Just started a project to build a cellar in an exicting storage room. Lots of books and advice on building from scratch out there. The room itself is well insulated already and has a nice tile floor. Any experence on what I should do to make the room more temp/humidity tolerant (aside from adding a cooling unit). Was thinking of adding a vapor barrier to the existing walls and then redrywalling with a moisture resistant drywall.

buy a cheap temp and humidity gauge and see what the natural readings are withouit doing anything. then adjust from there.

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I've read through most of the recent forum postings, and this seemed like the logical place to ask my question:

We have a passive cellar -- temp is a very stable 55, and with vapor barrier, insulation, and a small humidifier, the humidity was relatively stable around 60. Lower than desired, of course, but it seems to have stabilized fairly well and we've been very pleased with it.

Then we added redwood racking (we had metal racks before). Humidity dropped well below 50 and has been sort of bouncing around between 50 and 65. I assume it's because the wood was dry and we just can't get enough moisture into the room. How long until the cellar reaches equilibirium again? Or will it? Will we have to find some other method than a good hygrometer controlling a regular humidifier?

The room is about 6' x 20' and we added about 30' of standard-bottle racking and bin racks, if that helps any.

Wood 'breathes' the way to stabilise it is to seal it...esp. the endgrain...

Is it necessary to have a humidifier and cooling unit if the room is cellar temp? underground, no heat, will tile floor. will insulate wall/door that partitions it off from rest of the area. would seem to be pretty much what one sees in wine cellars but i can find nothing on it. am i missing an important point?

quote:

Is it necessary to have a humidifier and cooling unit if the room is cellar temp?

No.

am i missing an important point?

No.

Sounds like you know what your doing. Have fun. I use a Vintagekeeper 250.