By: Perry Sims
Finish a custom-built or prefabricated basement wine room the same way as you would above-grade cellars or adapted spaces-with a few notable differences.
The concrete slab floor of the cellar limits your choice of floor finishes. Standard solid wood plank or strip flooring, for instance, is impossible to fasten directly to a concrete substrate. While engineered wood and laminate floors designed to replicate solid wood can be installed over moisture barrier-protected concrete and allowed to "float" without any fastening system, the humid conditions of the cellar might cause the floor to buckle after installation-in turn threatening the integrity of the door seal.
Ceramic tile is a more practical option, but the uneven surface it creates requires you to install a raised threshold at the door opening to achieve an effective seal. Vinyl sheet flooring, available in a variety of patterns and textures that replicate slate, wood, and other finishes, is another cost-effective, durable, and easy-to-install floor finish for basement wine cellars.
Consider the simple option of finishing the concrete slab itself with paint or epoxy coatings, perhaps with a non-skid finish. Simple coatings may also help level the floor and create an even surface. Finished concrete leaves exposed the additional thermal mass of the concrete in a basement wine cellar, performs well in the room's humid conditions, provides a stable base for racking and other finishes, and most closely resembles the wine cellars you might visit at a winery.
 |
| A full-height basement measuring 12'x22' (3.7 x 6.7 m) has ample space for both an 850-bottle wine room and an entertaining area with a sink, a refrigerator, and seating. This is the best arrangement for your wine; it is kept in the ideal temperatures and humidities for aging, while guests are comfortable in the heated room next door. |
A basement cellar often has enough space within it to accommodate supplemental and short-term storage of fruit and vegetables, cut flowers, and other items that benefit from storage in the room's cool, humid climate. If you envision using the wine room to keep these and other belongings, design and provide separate, out-of-the-way areas with storage cabinets and closets in the wine cellar for them.
Lighting considerations in a basement cellar may also be slightly different from those found in an above-grade location. This is especially true if the rest of the basement is left unfinished. Keep high-voltage and -wattage lighting to a minimum; provide low-level general lighting. Use track light or indirect lighting systems that allow you to add fixtures as needed, and direct the beams from fixtures to showcase areas or special racking systems. Under-counter lights also may be used to provide adequate light for working on a counter or illuminating the room. Control all lighting with dimmers or even adjustable timers, and remember that lighting use should be kept to a minimum.
As with any climate-controlled wine storage area, take care to acclimate your wine collection to your cellar's environment, especially if you move wine from a room-temperature location into the cool, humid confines of a basement wine room. Set the initial temperature near that of the wine's current environment, e.g., 68°F (20°C), then lower it 1° to 2°F (0.6° -1.1°C) every other day. Allow the bottles to adjust slowly until you eventually reach your desired temperature setting within the recommended range.
From the book The Home Wine Cellarby Perry Sims et al. Copyright © 2004. Reprinted by arrangement with Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group,www.perseusbooks.com. All rights reserved.
.