Are you a wine fanatic with a longstanding desire to own your own wine collection? Most people often assume that building a wine cellar is expensive due to high contractor fees.
However, your dream isn’t as far-fetched as you might think. Did you know you can DIY (do it yourself) your wine cellar construction project? All you need is the right guide at your fingertips.
This article highlights this guide by discussing the dos and don’ts of building your DIY wine cellar. Read on for the tips!
The Dos
These are discussed under different elements of the wine cellar and include:
1. Framing Your Walls
Frames are an essential part of your wine cellar, helping you add insulation to your wine cellar. The ideal frame should be wooden, as wood is an insulator.
Make sure the frames are the right size and allow ample space between the outer wall and the cellar’s inner wall. According to Wine Cellar HQ, 2×6 framing lumber is best for your wine cellar, allowing enough space for higher R-value insulation, which improves the energy efficiency of your wine cellar.
Ensure the space between the frame joists is large enough to accommodate your insulation. Also, add drywall to your framing after installing your insulation.
2. Storage Shelves
Wine bottles tend to be delicate; dropping one means losing an investment, especially if you’re into collectible ones. With this in mind, it’s clear that you must add storage shelves.
It’s advisable to store your wine horizontally, with the cork touching the wine. Achieve this with your storage shelves and a wine rack, which is an ideal solution for this purpose.
There are several designs you can adopt. Ensure the spaces between the racks are large enough to hold your wine, considering the size and shape of your bottles. Alternatively, you can buy a pre-made wine rack.
With the many designs available, choosing a wine rack can be challenging. However, prioritize your needs during the selection without forgetting to factor in aesthetics.
3. Maintaining Temperatures
Wine requires regulated temperatures to maintain its quality. High temperatures will cause the wine to lose flavor, while very low temperatures might allow air into your wine through its cork after it dries out.
Therefore, you must ensure your wine cellar has the right temperature. There are various ways to do this. Invest in a cooling unit and place it strategically in your cellar. It’s best if the unit’s average temperature is between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius.
Alternatively, buy one with a thermostat that you can adjust the temperature depending on your needs. Also, it’s best to have an air vent in the cellar to ensure continuous airflow, which regulates the wine cellar’s temperature.
4. Seating Area
Yes, a wine cellar works to store your wine, but it should serve more than this purpose. You likely have friends who love wine as much as you do, and visiting your wine cellar to taste your wines will bring them great happiness. You want them to have a good time during the wine tasting while they’re also comfortable.
Hence, do add a seating area. The seating area doesn’t have to be large. A medium-sized round table with two or three comfortable chairs will do the trick. It’s best to position them away from your wine rack, preferably towards the wall. Remember, your wine collection should be the centerpiece of the cellar.
The Don’ts
Like the dos, here’s what not to do, discussed under subheadings:
1. Storage Space
Wine collecting is a hobby you’re likely just starting to enjoy. There’s a likelihood you have a few bottles. With this, you might be tempted to build a small wine cellar.
Please don’t build a small wine cellar. What will you do as your wine collection grows over time? You might even expand and start your winery.
Instead, build a wine cellar that’s bigger than what you currently need. It’s helpful to have a larger floor space. You can start with just the necessary wine rack, and since wine racks are easy to add and also come pre-made, you can expand as your collection grows.
2. Lighting
Lighting is a tricky aspect that wine cellar owners find challenging to navigate. In most cases, you’ve heard people advising on adopting bright light to brighten a space.
Don’t do this with your wine cellar. As mentioned earlier, wine is sensitive to temperature. Bright and excessive light is associated with the emission of heat that negatively affects your wine.
Instead, use LED bulbs that don’t emit much heat and low-voltage lighting fixtures. Also, don’t have too many bulbs in the cellar. The collective heat from each is likely to be high. However, this doesn’t mean your wine cellar has to be dull.
Consider playing around with the lighting; place fixtures at the floor level and along the sides of the ceiling.
Conclusion
Building a DIY wine cellar is quite easy with the right insight, as stated in the introduction. The discussion further highlights the dos and don’ts of this project.
If you plan on undertaking the project, please understand the insight provided here and implement it in your project. Doing so ensures you achieve a functional and aesthetically pleasing wine cellar.
