# Design Ideas on Cellar/Wine Making Room



## Steve_M (Jan 14, 2018)

Have an opportunity to convert a 14’X10’ height shy under 6’ room into a cellar/wine making area. All concrete block walls with one side adjacent to interior, 2 walls that are below grade one above. Temps right now holding at 60F. Some heating runs through it. 
Plenty of electrical no plumbing yet. Plan on using racks already have. 
For the wine making part want a design that allows us counter space sink and work flow come bottling time etc.


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## Ajmassa (Jan 14, 2018)

Hey Steve. I’m about to have the same project for myself. Very similar too. 23’ x17’. 6’8” floor to joists. No exterior door access tho. Set of open steps in center of room with a sump pump underneath is the access. (Steps are hinged to access pump)
1 wall adjacent to interior. 3 exterior. Bottom half below grade. 2 sump pumps. 
Hard to make suggestions without knowing how involved you are willing to go. And what is priority. 
Smaller space so every inch matters. Closing in ceiling will really make us feel closed off. Spraying exposed joists and above flooring with black paint will make it feel larger and more comfortable. But at the expense of proper insulation. 
Personally I plan to find a happy medium with that. Will be sealing the block walls. And then securing 2x4 on side tight to block. Giving 1.5” space for r value. Running whatever mechanicals needed I’ll do each nailer 2x4 furring strip in 2 pieces—leaving a few inches in between pieces to allow for piping or wires. And then spraying closed cell spray foam. 
I may cheat on the ceiling too. Cutting insulation boards for in between joist bays tight to floor boards. Then paint spraying black. With some industriallooking hanging track lights. 
Too tight to rock to joists. I plan to devote an entire wall to a sink and counter area. It’s needed. Likely double sink. And Deep ! With large commercial dishawasher faucet on a spring type. With a long run of counter top. 
Along the countertop run will have base cabs and wall cabs on a portion. Also a run of no base cabs and small wall cabs for underneath storage and work space on top. (Maybe a smaller “above fridge type 12”h cabs. Keeping Cab space but still keeping room to work comfortably). 
Ok. So that’s one wall. Lol. Will be building bottle racks too. Still spitballing ideas tho. Gotta be well thought out and it do right. 
Still unsure if I’ll be storing all my equipment in it or not. That will make a big difference on design. Need to account for a set spot for all my lab type work. I like to sit for that. So maybe a countertop lower in height with legroom for a chair. computer and lab gear on counter + more wall cabs here. 
HVAC is the only thing I don’t feel comfortable enough with making the right decision myself.

Is this anything close to what you had in mind???


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## JohnT (Jan 16, 2018)

That looks like A good size space. 

All I can say is that you can NOT have enough counters and a sink can never be too close! 

If at all possible, I strongly recommend a dry well. It is SOOOO great to be able to simply hose things down. Seeing that the walls and floor are all concrete, you may want to consider.


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## Ajmassa (Jan 16, 2018)

JohnT said:


> If at all possible, I strongly recommend a dry well. It is SOOOO great to be able to simply hose things down. Seeing that the walls and floor are all concrete, you may want to consider.



A dry well??? Would A center floor drain with pvc buried in a channel chipped into slab and ran over into sump pump be considered a dry well?
@SteveM , when you have more details of ideas or hard design plans please feel free to share and update. I will be following along to your build closely.


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## JohnT (Jan 16, 2018)

Ajmassa5983 said:


> A dry well??? Would A center floor drain with pvc buried in a channel chipped into slab and ran over into sump pump be considered a dry well?



Did I miss something AJ? As far as I know a dry well was not mentioned in this post. You do mention a sump, but not all sumps will serve as a dry well (like the two I have in my house).


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## Ajmassa (Jan 16, 2018)

Lol. That wasn’t meant to be condescending. I was actually asking. Not familiar with the term dry well. 
I’ve since looked it up. And seems to be a variation of a French drain. 
I think the Jersey in your blood automatically interprets text in a jersey type of way. It’s cool. Totally empathize with ya.


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## Steve_M (Jan 16, 2018)

Will be spending time this weekend prepping walls hope to get a better feel on how to lay the room out. Definitely need a large sink or two with plenty of counter space.


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## JohnT (Jan 17, 2018)

Ajmassa5983 said:


> Lol. That wasn’t meant to be condescending. I was actually asking. Not familiar with the term dry well.
> I’ve since looked it up. And seems to be a variation of a French drain.
> I think the Jersey in your blood automatically interprets text in a jersey type of way. It’s cool. Totally empathize with ya.


No prob. You'se can fagitaboudit.


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## Ajmassa (Jan 17, 2018)

JohnT said:


> No prob. You'se can fagitaboudit.




Hmmm. So you’ve got 2 dry wells at your place? Please thrill me for a second. 
It’s Basically a hole cut into the slab with side walls and bottom built in a way that disperses the water in different directions ? And a metal grate cover flush with floor? 
No idea is off the table for me before going thru my checklist :
function/fashion/cost/labor


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