The best tips for building a wine cellar include controlling the moisture and temperature of the room, and creating a personal style for it as well. The perfect level of moisture for a wine cellar can be tricky to achieve and must be taken into consideration during the construction of the cellar. Temperature raises similar issues and there are a few steps to take that will ensure construction of the best quality wine cellar. The style of the various storage components is also an important consideration when building a wine cellar.
A wine cellar needs to maintain a certain level of humidity in order to keep the wine at its optimal quality. Ideally the room should remain at between 50 and 70 percent humidity, and if necessary, a humidifier should be used to maintain this level. Having the proper amount of moisture is good for the wine, but can be detrimental to building materials and must be considered when building a wine cellar. It is best to seal concrete floors and to use plastic sheeting on all walls as well as the ceiling. Taking these measures will ensure a good moisture barrier and prevent water damage.
Temperature often poses as much of a challenge as moisture control when building a wine cellar, and it is best to make sure that the proper steps are taken while the cellar is still under construction. The first step to ensuring the perfect temperature for the storage of wine is to control temperature fluctuations caused by the outside weather. This is done by properly installing insulation in all walls as well as in the ceiling of the room after the moisture barrier has been put into place. It is important to get a refrigeration unit that is the proper size for the cellar and that can keep the air at the proper chilled temperature.
One final tip is to plan for organization and style when building a wine cellar. A wine cellar can't serve its purpose without an organizational system for the bottles of wine it will house. There are many different systems to use, but the right one will allow plenty of space for the number of bottles being stored, some extra space to grow into, and an aesthetically pleasing look. The style of the storage space as well as the style of the other elements in the cellar are also important and should be pleasing of the owner of the wine cellar.
