Proper Wine Cellar construction will ensure many years of trouble free operation. Cutting corners can often lead to trouble later on or wine that does not live up to its full potential.
Proper wine cellar construction is not difficult, but there are a few errors to avoid.
INSULATION: It is most important to ensure is that your cellar is properly insulated. That means an average of R-20 for exterior walls and R-14 for internal walls. For exterior walls, frame with 2 x 6 studs while interior walls with 2 x 4‘s and insulate with Roxul. Blue spray foam- This is a great, though pricey alternative if space is limited. 2lb polystyrene is a vapour barrier and will give R-20 with about 2 inch thickness. Should be installed by a professional only.
VAPOR BARRIER: Use 6mil polyethylene vapour sheeting properly tuck taped. Install this on the warm side of the studs. If you have a cooling unit, inside the cellar is the cold side.
WALLS AND FLOOR: Walls should be covered using green-board (water resistant drywall) and low odor paints. Floors should be sealed with water based, low odor products.
CEILING AND LIGHTING: Ceilings should be insulated and vapor sealed like the rest of the cellar. Be sure to use the properly rated lighting fixtures, ie: canisters rated for insulated ceilings. It is a good idea to keep the lighting in your cellar to a minimum. The light can harm your wine and warm the room up quite quickly.
COOLING UNIT: These are usually rated per cubic foot (L’ x W’ x H’ = Cellar Volume in Cubic Feet). Ensure that you choose the correct unit for you room. A higher volume (cu. ft.) is better; a lower capacity will overwork the unit. Sometimes in our climate cold rather than heat can be a factor. There are units available with built-in heaters.
• Please use the above information as a guide. If you have specific questions please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Village Wine Cellars (905) 257-9463
or e-mail us at: thevillagewinecellars@gmail.com
