. If that is not the case, it will be important to create that environment.
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Balance Between Aesthetics and Functionality
Most people like to decorate their cellars with glass. However, we believe that it is important that glass does not have the best insulation properties and is fragile too.The decision whether you should stick with this type of material or if you want to go with something that’s classic such as wood or metal is up to you. Wood will be much sturdier and will provide better insulation, but you won’t get that modern look.
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Insulate Concrete Walls
It is no secret that most underground levels of a house are made entirely from concrete. They are usually done like this because most of the time, the underground level is used for storing non-organic items. Boxes with old books, toys, or whatever it is. It is not meant for storing things such as wine which needs requires the right environment. Fortunately, there are many ways you can insulate your walls and ensure that your wine doesn’t spoil from too high or too low temperature.
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Know the Wine Cellar Construction Basics
Having a good cellar is not just about having the right wine brands and expensive bottles. You will need to do everything you can to ensure that the liquid inside of those bottles stays at the same temperature as long as possible. The more their temperature fluctuates, the higher the chances it spoils. Here are the 3 most essential things you will need to consider for building your wine cellar.
First, you will need to make sure that there is no air going in or out of this underground lever. In other words, an airtight door. Your next most important thing is the insulation like we already mentioned. Concrete is not the best insulator and will require additional materials to keep the temperature inside stable at all times. The last thing we must recommend is a vapor barrier. This is a plastic sheet that can be attached to the walls, ceiling, and floor to prevent diffusion of moisture.
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Choose your cooling system
We can’t stress enough just how important it is that the temperature in your cellar is constantly under your control. Deviating too much from the standard (50 to 65°F) will hurt your wine collection. Do your research before you buy your cooling system.
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Consider your Rack Shape and Size
Now that you understand the kind of stock you will keep in your wine cellar, it is important to choose the right rack for it. There are different versions in the market but not all will serve your style requirements and specific needs. There are those for individual bottle storage, case storage, diamond bin storage, and tabletops. All these are options to consider based on your needs!
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Keep in mind the different shapes of bottles
Assuming that you are a wine connoisseur, you probably know about the different sizes of bottles. Some can come in a 275ml or 750ml size and some can even go up to 18L.The differences between these can be huge which means you will have to take them into account too. Equip yourself with racks that will support both the small and big variants.
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Find the right rack type
If you have been looking around the internet, you are probably aware of just how expensive custom racks can get. Fortunately, you still have the option of purchasing rack kits which are a bit cheaper than your original option.
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Calculate the possible expenses
It is always good to have a plan for your expenses for everything. That way, you will stand a good chance of making the most of your wine cellar construction. Certain requirements have to be met and therefore, you are left with few options to leverage on. With this in mind, make sure you have the most efficient construction materials in terms of cost and functionality. Identify the wine cooling unit and wine racks to use as well. Other important items to factor in your budget are the wine cellar floor and other accessories.
Final Thoughts
Building a wine cellar is a great addition to your home. There is a lot that comes with it over and above getting some good storage for your wine collection. Knowing that you got someplace to relax as you take wine from the comfort of your room is the dream of every homeowner. However, it is important to understand the basics to make the most out of this investment.
