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What to Look for when Choosing Wine Racks

Download a PDF version of this Wine Racks - Features PageThere are many styles and quality levels of wine rack kits on the market today. Styles range from traditional wood wine rack kits, stack-able kits, double deep kits, metal rack kits to modular styles.

There are several things to look for when choosing wooden wine racks.
(Traditional, stackable, & double deep kits. This also applies to wood custom racks.)

  1. What is the niche size? 3 ½” niches will accommodate the regular sized 750 bottles. If you want to store Pinots or larger or odd-shaped bottles you will be out of luck. Look for wine racks that have a 3 ¾” niche size. You will then be able to fit most, if not all, of your 750s, even regular-sized champagne bottles. You will need a little larger niche for any Magnum sized bottles.
  2. Be sure you are choosing a quality wood that will hold up well in a wine cellar environment. Redwood and mahogany are two of the most popular woods in a climate-controlled room. They withstand the humidity and temperatures well without cracking, warping or attracting mildew. Do not use cheap woods such as poplar, fir or especially cedar. Even what they call “non-aromatic” cedar still has a smell that can go through your cork and taint your wine.
  3. If you want a curved corner in your wine cellar, be sure to look closely at the corners offered in your kit racks. Some companies only offer segmented corner racks. These do not have the beautiful look of a true radius corner.
  4. Look closely at the construction of the wine rack kits. The front spacer bars should have dados or notches cut into them for a cleaner look and structural integrity. Dado stabilizer bars on the top and bottom of each piece will also add strength. Many wine rack companies do not include the top and bottom stabilizers.
  5. Check the bottom portion of your racks. They should have a toe kick or base that brings the racks up off of the floor. You do not want racks where the bottom bottle touches the floor when you put the bottle into the rack. Imagine inserting a bottle and having it hit the floor and burst. What a mess that would create and you could lose a prized bottle. Who wants their wine stored on the floor anyway? A 1 ½” toe kick is sufficient.
  6. Make sure the bottle holders, or ladder rungs as I like to call them, are sanded smooth. Sharp edges on these pieces can cause your labels to tear when placing your bottle into the racks or removing them. A damaged label can make the value of your wine decrease. It can also ruin a great presentation when dining and wining with your guests.
  7. Beware of ugly screws, or plugs showing on the front of your racks. Look for a wine rack where all of the screws used to assemble the rack are on the back or in areas that do not show. Plastic and wood plugs that hide the screws are also unacceptable for a well-made rack.
  8. Look at the angle of the display rows. Display rows should be angled at a 15-degree angle. No more. A higher angle and the wine will no longer touch the cork. This could cause your cork to dry out and crack and your wine to get air into the bottle causing it to spoil.

Metal wine rack kits are a little easier to tell if you have a good quality rack.

  1. Look to see that the ends of the metal pieces that hold the bottles have a rubber or plastic tip. This will help to hide any sharp metal edges and give the rack a more finished look.
  2. Most metal racks will come in a choice of black or silver color. Some can be ordered in other colors as well for a more unique look to your cellar. Custom color racks will usually take longer to get.
  3. Metal racks can be wall-mounted or floor to ceiling mounted or free standing. Choose carefully what will work best for you.
  4. Be aware of how these racks will attach to your walls. Depending on what is behind your walls, you may need special screws to attach your metal racks. You may want to add ½” plywood behind your walls when attaching this style of the rack to the wall.

Modular wine racks are a completely different story

  • Modular wine racks can be made up of different components of kit racks of any variety. The best modular wine racks come pre-assembled. Modular means it is made up of groups of components. When people look for modular racks they usually do not want to assemble each piece on site. Pre-assembled modular racks are the way to go. Find a grouping that you like and that fits into your space. Easy installation and you will save money by not needing the racks themselves assembled.

  • Traditional styles and contemporary styles are available in modular racks. These pieces are more like furniture than your other “kit” syle racks. You can install them in your living room or they will also be at home in your wine cellar. They come in various sizes. 
  • Generally, you will have options to choose from. Many modular racks offer options such as lacquer, led lighting, and side and back panels. 
  • Because the units are pre-assembled, shipping is usually a little higher on modular racks than those that will need assembly on site. However, the cost of the assembly usually outweighs the added cost of the shipping. 
  • Be aware of the wood species used in your modular racks. The best modular racks use a Sapele mahogany. This wood has a naturally darker color than the Malaysian mahogany used in most kit racks. No need to stain these racks. Adding lacquer alone gives them a deep rich furniture finish. 
  • Look for modular racks where the lighting option is already installed in the racks. Purchasing and installing led lighting separately can get quite expensive. If you intend to add lighting to your racks, adding a lighting option, that comes pre-installed, to your modular package can actually save you money. 
  • Contemporary styles of modular kits come in a variety of styles and can be mixed and matched to make many different configurations. Some are attached to the walls while others have their own feet and stand on the floor.


To Summarize
Choose carefully when making your wine rack decision.  Look for the quality of the construction in detail.  If you do not want pre-sized units, you may want to choose custom wine racks.  Even then, you can usually tell the quality of the custom racks by the quality of the kit racks a company carries.  Ask the right questions.  Always use a company that specializes in wine racks.  A big mistake is thinking that your local woodworker or contractor can build wine racks correctly.  Decide if price or quality matters most to you.  You will be living with your wine racks for a long time.  Cheap is not always the best choice.

To see the quality kit, custom, and modular wine racks that meet the above specifications, visit our website at www.winecellarspec.com

Uses for a Wine Cellar in the Home

home wine cellar Texas

You Can Have a Functional and Appealing Home Wine Cellar with the Help of an Expert

If you have asked yourself if you need a wine cellar in your home, then you already have your answer. Just asking the question means that you have gone beyond the normal wine drinker who may have a few bottles on hand for the occasional dinner party or night in.

Because a home wine cellar (and, let’s face it, wine) is an investment, you should be thinking about the type of custom wine cellar you want in your home, not just whether you want one.

Your wine cellar should grow with you and your collection, and unless you’re not planning to sell your home, then your wine room should be built in such a way that it will appeal to someone other than you.

A Residential Custom Wine Cellar may be a nice incentive for someone buying a home, so make sure it has broad appeal.

One benefit to having a wine cellar of your own, is it allows you to buy wine in bulk. Wine by the case is less expensive than one or two bottles.

Wine by the case is also less expensive when it is young, and if you know wine (and if you want a wine cellar in your home, then you must know wine), these young wines, once mature, will taste better and result in a larger return on your investment. It also allows you to purchase larger quantities of a wine that you discover and particularly enjoy, to assure that you will be able to have a stock of it for the future.

Home Wine Room Chicago

How will you use your wine cellar (in other words, what prompted you to ask the question in the first place?)? Will you use it strictly for storage, will you also use it as a tasting room, or is it to be a showplace? How you plan to use it is important to know, because that can affect the way you construct your room, or at least the size of it and how the racking is designed.

If your wine cellar will be used just for storage, then think about how many bottles of wine you currently have as well as how many bottles of wine you plan to accumulate.

Your cellar should be able to grow with you and your collection. Make sure you can maximize the bottle storage for the space you have. If you want a wine room and think that you just don’t have the space, look around at unused areas. Do you have a stairwell? And, if you do, can you build out underneath it? Unused closets? Maybe you use it to build out a cellar.

Residential Wine Cellars Designed and Installed by Wine Cellar Specialists in Texas and Chicago

VintageView Wine Cellars, Metal with Wood Coppel TX Project – Near Dallas

custom wine cellar Coppel Texas

Metal and Wood Custom Wine Cellar in Texas

This contemporary home wine cellar is located under the curved staircase. The racking is made of metal and wood, resulting in a unique wine storage space.

Chevis Home Wine Cellar with a Rolling Ladder – Dallas, Texas

Installed with attractive mahogany wine racks, this residential wine cellar aesthetically appealing and offers great features. A rolling ladder was added for easy access to bottles stored beyond normal reach.

Contemporary Custom Wine Cellar – White Rock Lake Area, Dallas, Texas

This modern design was created by Wine Cellar Specialists for their client in Dallas, Texas. The metal wine racks from Vintage View are mounted on the wall, creating a sophisticated custom wine display.

Dave Custom Wine Cellar with Barrel Table – Palos Heights Chicago Illinois

Located in the basement, this home wine cellar displays the owner’s wines in unfinished redwood wine racks. A wine barrel table was added to add a distinct look to the wine room.

An Efficient Wine Refrigeration System is Essential for Proper Home Wine Storage

wine cooling systems for Texas and Chicacago wine cellars

Wine Refrigeration Systems

Where you build the room will be dictated by the ability to install your climate control system. Controlling the temperature is critical to ensuring your collection is protected and continues to grow in value.

When the ideal temperature (55-65 degrees Fahrenheit) is maintained in a cellar, wine will not be oxidized. Oxidation causes off flavors and discoloration in wine.

Additionally, an efficient wine cooling system also regulates humidity levels need in preserving wine’s quality. Humidity levels higher or lower than the normal range (60-70%) will damage the corks and wine labels.

View the different types and brands of wine cooling systems.

If you have considered building a wine cellar in your home, then don’t ask yourself if you should build one; ask, instead, how big you want it to be and what will go inside of it.

Wine racks are the framework of your custom wine cellar.

Whether you are building your wine cellar for storage or display, you must take into consideration what kind of racking system you want. Wine racks make your wine cellar collection organized. A well-organized collection of wine is not only pleasing to the eyes but it’s also practical for the owner. You won’t have a hard time trying to find any particular wine you want in your collection.

What wine rack should you use for your custom wine cellar?

Enhance the appearance of your wine cellar with a wooden rack.

Revamp your custom wine cellar with a wooden wine rack.

Wine racking systems come in all shapes and sizes. There are two major types of wine racks. First, there’s the wooden rack. Then, there’s the metallic racking system. What material to use depends on your preference, how large your wine collection, and the reason you are building a wine cellar.

Wooden racks are good insulators. These racks lessen the heat going through your wine bottles. This feature is favorable since heat could trigger premature spoilage of your wines. And, wooden racks give your wine cellar a classy and traditional look.

Metallic racks, on the other hand, give your custom wine cellar a modern and contemporary look. These racks are known for their durability and strength. Given they are installed in an optimum wine cellar condition, metallic racks are easy to maintain.

Whether you’ll be using your custom wine cellar for storage or display, making a well-informed decision on what wine rack to use could make the most of the functionality for each variant.