Category Archives: doors & floors

Name: **WINE CELLAR SPECIALISTS** Custom Wine Cellar Designers
Address: 1134 Commerce Drive, Richardson, 75081, United States of America
Telephone: +1 (972) 454-0480

What are the Quality Features of Efficient Custom Wine Cellar Doors?

Custom Wine Cellar Doors by Wine Cellar Specialists

Custom wine cellar doors are purpose-built to help preserve the desired climate conditions in a wine room and enhance the aesthetic quality of the storage space. For wines to age to their full potential, they require a dark and stable storage environment. The presence of an entryway door helps maintain the right amount of temperature, humidity, and light in a wine cellar.

However, it is not enough to install just any type of wine cellar door. You must also make sure that the wine room doors you will choose can deliver efficiency and longevity. Here are the quality features that you must look for in custom wine cellar doors:

Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and Mortise and Tenon

Laminated Veneer Lumber for Custom Wine Cellar Doors

Wine room doors are designed in accordance with the quality and style of a wine storage room. To ensure an airtight seal, doors for wine cellars must have weather stripping around all four sides and in all jambs. Using laminated veneer lumber and applying the old technique of Mortise and Tenon in the construction of a wine cellar door can significantly enhance its functionality.

Laminated veneer lumber (or LVL) is a new technology applied to wood production. It consists of multiple layers of thin wood assembled together with adhesives. The composite feature of this wood product provides improved structural strength of the material, thus making LVL timber less susceptible to warping, twisting or shrinking. In addition, it has better insulation properties compared to conventional lumber.

Mortise and Tenon for Wine Room Doors

The old woodwork technique of mortise and tenon joint offers additional strength and durability to a custom wine cellar door. A mortise is a rectangular hole cut into a timber to accommodate a tenon, while a tenon is a protrusion designed to fit into a mortise. Wood components are joined together by interlocking tenons and mortises, which allows the wood material to expand and contract with changes in humidity.

Automatic Door Bottoms

Automatic Door Bottoms – Custom Wine Cellar Doors

Additional features such as automatic door bottoms add to the efficiency of custom wine cellar doors. When the bottom of an entry door is left unsealed, it results to cold air loss. In order to seal the cool air in and provide additional protection to the interior of a wine storage space, a wine cellar door should be equipped with an automatic door bottom.

An automatic door bottom is a mechanical device fitted to the bottom edge of the wine room doors. It is a horizontal bar that retracts up when the door is opened and drops down when the door is shut. Unlike floor sweeps, automatic door bottoms come with a retracting feature that prevents the bar from dragging across the floor and damaging it.

Double-Paned Tempered Glass

Double-Paned Glass Doors for Wine Cellars

Custom wine cellar doors with glass must be a double-pane tempered glass. This type of glass consists of two sheets of glass that are hermetically sealed around the edges, leaving a space filled with air or inert gas between the glass panes. This small sealed space between two panes is a factor in preventing condensation build-up around the door or glass surface. (Learn more about glass wine cellar doors here https://www.winecellarspec.com/glass-wine-cellar-doors-important-component-in-wine-storage/).

Double-pane tempered glass also contributes to reducing energy costs by keeping a wine storage room well-insulated. Additionally, this glass material reduces noise and prevents it from penetrating the storage space. When coated with UV protective film, it shelters wine collectibles against continuous exposure from harmful UV rays.

Quality doors for wine cellars are engineered to provide an excellent seal to an entry door that will help stabilize the temperature and humidity levels inside a wine cellar space. In effect, wines will age to their perfection for long periods of time.

New Wine Cellar Cooling Product from CellarPro…

Will It Work For You?

A new product has just been released and it is causing quite a stir. This is a truly great fully ducted wine cellar cooling system by CellarPro, it is extremely versatile and can be configured to be used in many different ways. For example, the cooling units can be stacked vertically when floor space is limited; or they can be stacked horizontally when ceiling height is limited; or the evaporator and the condensing unit can be split apart, and the condensing unit even can be placed outdoors, when space or access are limited

This new Wine Cellar Air Handler comes in both the 6500 and the 8500 sizes. Therefore, these units are meant for larger cellars, up to 1750 cubic feet and up to 2500 cubic feet, respectively, with proper insulation and vapor barrier installed in the wine cellar. The self-contained (ie Horizontal and Vertical) units are pre-charged and factory set so that they do NOT have to be installed by an HVAC contractor.

There are several different ways these wine cooling systems can be installed:

These wine cellar cooling units can be placed horizontally or vertically.
They can be used as one unit or separated as a split system.

An optional remote digital display is available for use inside or outside the cellar when the units are ducted to and from the cellar.
The evaporator can be ducted into and from the cellar with the condenser attached.
The evaporator can be split and connected to the evaporator via 2 copper lines.
The evaporator could be placed inside the room and connected through the wall to the condenser via 2 copper lines.
Each unit is 18.6w x 18.6 d x 19.3 h… so each section is quite large.
The condenser can be connected to the evaporator directly.
The condenser can be “split” and connected to it via 2 copper lines and be separated up to 100 line ft. away.
The units can be ducted to the wine cellar from the evaporator and to the outdoors or another large space from the condenser up to 100 equivalent ft. (50 ft. per duct).
The units are also available so that the condenser can be placed indoors or outdoors to temperatures from -20 degrees to 110 degrees when used with the optional low ambient kit.

The way you will install your unit must be determined before ordering to receive the correct unit configuration.

Optional Humidifiers and Heaters are available that can be installed at the factory upon placing your order. These must be factory installed and cannot be added later.

The integrated Humidifier is perfect for increasing the humidity level in commercial or residential wine cellars. They are controlled by digital controllers that are mounted inside the wine room and are wired to the humidifier that is mounted to the rear of the Air Handler. Humidity levels can be set from 5% to 70% in 5% increments.

The 900W integrated Heater is for cellars that are unheated and exposed to conditions below 55 degrees. When the heater system is added, it is integrated with and controlled by the digital control panel and automatically adds heat or refrigeration based on the temperature inside the cellar. A safety thermostat provides protection from overheating.

Here is a photo of recent install of an AH6500Sch CellarPro system installed by one of our partner contractors in Memphis, TN. Located in the attic above the wine cellar the air was ducted to and from the wine cellar. The hot air was ducted outdoors and the fresh air was received from the fully insulated attic. The contractor who installed this unit purchased an extra duct collar for the unit. He is currently getting his supply air from the attic. If he finds that the attic gets too hot over the summer, he will change out the grill to the duct collar, adding a duct to the outside for the supply air.

Go here Custom Wine Cellars Memphis to see an example of a CellarPro Wine Cellar Cooling Unit installed is a recent residential wine cellar project.

To find out if this type of system is right for your wine cellar …. Or to see what cooling system is the best type and size for your wine cellar, call Wine Cellar Specialists to have a heat load calculation performed and get a unit recommendation.

Texas: 972-454-0480 Illinois: 773-234-0112 or Toll Free: 866-646-7089

Custom Wine Cellars – What you need to know about the flooring

Wine Cellar Floors

Floor Preparation

When thinking about the flooring for custom wine cellars, you should remember that as part of a climate controlled room it must be prepared properly. This is an area that some people make the mistake of ignoring when creating a wine cellar in their home. If the floor in your cellar is above ground, you must add the same vapor barrier and insulation that you do to your walls and ceiling. Remember, the wine room must be wrapped up tight like a package. If your floor is on a cement slab which rests on the ground, you can get away with adding a vapor barrier only to the cement before applying your floor covering.

We recommend a product called Bostic’s MVP4. It is a Moisture Vapor Protection that is applied with a trowel and left to dry before adding your floor on top. It is usually available at your local hardware store. Once the moisture barrier is in place, you can add a plywood base or add your flooring directly on top of the vapor barrier.

Flooring Materials for Custom Wine Cellars

What you use for your actual wine cellar flooring material is up to you, as long as you stay away from anything resembling carpet. Carpet or carpet-like materials can mold or mildew in the higher humidity of a wine cellar. Slate, stone, tiles of many materials are fine in a wine cellar. Engineered wood floors are also great for traditional wine cellar designs. However, do careful of wood flooring unless it has previously been aged in a humid environment.

For a particularly special looking custom wine cellar floor reclaimed wine barrel flooring is an excellent choice and becoming more widely used in wine cellars. It is oak and made by master craftsmen from real oak wine barrels that are between 6 and 50 years old. Because these barrels previously held wine, the wood has already been exposed to extreme humidity levels. The barrels are sent through a process that implements a variety of specialized techniques to create an olde world style product line. The flooring can be glued or nailed over an area that has been prepared with a vapor barrier.

Three separate styles are available. The Cooperage flooring is made from the barrel head with all of its patina, cooperage stamps and special markings. The Wine Infusion flooring is made from the inside of the wine barrels where the wood has been naturally stained by the wine during the maturation process. The Stave flooring is created using the outside of the wine barrels. When the outside hoops are removed they leave behind distinctive markings and texture.

The wine barrel flooring is a statement of style and brings the history and aged beauty of wine into the personality of your wine cellar. A real conversation piece, this reclaimed wine barrel product is also available in drop-in ready tabletops and counter-tops.

Cork flooring is another great way to create a wine cellar floor. It is durable and very inexpensive. It is what you call a “floating floor” installation. Cork flooring comes in tongue and groove pieces that snap together and are held in place with a simple molding. Several styles, patterns and colors are available.

Both reclaimed wine barrel flooring and cork flooring are very unique and obvious ways to say “this is my special and unique wine cellar”.

Custom Wine Cellar Builders Contractors Installers Chicago Illinois

Check out this sneak peek of a new residential custom wine cellars builders project we recently completed in Naperville a location near Chicago Illinois. As Full Service Wine Cellar Builders, Contractors, and Installers we love building and designing beautiful custom wine cellars, wine tasting rooms and simple closet conversions like this example job. For the full story, interesting before and after images go to custom wine cellars design Chicago.

Custom Wine Cellar Builders Contractors & Installers Chicago Illinois

Custom Wine Cellar Contractors Chicago

Naperville is a smaller city just outside Chicago Illinois. Interestingly it has been voted as the best place to live in the United States several times, even at one time making it to the number two best place to live position. As a smaller U.S. city with a population of around 142,000 (2010), it is actually quite an affluent city with numerous corporate headquarters located in the downtown area. Surprisingly in a 2010 article, Naperville was named as the wealthiest city in the Midwest! As Custom Wine Cellar Builders it should be no surprise therefore that we maintain a local presence of Wine Cellar Contractors in Naperville, Chicago, and Illinois generally.
If you live in one of these areas and are considering converting an unused room into a Wine Tasting Room or Custom Wine Cellar simply call us Toll-Free: at (866) 646-7089 or complete a FREE Wine Cellar Designs form and we will create a stunning 3D CAD Design Package tailored to your specific requirements without obligation and completely free of charge.

Bistro-de-la-reine Louisiana Commercial Wine Cellars Wine Stores

Check out one of our latest projects in Slidell which is near New Orleans in Louisiana. This Retail Wine Store and Bistro Bar is a great example of what can be done to enhance a Retail Wine Store into something with character and style. Enjoy the video and visit our Commercial Wine Racks New Orleans Louisiana page.

Commercial Custom Wine Cellars and Racks New Orleans Louisiana – Bistro de la Reine

To Cool or Not to Cool? (my Wine Cellar) That is the Question! #3

Part Three – Custom Wine Cellars and your home value and desirability

A wine cellar can add considerable value as both a practical room and a unique feature to set your home apart from others. While the primary purpose of building a custom wine cellar should probably be for your own private enjoyment, it can also increase desirability. Upgrades to homes are important to set them apart. Once only found in the very high-end home market, stunning custom wine cellars, are amongst the most nascent additions and ‘must-haves’ for the luxury homes mid-market. They are particularly appreciated in large homes situated in upscale neighborhoods.

3. Am I interested in my wine cellar increasing the value of my home or business?

A room with wine racks is a place to store wine bottles for a limited period of time. A climate-controlled wine cellar with a Wine Cellar Refrigeration System is a place to store your wine collection for future enjoyment or investment. This type of wine cellar is also a good investment in your home or business…increasing the market value of your property.

If you are still unsure whether to add a cooling system to your wine cellar but want to get started with your project, at the very least, prepare the room for the future climate control possibility. Add the proper amount of insulation and a vapor barrier in the walls, floor, and ceiling. (See How To Build Your Wine Cellar)

Do your homework or consult a Wine Cellar Specialist to suggest the best method of cooling your space. Then, add the necessary electrical and drain lines when preparing your walls so that your room is ready if cooling is added at a later time.

Residential Custom Wine Cellars Dallas Howell – Sneak Peek

Check out our new page for this project that tells the full story and detail behind our recent Custom Wine Cellar Closet Dallas Texas conversion. You can also enjoy a sneak peek of the project by watching the video below.

Custom Wine Cellars Builder Dallas Texas – Howell Closet Conversion Peek

Wine Cellar Cooling Systems by US Cellar Systems

See other similar projects such as the Johns Residential Wine Room Dallas Texas or the Commercial Wine Racks Bistro Wine Store

High-Quality Custom Wine Cellar Doors by Wine Cellar Specialists

High-Quality Door Designed and Constructed by Master Builders of Custom Wine Cellars

Your wine cellar door plays a vital role in achieving the ideal conditions needed by your wines to age gracefully. It also helps enhance the aesthetic appeal of your wine cellar. Therefore, it is crucial to seek the help of a professional like Wine Cellar Specialists. Our team designs and manufactures stylish and high-quality custom wine cellar doors.

The Role of Custom Wine Cellar Doors: What You Must Know

An ordinary door is not recommended for wine rooms equipped with a wine cooling system. Custom wine cellar doors must be constructed and installed by a knowledgeable builder. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we have an in-depth understanding of the significant role of doors in achieving the ideal wine storage conditions and aesthetic appearance that the client desires.

The primary purpose of a wine cellar door is to seal the door opening so that you are able to effectively maintain the temperature and humidity levels inside the wine cellar. When constructed properly, it will prevent air leakage, preventing temperature fluctuations and varying humidity levels. It will also prevent your wine cooling unit from working too hard to reach the optimum conditions.

LVL Technology: Why We Use it in the Construction of Custom Wine Cellar Doors

Wine Cellar Specialists uses exterior-grade custom wine cellar doors to ensure safety and efficiency. We use LVL technology in manufacturing our durable doors. A door made with LVL* construction is extremely good for wine cellars. The LVL* construction not only adds better insulation to the door but is less likely to ever warp due to the high humidity in a wine cellar.

*Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives. It offers several advantages over typical milled lumber: it is stronger, straighter, and uniform. It is much less likely than conventional lumber to warp, twist, bow, or shrink due to its composite nature. It is made in a factory under controlled specifications.

How We Make Sure Our Custom Wine Cellar Doors Can Function Effectively

All of our custom wine cellar doors are manufactured using high-quality materials. They must be exterior grade to withstand the high humidity in refrigerated wine cellars. We construct them with a 3.75-inch thickness.

Any door chosen with glass must be dual-paned tempered glass. A single pane glass will not provide the insulation you need, and you could have condensation issues arise. Even with thick, single-paned glass, this can happen. Always choose a dual-pane glass.

Other details for a wine cellar door have also to be considered. The bottom of the door is where most wine cellars have the coldest air loss. You can help to eliminate this by including an automatic door bottom for your door. Weather-stripping also needs to be added all the way around the jamb to seal the edges. Additionally, your wine cellar doors must have proper jambs and casings in order to close and seal the cellar effectively. While planning your wine cellar design, do remember to plan for casings, hardware, and hinges for the wine cellar doors. You may even want to add sidelights.

Options for Custom Wine Cellar Doors

Wrought Iron Custom Wine Cellar Door by Wine Cellar Specialists

We offer various styles and materials for custom wine cellar doors to suit the specific requirements of our clients. We have pre-hung doors and custom doors. Custom wine cellar doors are highly recommended for those who want to incorporate their own design to create a unique entryway to their wine cellar.

If you prefer to have the door constructed in a simple yet classic pattern, you can choose a glass door with square glass, arched glass, tri-panel, or top panel glass. Alternatively, you may opt for more intricate designs that stand out and make the face of your wine cellar exude a romantic and stylish appeal.

Such wine cellar doors can be in wrought iron or with wrought iron grills and elaborate embellishments.

Have Your Doors Constructed by Master Builders of Custom Wine Cellars

To get your wine cellar doors manufactured to your specifications, you can use the services of a professional wine cellar consultant. For more information, visit: https://www.winecellarspec.com

Do you need help with your project? Call us today at +1 (972) 454-0480!