A wine cellar is a mandatory attribute of a personal plot of any self-respecting winemaker. The need to store wine in a designated room is determined by strict requirements for air humidity, temperature and lighting levels, compliance with which allows you to get a really high-quality seasoned product.

In this article we will tell you how to make a wine cellar with your own hands. Construction technology, design and decoration options will be presented, as well as an overview of equipment to maintain the required microclimate inside the cellar.

1 Building a wine cellar - step by step instructions

The wine cellar can be equipped both on the basis of an existing basement, and built completely from scratch. The latter option, if there is free space on the site and a sufficient budget, is preferable, since you will get not just a separate room for storing barrels and bottles, but a full-fledged room where you can equip a cozy recreation area, spend time and receive guests.

When choosing a place for the cellar, give preference to the highest points of the infield, so you will simplify your life in the future, having lost the need to deal with groundwater. The size of the cellar is selected based on the volume of stored wine and the features of the use of the room in the future - will it be just a warehouse or is it planned to equip a relaxation zone? For the minimum ceiling height, it is rational to take 2 meters, which will allow you to walk freely inside the cellar.

The construction of a wine cellar consists of the following steps:

1. Preparatory work and the development of the pit.
2. Foundation installation and screed filling.
3. Wall masonry and ceiling installation.
4. Thermal insulation and waterproofing of the room.
5. Finishing work, installation of ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

To develop a pit, you will need to attract an excavator or tractor, since it is irrational to manually dig such sizes. The depth of the pit should be 20 cm greater than the height of the walls of the cellar, which will be required to fill the sealing layer.

After developing the foundation pit, it is necessary to fill in the reinforced concrete slab at its bottom, which will serve as the basement and floor of the cellar. Work begins with filling the bottom of the sand layer with a thickness of 10 cm, it is compacted and covered with geotextile, on top of which a layer of crushed stone of a similar thickness is filled. Next, formwork is set from planed boards, it should be 20-30 cm away from the walls of the foundation pit. The formwork is fixed with spacers and stakes, then the reinforcing cage (cells 20 * 20 cm) is assembled from it from 12 mm reinforcement bars. The frame should have two belts - upper and lower, connected by vertical jumpers. The last stage is concreting the foundation with ready-mixed concrete of the M400 brand. The dismantling of formwork can be carried out a week after filling the slab.

Next, work begins on laying the walls of the cellar. Walls are easiest to make from FBS blocks, but you can also use ordinary brick. Masonry is performed in a standard way, with dressing in the floor of the block on a cement layer 1 cm thick, it is not necessary to reinforce the walls from FBS.

The last stage in the construction of the “box” of the cellar is the installation of a floor slab. This will also require the involvement of special equipment - a truck crane. You don’t have to do anything with your own hands, the crane operator will do everything. Keep in mind that the maximum length of reinforced concrete products of floor slabs is 12 m, so the dimensions of the cellar must be designed in accordance with these dimensions.

After laying the slab, the free space between the outer plane of the walls and the ground must be covered with clay. Pressing the clay well you will form a barrier that will prevent the effects of groundwater on the walls of the cellar.

1.1 Insulation work, interior planning

Since the wine cellars have strict requirements for the internal microclimate, you will need to make high-quality insulation of the room. Here, complex heat and waterproofing of walls and roofs will be required, which will ensure that there are no problems with dampness, mold and fungus.

It is best to use extruded polystyrene foam as a heater, and penetrating waterproofing to protect it from moisture. It must be applied in two layers with a roller. Penetron is a well-established composition, the material is supplied in powder, which must be diluted in water before use according to the instructions.

Further, insulation is fixed on the surface of the walls and ceiling. It is easiest to fix polystyrene foam panels by gluing, but this option is suitable only if the decoration of the wine cellar does not include the use of cladding materials. It is possible to glue the insulation with further plastering of the walls, if it is planned to finish the walls with wood, clapboard or panels, it will be necessary to build a frame of timber and place the insulation inside the cells of the battens. With this approach, decorative cladding is mounted on top of the constructed frame

The design of the wine cellar, as a rule, is made out with an emphasis on the use of natural materials - wood and stone. However, keep in mind that for the decoration of the interior can not be used coniferous wood, as they have a characteristic odor, which can affect the quality of the stored product. It is best to use oak - this is a traditional option used by winemakers of many generations.

Most of your cellar will be occupied by racks and racks for bottles of wine, it is they who largely determine the impression of the interior of the room. However, shelving should be not only beautiful, but also practical. It is better to entrust their manufacture to a professional, or buy ready-made designs. The best option is shelves in the form of pyramids, they are spacious enough - bottles can be stacked on top of each other. Shelves with individual cells for each bottle look more impressive, but also take up more space.

You can decorate the interior with spotlights represented by antique lamps. Also, furniture for a wine cellar - a pair of chairs or stools, will not be superfluous; if there is enough free space, you can install a tasting rack.

1.2 DIY wine cellar (video)

2 Microclimate requirements and selection of split systems

Any winemaker knows that the wine storage technology provides for strict requirements for temperature and humidity, if not observed, the product may lose its original taste. That is why the wine cellar must not only be isolated from the environment, but also equipped with special conditioning equipment that will maintain the required indoor microclimate.

The temperature inside the cellar should be kept within 13-15 degrees. Its decrease is fraught with cooling the wine and slowing down its maturity, and an increase can affect the taste of the product, since the drink loses its characteristics when heated.

The optimal level of humidity in the home wine cellar is from 60 to 60%. If the humidity is less, then due to the drainage of the cork plugs the wine will be oxidized, more - mold will form in the room.

As conditioning equipment, it is necessary to use special split systems for wine cellars, the main manufacturer of which in the world market is Airwell. Such split systems are high-precision equipment, they are able to maintain a given temperature with fluctuations of less than 0.5 degrees and humidity with 2.5%.

When choosing a split system, you must be guided by the size of the room, the cooling of which will be performed. Airwell in the technical specifications of its equipment indicate how much air conditioning is designed for. Most often, models for individual operation are designed for rooms with a volume of 25, 48, 82 and 122 m 3.

The best option in terms of price / functionality is the Airwell FWDe series split system. This is cooling equipment with a capacity of 3.5-7 kW (depending on the model), which can lower the temperature in cellars with a volume of up to 82 m 2 to 12 degrees.

There are 3 models in the Airwell FWDe line - FWDe-12, FWDe-18 and FWDE-24, which differ in performance, power consumption and air consumption. All of them correspond to energy efficiency class A and can operate at an ambient temperature of -10 to +46 degrees. The cost of split systems Airwell FWDe varies in the range of 40-100 thousand rubles.

As a more affordable alternative to specialized equipment, Daikin general-purpose split systems can be considered. Such an air conditioner for a wine cellar will cost you an order of magnitude cheaper, but there will be no significant differences in the functionality of the equipment. The tested models are Daikin FTYN25, Daikin FTXB60 and Daikin FTXN25.

DIY wine cellar is not an easy task. Violation of one of the many necessary conditions can lead to spoilage of wine, which often represents not only great gastronomic, but also material value. What exactly in a wine cellar can damage and damage the wine collection?

1. The right light should be in the wine cellar - solar and neon, the so-called fluorescent lamps, are considered especially dangerous for wine.
  2. Sudden temperature fluctuations in a wine cellar - both too low and too high temperatures, as well as its sharp fluctuation, can damage the wine.
3. There should be no vibrations in the wine cellar; this prevents the wine from developing properly.
  4. Low level of air humidity - a dry cork can ruin a wine, while too high humidity can affect the cork, namely its surface. If the humidity is too high, mold may form between the capsule and the cork surface, which will adversely affect the wine. High humidity can also ruin a wine label.
  5. Pungent odors - Only wine should be stored in the wine cellar. Corks do not provide 100% tightness of the wine, and this is not necessary, otherwise it could not have evolved, respectively, the wine can absorb an extraneous odor, which will definitely lead to its distortion.

Based on this, the conditions that must be observed when storing wine in a wine cellar are determined:

1. The horizontal position of the bottle, so that the cork can be completely washed with wine and not dry out.
  2. Darkness. In the wine cellar, the light should be turned on only when you are there, the rest of the time is absolute darkness.
  3. Wine cellar, it is always a clean room with good ventilation.
  4. Peace and quiet, lack of unnecessary movement and vibration.
  5. Strict temperature: 11-12 degrees Celsius (10-14 degrees permissible)
  6. Humidification mode (constant humidity of about 75-80%, but not lower than 70%)
  7. Complete absence of extraneous odors

In the best way, of course, all these conditions correspond to a specially equipped wine cellar. The walls of the wine cellar should be made of porous materials such as limestone, sandstone, brick. If a concrete wine cellar is used to store wine, holes must be drilled in its walls.

Two common methods are used to provide clean air. The first, which is suitable for small rooms, is to arrange the natural ventilation of the wine cellar by installing a ventilation grill in the lower part of the door, and place an extractor hood on the opposite wall, under the ceiling. If the door is in the north, and the hood is installed on the south or east wall, it will be possible to avoid drafts dangerous for wine. The second method, suitable for rooms of any size, is the installation of special air conditioners for the wine cellar.

To maintain the necessary humidity in the wine cellar, the floor is covered with a 4-5-cm layer of gravel or sand, which is regularly moistened by pouring water, especially in hot, dry weather. Among the storage equipment, a thermometer and a barometer (for determining humidity) are absolutely necessary.

To illuminate the wine cellar, it makes sense to use only the weakest light bulbs, which are turned on only when visiting the cellar.

Bearing in mind that the guilt vibration is strictly contraindicated, one should be aware that buying or renting a wine cellar next door to a nightclub, a remodeling house or a shallow metro line is not a very reasonable investment.

Shelves for storing bottles in a wine cellar, it is undesirable to make of wood or plastic. Plastic is not a very reliable material, and wood is rotten. One shelf should not fit more than six rows of bottles.

Wine laid for long-term storage should be placed so as to disturb it as little as possible, in the lower rows or in the depths of the wine cellar. Wine intended for quick opening, on the contrary, closer to the upper shelves.
  For the safety of labels, it is better to place the bottles with the labels down.

Both experienced and novice collectors place wines in a wine cellar in accordance with their types, areas and years of production. Experienced owners of large collections, as a rule, compile a catalog with which you can easily find the location of any bottle in the cellar, as well as gather all the information about it.

In the event that the arrangement of the wine cellar is not yet included in the plans of the collector or restaurateur, you can purchase special refrigerated cabinets. This expensive product fully pays for itself, since a significant part of the necessary storage conditions in it is fulfilled automatically, and their placement does not require a separate room.

Notes:

1. It is undesirable to keep wine in cardboard boxes or wooden crates, paper and wood rot, and wine can easily absorb this unacceptable smell.
  2. Wine with a not very long expected shelf life (up to one and a half years) can be stored at a temperature of 16-18 degrees Celsius (according to some sources, up to 20). This accelerates the ripening of the wine, but its improvement is not as high quality as at 11-12 degrees. With an even greater decrease in temperature, however, the wine practically ceases to evolve.

True wine connoisseurs know that it is unacceptable to store a sunny drink in ordinary household conditions (in a kitchen cabinet, refrigerator, on open shelves). On the contrary, he needs a separate room with special equipment.

Apartment owners can only afford to arrange a small winery, but in a private household for this purpose you can safely use the entire basement (cellar). Of course, collectors will have to work hard to create the “right” design of the wine cellar, but the result will be fun for many years.

Special storage conditions

Wine is a very whimsical drink. Incorrect storage conditions can ruin its unique taste or even lead to spoilage. In view of this, even at the stage of storage planning, it is necessary to take into account a number of aspects.

Temperature. Too high, too low temperature, as well as its sharp changes, have a detrimental effect on the quality characteristics of the drink. Fluctuations lead to a loss of cork elasticity, as a result of which oxygen enters the bottle and irreversible changes occur (fermentation, souring). In order to avoid this, the same regime should be constantly maintained in the cellar.

The optimum temperature for wine is + 10-12 degrees C. It is not recommended to equip the storage near the boiler room, and place heating appliances in the room itself.

Humidity. When designing the interior of a wine cellar, it is important to consider the moisture indicators. They should not exceed 60% -75%, otherwise mold may form in the room. Low humidity is also detrimental to a hop-drink, as dry air causes the cork to dry out and oxidize the contents of the bottle.

Traditional air conditioners are not suitable to maintain an optimum level of humidity; for the cellar you need to purchase special equipment - split systems or centralized air conditioning systems (see photo below).

Ventilation. The ventilation system is very important for the wine cellar. It prevents stagnation of odors in the room and their penetration into containers, which protects the contents from extraneous smacks. When installing the supply and exhaust structure, it is necessary to ensure uniform distribution of air throughout the room.

Lighting. Wine does not like direct sunlight and bright light. Therefore, in the basement should organize an artificial lighting system with brightness controls. Instead of incandescent lamps, it is better to use halogen, LED or fluorescent models; they do not heat the air, unlike traditional lamps.

Wine cellar interior decoration

An important role in arranging a home wine storage is played by decoration. What is considered the norm in the design of residential premises (for example, wallpapering or laying drywall) in the cellar is completely not practical.

To maintain stable temperature and humidity, it is recommended to finish surfaces with materials such as stone (preferably limestone) or brick. They have low heat-conducting properties and are able to dampen vibrations, which also have a detrimental effect on the taste of the drink.

Often, natural wood (oak, ash, maple) is used to decorate the walls and ceiling. But varieties of trees containing resins are not suitable for a wine storage, since the latter can penetrate into the container and distort the aroma of the drink. The photo of the design of the wine cellar shows how harmoniously the wooden cladding looks.

The floor can be covered with a mound of fine gravel - as was done in the old days - or else give preference to a more modern finish: concrete base with floor tiles, marble or vinyl.

Furniture for storing wine and more

Wine bottles must be stored horizontally so that the cork does not dry out. It is also important to place the collection so that it is easy to find the right instance, while not disturbing other containers. Shelving is the perfect solution for a wine collection. Often they are made of wood, metal or limestone. Limestone structures retain temperature perfectly and eliminate mold.

Very convenient to use modular shelving. One module can accommodate several dozen bottles; in addition, it easily groups with other modules as the collection expands (see photo below).

In addition to shelving, the interior of the wine cellar can be equipped with special metal holders. They are mounted vertically to the wall and clamp the neck of the container.

Equally convenient to use are wooden shelves with round slots.

A wine cabinet is a good solution for a small cellar. There are mono-temperature and multi-temperature models of cabinets. The former maintain the same temperature regime, which contributes to the maturation of the wine; the second consists of several temperature sections, which allows you to store different types of wines.

Finally, if the area allows, a tasting area can be arranged in the cellar. To receive guests and enjoy a sunny drink, it is enough to set a table and several chairs (or chairs).

A short excursion to the wine cellar, built by yourself - this is a serious reason for the white envy of your guests. But in order to surprise your friends and neighbors, you first have to make some efforts. Looking at the aesthetics and unique design of already completed projects, you might think that the desire to build a wine cellar on your own directly borders on a pipe dream. But away from doubt! Take this challenge! Learn the basic requirements for this room, determine the project and get started.

DIY wine cellar: basic requirements

When starting the construction of a wine cellar, you should always remember that you are creating a non-trivial and in some way even exotic room. Therefore, its design must be carefully thought out. Everything should be taken into account: from sizes to tilt angles under which wine bottles will be stored. Otherwise, you may get a normal basement for storing eggplant.

It sounds a little exaggerated, but it is. After all, the conditions inside the wine cellar must meet certain parameters:

The first and most important thing is that the temperature regime must be strictly observed in the interior of the wine cellar. The ideal temperature in a wine cellar is + 11 ° C, but depending on the varieties of stored wines, other options are possible - from + 10 ° C to + 14 ° C.

Equally important is humidity. In order for wine corks not to dry out, and walls not to be covered with mold foci, this indicator should be maintained in the region of 70% (± 10%).

The wine cellar must be fully protected from sunlight. Know that only artificial lighting will preserve the sophisticated product in integrity. Properly planned illumination is always able to bring a special share of aesthetics to the existing environment.

The room must be protected from vibration. This requirement is not basic, but the proximity of the wine cellar to the railway line may adversely affect the quality of the drinks stored in it.

All rooms in the cellar must have good ventilation. It is not necessary to make it mandatory, because to ensure good air circulation, a natural extract is quite suitable.

Here's what one of the participants in our forum says about the successfully implemented project of the wine cellar (about ventilation and room size).

slawickk member FORUMHOUSE

Ventilation - natural, supply and exhaust - in each room. The height inside to the arch is 2.5 m in a large room and 2.25 m in the rest. The photo shows that the floor is at different levels.

Transformation of an ordinary cellar into a wine cellar

If under your house there is already a spacious basement, which you still have not been able to find a worthy application, then arranging a wine cellar in its internal space is the shortest way to creating a reliable storage for a hoppy and aromatic drink.

Despite the fact that the room is ready and “tested for strength”, you will need to bring it into line with the requirements listed in the previous section. So, the user of our forum Yawa3891recommends first of all to make sure that the basement is completely protected from the ingress of groundwater into. But even if this is so, it is still necessary to play safe and waterproof the walls, ceiling and floor. After this, you can begin to create effective ventilation. If the existing system is not enough (this is determined by the level of humidity), and mold pockets have been noticed on the surface of the walls, it’s nice to think about installing equipment for forced ventilation.

There is no special reason to objectively talk about the layout of air ducts and the power of the recommended equipment in the framework of this article. After all, it all depends on the characteristics of the room and on its area. For each project, equipment should be selected individually. Such issues are best addressed by manufacturers of ventilation systems. The same can be said of climate control systems. Their characteristics can be determined only after consulting with specialists who will be involved in the installation of HVAC equipment.

Yawa3891 participant FORUMHOUSE, Moscow.

Based on the percentage of moisture, wood is selected for all products - wine racks, racks, etc. An important point is in the air conditioning system. It is installed in the complex, you need to select it immediately for the entire project. This will allow you to determine the size of the cabinets and ensure that the optimum temperature is maintained throughout the cellar.

In terms of decoration, there is a huge space for imagination. But we will return to this issue.

Building a wine cellar from scratch

If the presence of a spacious basement or at least a small cellar was not planned at the stage of building the house, then this flaw can be corrected by creating a wine cellar on the territory of a suburban area. This process is a little more labor-intensive than the one described in the previous chapter. But you will have the opportunity to implement the project of the desired scale and apply the most preferred design strategy to it.

Before you "grab a shovel in your hands", try to carefully consider the design of the future premises. Give him special attention and record your thoughts on paper. Only in this case, the future construction will fully meet all your wishes.

A special cellar for wine is built by analogy with a cellar for storing ordinary products. The whole process can be divided into several main stages:

Creating a foundation pit with specified dimensions. The dimensions of the pit should be larger than the external size of the walls by about half a meter. This will subsequently make it possible to make high-quality waterproofing of the cellar.

Pouring the foundation, reinforced concrete floor and building walls (walls can be brick, concrete, etc. - it all depends on your preference).

Waterproofing floors and walls.

Installation of the upper floor.

The creation of the aboveground part of the cellar.

Installation of doors, installation of HVAC equipment, arrangement of ventilation and implementation of the finishing part of the project.

If your site has any elevation, then the cellar should be built in this place. This will protect yourself from the troubles associated with raising groundwater. Before construction, geological surveys should be carried out for the depth of the underground aquifer.

The construction of a wine cellar is similar for food storage. Only in our case, it is necessary to comply with the requirements listed in the first chapter of this article.

Wine cellar interior

With a certain amount of imagination in your own wine cellar, you can create a very colorful surroundings. Everything can be used - from bold experiments with lighting to exclusive racks for storing wine bottles.

Any home wine cellar is unique in itself. Typical projects, especially those that are implemented at home, are extremely rare. But there are several general recommendations on this subject.

So, the use of natural materials in the construction of a wine cellar is welcomed by many. Stone constructions - walls, racks and partitions - are very widespread. The stone well “remembers” the temperature regime of the room, so the wine is stored in it better, and keeping a constant temperature in the cellar becomes easier. No material is able to dampen mechanical vibrations as effectively as an array of stone does. Here is an interior with stone racks invented by one of the participants in our forum.

slawickk member FORUMHOUSE

The material for the walls is sandstone, the red niches in the depths are “royal brick”. The design is based on a combination of arches of different geometry and purpose. Particular attention was paid to the processing of stones - each stone is cut by a grinder on five sides with high precision cutting.

But what happened to him at the end of construction:

For furniture of the wine cellar, it is recommended to use only solid wood - oak, ash and other hardwoods. All kinds of chipboard and MDF should be avoided. After all, these materials are not suitable for use in wet rooms. In addition, they are so saturated with synthetic substances that, with all desire, it will not be able to beneficially affect the microclimate of the room.

When making racks, you must remember that the wine should be stored in a horizontal position. It is allowed to put the bottles at a slight angle, but in no case should they be placed vertically.

The shape of shelves for shelves is different - from diamond-shaped to straight horizontal. Diamond shaped shelves, for example, are designed for long-term storage of the drink. It is very convenient to store wine on them, but it is problematic to get the bottom bottles from them. Indeed, in this case, they will certainly “disturb” all the wine stored in this cell.

In order for the wine cellar to have a complete look, you can install a real oak barrel or equip a tasting zone in its interior. In this area there will be tables, benches and other necessary attributes. It will be doubly pleasant here to uncork a bottle of wine, knowing that the whole environment around is created with your own hands.

If you want to participate in the discussion of home wine storage facilities that are created by regular users of our site, be sure to visit the forum section "". Want to learn all the ins and outs of building a cellar in high groundwater conditions? Then pay attention to the article on this subject. And, finally, “” is a forum section for those who are just looking for ways to implement their ideas.

A house in which there are pleasant and necessary little things is comfortable for living, and building, for example, one of such pleasant little things - a wine cellar with your own hands, is quite simple. The main thing is to arm yourself with the advice of specialists and act according to certain rules.

We plan a wine cellar

Build do-it-yourself wine cellar in a private house  can be in many ways. First you need to navigate where you place it:

• inside the basement or basement of a cottage or house;
• in a separate room outside the house.

Each method has its pros and cons:

• the wine cellar built into the basement is very convenient to use, because in the cold season there is no need to go outside the house, just go down to the basement;
• a wine cellar in the basement of the house can be equipped with a bar, put a table in the same place and equip a whole room where to arrange chairs, dishes, the opportunity to taste wine;
• a separate wine cellar outside the house can be arranged when the structure of the house does not allow the use of a basement for a separate room, including if the foundation is pile and the number of piles is too large to equip the room;
• the renowned wine cellar has its own temperature regime, and its appearance can become a decoration of the landscape of your personal plot.

First consider building a wine cellar inside the house. This is the most common option, because it can be implemented both in the already built house and at the construction stage. It is better if you initially put the construction of the wine cellar in the house design, then the cellar will look unique, it can be built according to all the rules and planned ahead. This is certainly more useful for those who have already acquired a collection of wines and now require a serious room for their storage.

In order to professionally conduct the construction of a wine cellar, you can contact the specialists of the company "InnovaStroy" who can provide services as separate construction services  and design and put into practice the construction of a wine cellar and the entire complex of residential and utility rooms. Professional design of such structures is very important, since basements require increased waterproofing and attention of builders to the details of the construction site. It is important to note that the interior design of the wine cellar is also very important and will perfectly complement and emphasize the value of your collection. Such developments can be ordered from the company's specialists, and you can find out the preliminary calculation of the service by telling your vision of the design.

Wine loves coolness and does not tolerate the sun

There are general rules for storing different types of wines. One of the most important is compliance with the temperature regime:

1. The temperature inside the wine cellar should not increase to more than + 12 ° C. Winemakers say that for most wines, the ideal storage temperature is + 11 ° C. However, wine drink connoisseurs claim that temperature fluctuations from + 9 ° C to + 14 ° C will not greatly damage the wine. The main thing is that they are not frequent, because it is detrimental to wine.
2. High humidity indoors is one of the prerequisites. Limit values \u200b\u200bare 70% humidity. Such moisture is needed so that wine corks do not dry out. Then the wine may lose its taste. For this reason, the wine is stored at an angle or horizontally, so that the cork is enveloped in a wine drink.
3. There should be no ultraviolet rays inside the room that ruin the wine, that is, windows are forbidden and only artificial lighting without sunlight is supposed.
4. Wine does not like the roar of a passing road or route. If you have a wine collection and build a house near the road, then there is a fear that over time the collection will become tasteless - the wine loses its quality due to constant vibration.

Building a wine cellar in the house

If you decide to equip a part of the basement in the house under wine cellar their handsIt should be noted that storage of other products, especially with a pungent or specific odor, is contraindicated. Neighborhood with technical substances, including automobile oils, paint, polymers, is also not desirable. Wine "breathes", that is, through a cork, it can partially absorb the air around it. And all extraneous odors will forever ruin the wine taste.

If you thought about building a wine cellar at the stage of building a house, then the technology of a conventional strip concrete or brick foundation is useful for this:

• We dig a pit of the necessary width and height. The height can be no more than 3 meters, although this is not the rule. Sand is poured at the bottom with a layer of about 30 cm, and drainage is arranged at the place of construction of the future walls of the foundation.
• It is recommended to beat the perimeter of the pit with wooden boards, which are sheathed with asbestos. After the construction of such insulation, the floor is concreted, and then the formwork is installed.

• The formwork is poured with concrete. You can then make a separate, half-brick brick wall, which will perform the function of decorating the basement. If it is possible and time to build a foundation for a brick wine cellar - this is ideal for spectacular design decisions. Such a basement and cellar will look very beautiful.
• After the construction of the floor and wall, we process antifungal materials and materials that prevent mold growth.
• Installing ventilation in a wine cellar is a very important part of its construction. The ventilation device should be done in such a way that a cool climate is maintained inside the basement. For this, it is necessary not only to draw conclusions from the ventilation pipes, but it is also advisable to install special devices that will take humidity and temperature readings, and connect heating or forced ventilation. Such an ideal “climate control” can be realized both with the help of manual on and off by the signal of sensors, and with the help of automated special devices.
• Do-it-yourself wine cellar in a private house  make out not by any rules, but primarily taking into account the tastes of the owner. It is better to rely on your personal experience, although it does not hurt to consult with designers. Basically, they strive to preserve the elements of brickwork, which are decorated with metal products, wine racks, tables for tasting, set up bar counters. It all depends on the wishes and capabilities of the developer
• The door of the wine cellar is best made of wood and preferably oak. The oak door will not succumb to dampness and fights fungi well. In addition, it will hermetically and reliably separate the wine cellar from the main living quarters.
• One of the last but basic rules for arranging the cellar inside the house is to use natural materials to the maximum in the construction of the wine cellar. This will not only add beauty to your structure, but also prevent the penetration of odors into the wine. Thus, the wine collection will always be amazingly delicious.

Entrance to the wine cellar can be arranged in different ways. The most economical design, when a wine cellar with their own hands is born without significant costs, will be the arrangement of the hatch and a vertical (inclined) metal staircase mounted in the wall or near the wall. However, if possible, it is possible to arrange a special flight of stairs into the basement, separating, as we have said, the main part of the house from the cellar with an oak door. It is more expensive but very convenient.

Construction of a separate wine cellar

If you think that it is better to move your wine collection away from the main premises of the house, then you can build an ordinary cellar separately from the house using the same technology that we described above. However, there are certain differences. When choosing a free-standing wine cellar, the same golden rule applies as with all such buildings - choose the highest point of all possible. This will prevent the basement from underflooding and its destruction with groundwater, will reduce the pressure on the walls of the cellar with landslide soils.

In this case, the basement's waterproofing is required to be increased, since the house protects the basement from external water flows a little, and here you will have to make effective slopes from the ground or even build a small roof structure. A distinctive feature of such wine cellars is the need for an excellent decoration of the entrance to them. If you have a separate wine cellar, then it is worth making an original entrance made of brick according to an individual project. The paths made in the old style look very impressive to the wine cellar. Wine cellars are generally very well decorated with antique, using either natural stone or pseudo-stone decoration materials.

Wine cellar interior

If all the necessary rules are met, including increased waterproofing and high-quality ventilation to maintain the microclimate in the cellar, it's time to start creating an individual interior in the wine cellar. In this case, you need to remember very important points that must be considered when creating the interior.

First of all, we have to deal with the high humidity that we need for the safety of wines. In order to choose materials for wall decoration in such conditions, you need to remember about high moisture resistance. What can be used for wall work? Recall natural building materials:

• decorative stone will defeat moisture, will keep the walls for many years from high humidity and low room temperature;
• decorate raw brickwork with waterproofing materials;
• as lining you can use cedar, oak, and other moisture-resistant wood.

Wine shelves

An important place in the decoration of the wine cellar is played by the wine shelves. You can make them yourself, because they do not require the construction of complex structures. But in order to make them look beautiful and fulfill their main function, you should know some features:

• the angle of inclination of shelves or racks should be, starting from several degrees, to an almost vertical arrangement of the bottle with its neck down, horizontal placement of bottles is allowed;
• wooden racks or shelves should be coated on top with varnish or another solution that prevents the wood from reacting to fungus or mold, dampness;
• it is best to use when connecting the shelves with screw joints with hidden cuts, so that metal products do not interfere with the beauty of the wood composition;

• racks can be made of metal or make brick niches. They are folded into metal racks in the same way as in wooden racks - at an angle or strictly horizontally. In brick niches, bottles are usually folded in pyramids.

Mini Cellars

The wine cellar can be replaced before the construction of a full-fledged wine cellar, with other structures that can be equipped in the house. For example, if you already have a small collection, but you do not yet know where and how to build the wine cellar, did not consult with specialists and choose which project the cottage and its reconstruction should be ordered, then you can try to get by with the device of the wine room or wine cabinet

It should be noted that wines are very whimsical to temperature conditions and require increased attention to themselves. If you decide to separate a corner of the house under the wine room, then you have to equip it:

• air conditioning with humidity control system;
• maintaining a stable temperature all year round;
• electric cable connection and lighting organization;
• tinted glass or glass covered with a special film to prevent direct sunlight

that is, certain civil engineering work  . Much more money will be spent on maintaining such a room than on a wine cellar, however, it is equipped faster and does not require earthwork.

It’s even easier to arrange a wine cabinet. In fact, this is a prefabricated design, which is sold in specialized stores and offers a multi-level wine cooling system. The cabinet is large in size and can fit in the niche sector of a large room at home. You can arrange such a niche in utility rooms, but not in those where there are technogenic odors, paint or other chemicals are stored. It will require isolation from direct sunlight. Temperature conditions will also require the connection of electricity. All this looks like a separate refrigerator, only of large sizes and exclusively for wine. However, it should be remembered that such rooms or cabinets are suitable mainly for short-term storage of wine or other wine products.

Pros of different options for a wine cellar

It is quite possible to equip a wine cellar on your own. To do this, you should design it in advance, take into account the possibility of its construction when laying the house. Or reconstruct an existing basement according to certain rules. The main thing that is required for the equipment of the wine cellar is the temperature, the absence of sunlight, a calm place, without vibration. Such a place in the house is the basement. However, if you have a large and noisy house, and even more so if it is built right next to the road, then it is better to move the wine cellar to the far corner of the site. There, the wine will be preserved better, and your collection will not be threatened by vibrations, which means that the taste of wine will not change. The plus of a detached wine cellar will be privacy, the opportunity to taste wine in a relaxed atmosphere, as well as the construction of a gazebo for relaxation nearby.

It is important to remember that a wine cellar requires good decor. Then the wine collection turns not just into a collection of bottles with a drink, but a real treasury of your home. Since wines do not like heat, it will not work for a long time to stay in a wine cellar, because the temperature there is not comfortable for a person. For the same reason, arranging a separate room there according to all the rules is not rational, however, it is worth placing a table for tasting with chairs or decorated stools. This will be respect for your guest, and it’s very convenient for the owner of the collection, who sometimes needs to select wines for the table. If the house is equipped with its own wine cellar, the price of such a building increases, since such structures are a sign of increased comfort and luxury at home.

Wine cellar construction  may take a long time mainly due to the requirement of careful and expensive decor, the use of natural materials in the interior. In turn, this also guarantees the long-term operation of such facilities and their attractiveness. A wine cellar is an opportunity to present guests with exquisite drinks, emphasize the tastes of the owner, and show a polite attitude to other people. For the sake of this, it is worth doing the construction of a wine cellar. And how to build a wine cellar with your own hands, watch a video that tells about the tricks and nuances of such structures. At the end of the publication - a wine cellar with your own hands in the photo, where a unique pretty entrance is arranged. Try and you do the same or pick your own, no less beautiful option.