About 75% of adults drink wine, whether it is on occasion, every day or a few times a week. Many wine lovers have bottles upon bottles of wine in their collection. If you are a wine connoisseur and have a basement, you need to really consider creating a modern wine cellar. Check out this guide on how to create one.
Check for Leaks
Wine needs the perfect environment to age or cool properly. A sudden change in the room can cause the wine to taste different. Therefore, the first step in creating a wine cellar is to check for any air leaks. If you do not know how to check for leaks, call a home improvement company or house inspector for help.
Install a Vapor Barrier
After you have the insulation up in your walls, you will want to add a vapor barrier. This barrier protects the cool and warm side of your insulation to help the climate in the room as well as stop mold and bacteria from growing. We recommend working with a skilled team of experts to properly install the vapor barrier in your basement.
Seal the Concrete Floor
Concrete is less porous out of all the flooring options, but it still can have some openings. Therefore, you must seal your concrete floors. Penetrating sealers (silanes and siloxanes) and most high-performance coatings, such as epoxies and urethane, should only be applied after the concrete is fully cured. If you have had concrete for over a month, then you are good to go to seal it. Once your concrete is sealed, you can add flooring on top or a floor covering.
Work on the Walls
Once you install the insulation and vapor barrier, you can then move on to finishing the walls. Add the electricity and any plumbing you want. Then, it is time to close the walls. Once the drywall is up, you can then paint the room. Before finishing your walls, you will want to check again for leaks.
Find the Best Door
When it comes to searching for the best wine cellar door, you will want to install a door that is an exterior-grade front door with weather stripping and a proper threshold. Ideally, you want a door with enough insulation so no air leaks or enters. Glass doors are extremely popular for wine cellars. If this is the route you go down, you will need to make sure you have a cooling unit that has a great BTU output.
Add Electricity
While many wine cellars are dimly lit, you still need to see lights in the room. You will want to install all outlets in dead spaces at the corners where your wine rack comes together to help plug in your lighting. You may also install dimmers in the room so you can adjust according to the mood. As a note, remember that you must follow all building codes and procedures. Contact your county or a contractor to help you figure these requirements out.
Install Flooring
Most basements have concrete floors, and while you do not necessarily need new flooring, it definitely helps bring the room together. Since basements are typically prone to floods and have a lot of moisture, we recommend installing a floor that can withstand wet environments. Waterproof flooring will be the best option for this room. It is 100% waterproof and can be dried and reused if exposed to water and moisture. We have a variety of waterproof flooring options for you. Check out our product catalog to see our full selection.
Create Wine Cooling System
A wine cooling system is a machine in the room that controls the temperature in the space. There are many different factors to consider when choosing your wine cooling system, like size, budget, brand and more. We recommend working with an expert to help you determine which ones work the best in your basement.
Add Finishing Touches
Lastly, it is time to do a task that most people enjoy — the final touches. These touches include added seating, entertainment, decorations or anything else you need to create the perfect wine cellar. Luckily, there is a load of places where you can purchase these pieces. We recommend checking out in-store and online for the best finds and prices.
While this is a quick guide to creating a wine cellar, we will be the first people to tell you to avoid doing this on your own unless you have the experience. There are so many moving parts to building this kind of room that a DIY project may take you more time and cause you to spend more money compared to hiring a contractor. If you need help creating the wine cellar or your dreams in your basement, call Valor Home Services today.
