How to Build a Home Wine Cellar

Evaluate potential spaces in your home for building your wine cellar. Keep in mind the temperature and humidity of the room, as well as the amount of direct sunlight the room receives. Remember that wine cannot be stored in direct sunlight. According to the Professional Friends of Wine, the room should be 55 to 65 F and slightly humid. A cool, humid, windowless room in a basement can be a great choice.

Remove the carpet from the room if necessary. Carpet can become moldy due to the temperature and humidity in a wine cellar. Choose a sealed concrete or tile floor for your home wine cellar to prevent the growth of mold.

Replace the door of the room. Even if the room has a door currently, you will need to replace it with an insulated and weatherstripped door. This helps to maintain the consistency of the temperature in your home wine cellar.

Install specialized lighting. While not as damaging as sunlight, artificial light can also prematurely age wine. Recessed lighting in the ceiling is a popular choice. Consider using a dimmer switch to control the lighting so that you can minimize the exposure of the wine to bright light.

Insulate the walls of the room. If the room is unfinished, you can put in standard insulation and hang drywall or another wall material to cover it. If the room is already finished, it can be difficult to add additional insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends "loose-fill or sprayed foam insulation" because they can "be added without much disturbance to finished areas of your home."

Purchase wine racks and install them in your home wine cellar. The size and number of racks you purchase will vary based on the number of bottles of wine you intend to store in your wine cellar. Choose a material that will be resistant to the damp conditions of a wine cellar. Mahogany is a popular choice of wood for wine racks.