Among the various wine storage solutions, having a custom wine cellar built in your home in California is the best choice to make. A residential custom wine cellar isn’t just a regular closet. It is specifically designed and constructed to keep wines safe, and to allow them to age properly.

Here are the things that you need to know when having a custom wine cellar constructed:

Insulation

One of the very first things done when building a wine cellar is applying the insulation. All of your wine storage room’s walls and ceilings must be properly insulated, using fiberglass, polystyrene/rigid foam, or blow-in insulation. Thicker insulation is always better, because it means that the cooling unit will be more efficient in cooling the wine cellar.

The interior and exterior of the cellar should both have a minimum of R22 insulation, while the custom wine cellar’s ceiling ought to have at least R32. If your wine storage room is built at a location wherein the ceiling is directly exposed to the sun or strong winds, it recommended that a higher grade of insulation is applied to the ceiling.

Floor insulation is not always necessary. It is only needed if the flooring of the cellar might directly affect the temperature of the room. Your wine cellar builder will determine this for you. If it does affect the temperature of the cellar, 2” x 2” wooden sleepers should be installed with a rigid insulation of R7.5 in between them.

Constructing a Wine Cellar in California

Vapor Barriers

Wine enthusiasts and wine collectors know that it’s not only temperature that should be controlled in a home wine cellar, but also humidity. Ideally, the humidity inside your wine storage room should be at around 70 percent. Part of controlling the humidity is installing vapor barriers before beginning the wine cellar construction. Having a vapor barrier applied in between the wall and the insulation also prevents moisture from developing outside the insulation. This moisture, when left without intervention, will cause mold to grow.

Generally, a 6 mm plastic with seams in between sheets is used for the vapor barrier. But the type of vapor barrier needed actually depends on the type of insulation used. For example, if the insulation applied is fiberglass batt, you need to have a 6 mm plastic vapor barrier applied. A lot of people think that the coated paper on some fiberglass batts are enough as vapor barrier, but this is not true. A 6 mm plastic vapor barrier is not needed if you use blown-in foam insulation. This spray-in foam is a type of insulation that also acts as its own vapor barrier.

Wine Cellar Flooring

Residential Custom Wine Cellar Flooring

There are various options for wine cellar flooring. The flooring you choose should be able to withstand the humidity inside the wine cellar. Here are a few of the most common choices of wine cellar flooring in Los Angeles, California:

1. Cork Flooring

Don’t throw away your wine corks after you consume a bottle. Wine cork flooring is simply recycled wine corks, grouped together to create a beautiful wine cellar floor.

2. Tile Flooring

Tiles are another option for your wine cellar floors. They are very durable and are highly moisture resistant. You can also get creative by having them painted with the designs of your choice.

3. Wine Barrel Flooring

Wine barrels basically have 3 parts: Cooperage, Stave and Infusion. Reclaimed wine barrels can be used for your wine cellar flooring, and you have the option to use any of these 3 parts, depending on your style preference.

4. Mosaic Flooring

You can use mixed media for your wine room’s flooring. Mosaic wine cellar flooring is a combination of various materials, such as antique china, porcelain tiles and stained glass.

Although there are other options for wine cellar flooring, you should never use carpet. Carpets do not do well in cool and damp conditions because they promote the growth of mold and mildew.

Various Wood Species Used to Build Wooden Custom Wine Cellars in California

Coastal Designs Wooden Wine Cellars in CA

Ideally, your wine collection should be stored in an efficient custom wine cellar that is not only durable, but also beautifully designed. Among the different types of residential custom wine cellars in Los Angeles, California, wooden custom wine cellars are the most elegant. Wooden wine storage rooms are beautiful, because they create a traditional look and a classic, earthy ambiance, which is fitting for wines (which come from vineyards and wineries).

Wooden custom wine cellars in California can be made from a variety of wood types. Here is a list of the most popular wood species used to construct wooden wine rooms:

1. Pine

Pine is one of the most popular choices of wood used for constructing custom wine cellars in California, and is one of the least expensive types, too. Pine has a soft, creamy color, and grows abundantly throughout North America. There are around 110 different species of Pine in the United States. Pine wood is quick to absorb any stain or finish.

2. Redwood

There are two subtypes of Redwood, and these are Premium Redwood and All Heart Redwood. The color of this kind of wood can range from light pinkish brown to deep reddish brown. The wood is characterized as closed-pored with a medium texture. Redwoods abundantly grow throughout the coastal northwestern United States. Although this kind of wood is durable and can withstand humid conditions well, it does not easily absorb stain.

3. Mahogany

Mahogany is a reddish brown timber that is indigenous to the Americas. It is the most durable among the 3 most common types of wine cellar wood. It is highly resistant to decay, it will not warp or swell, and it absorbs stains and lacquers well.

Installing a Wine Cellar Cooling Unit

Different wine cellars in California require different wine cellar cooling units. The wine cellar cooling unit needed for your home wine cellar depends on various factors, which include cellar size, construction plan, intended use, etc.

To make sure that you have the appropriate wine cellar refrigeration unit for your wine storage room, it is best to consult a wine cellar professional. An HVAC professional will also help you install the cooling unit properly.

The Need for Professional Help in Wine Cellar Construction

It is necessary for a wine collector to understand that what is discussed here are only a few of the many things needed in order to build an efficient and effective residential wine cellar in Los Angeles. If you do not have a professional wine cellar designer and builder help you, there will probably be flaws in the construction of your wine room, which can obviously negatively affect your wine collection.

Have a professional wine cellar builder help you, so that your wine collection can have the best residential wine cellar built for them to rest in.

Wine is a very enjoyable beverage. That is why it is served on almost all special occasions. More and more people are getting into wine, and that is why many people are having residential wine cellars built in Los Angeles, California. A custom wine cellar is the most ideal place to store wines, because it can provide the necessary conditions for wines to mature tastefully. Here are a few of the things that wines need in order to preserve their quality:

1. Storage Room Away from Ultraviolet Rays

Wine is very sensitive to light, especially ultraviolet rays. UV rays carry a lot of heat, and this can cause the premature aging of wines. If wines age faster than they are supposed to, they will not taste as good as they should. This is why a residential custom wine cellar in Los Angeles should be built in an area away from direct exposure to sunlight. This is the same reason why wine bottles are generally made of dark colored glass. There are compounds in wine that react negatively to direct UV light exposure. If you intend to have a lighting system inside your home wine cellar in California, choose to have LED light installed. LED lights are not harmful like incandescent lights, because they do not emit as much heat.

2. A Place Where They are Not Exposed to Too Much Vibration

Vibration is not necessarily harmful to wine in small amounts, but too much of it can be detrimental. First of all, too much vibration may cause your wine bottles to fall from where they are kept, and break. Moreover, too much vibration can prevent the sediments in an old wine from settling, and thus negatively affect its texture and flavor. Protect your wine collection from too much vibration by having your residential wine cellar in CA constructed away from the places in your home where most activity happens, like the living room and kitchen. Also, have durable and sturdy custom wine racks in California built to keep your wines steady all the time.

3. A Storage Room Where Humidity is Adequate

The humidity within your home custom wine cellar Los Angeles, California should be maintained within 60 to 70 percent. If it goes above or below that range, your wine collection will suffer. An overly humid custom wine cellar is a venue for mold growth. Mold can both contaminate your wines and ruin your wine labels. If the humidity in your custom wine cellar goes below the ideal range, wine corks dry out and shrink, and oxidation may thereby occur. Oxidation is air coming into contact with your wines and causes them to have a rust-like flavor.

4. An Environment Where Temperature is Kept in The Ideal Range

The temperature within your residential custom wine cellar Los Angeles, CA should be maintained within 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. There should be minimal to no fluctuations, because sudden changes in temperature can cause your wines to mature faster than they should, and, consequently, they will taste bad. Have a quality custom wine cellar cooling unit installed in your wine cellar in Los Angeles, CA, so that the temperature can efficiently be kept in the ideal range.

For collectors to be able to maintain the flavor and taste of the wines they store and age, several conditions must be strictly observed. The temperature and humidity levels inside the wine cellar must be maintained at all times.

If fluctuations occur, they should be at minimal levels and should not happen very many times a year. This is the main reason why avid wine collectors spend time and money when choosing the right cooling and refrigeration system.

Lighting System – an Important Component of a California Wine Cellar Design

Another important factor to consider when building your own custom wine cellar in CA is the lighting system. Light is important in illuminating the wine cellar, which is necessary for the wine label to be read conveniently.

Also, custom wine cellar lighting systems provide the effect the wine cellar owner wants to achieve in his wine storage room. Lighting is also a great way to showcase and show off your wine collection impressively to your friends.

Part of collecting wine is not just acquisition of various fine wine bottles, but also achieving the respect and admiration of fellow wine enthusiasts and collectors. However, wrong kinds of lighting systems and voltages can ruin your wines when not properly installed and strategically placed in the wine cellar.

How Wine Cellar Lighting Affects the Quality of Wine

Excessive light, whether coming directly from the rays of the sun passing through the wine room’s window or from the artificial light bulbs installed, can ruin the expensive bottles of wine in your collection.

Heat emitted by natural or artificial light can create changes in the molecular composition and chemistry of the wine, changing the color, texture, flavor, and taste of the liquid. Of course, changes which are not within the permissible ranges set or agreed upon by wine connoisseurs are not deemed to be good or palatable.

These days, wines are put into dark colored and thick bottles precisely to avoid being contaminated or harmed by light. Some people say that only direct sunlight can harm wines since the bottles are thick enough to keep artificial light from harming the complex molecular make-up of various wines, be it red or white. However, prolonged exposure to direct artificial light can still ruin the wine.

Wine Cellar Lighting Tips

When designing a California custom wine cellar, it is advisable to place the light bulbs and the entire lighting system in strategic places for those that will not be directly hitting the wine bottles. If it is necessary or unavoidable for the light to touch the wine bottles, make sure that the lighting system is conducive and amenable to the environment in the wine cellar that you have painstakingly created, to ensure the proper storage and aging of the wines.

Use light bulbs with low voltage, UV protective coating, and a tempered and frosted glass lens to help prevent heat emission. Better yet, observe the light bulbs you plan to use in your residential or commercial wine cellar to ensure that they do not emit excessive heat before installation.

It is prudent to be thorough and exact when creating the right environment and fixtures for your wine cellar. After all, it is useless to keep on collecting wine bottles only to have them ruined by sheer ignorance or low quality lighting.

At Wine Cellars by Coastal, they always ensure that they design and build wine cellars that will store and age their clients’ collection in the safest and most stunning way possible. For any wine cellar lighting needs, contact them today at (888) 735-8889 or request a 3D wine cellar design for FREE!