Directions for Building a Root Cellar in a Basement

Locate the coolest unfinished section of your basement. The best possible location will be a corner of the home that doesn't receive much sunlight and is mostly underground. You'll also want to select an area with a window to make it easier to build the outside vent.

Use the marker, carpenter's square and tape measure to determine the size of your root cellar. Mark the walls and floor with the pencil. The size of the room depends on how much you want to store, how much space you have and how much you want to spend on materials.

Use these measurements to determine how much lumber you'll need to build each stud wall to form the room. Each wall will require a 2-inch by 4-inch header and baseplate (horizontal boards) and vertical 2-inch by 4-inch boards placed no more than 24 inches apart. For more tips on building a stud wall, see the Resources section.

Remove the glass from the window and cut a sheet of plywood and a sheet of insulation foam small enough to replace the glass. Cut two holes in the plywood and foam just larger than the PVC pipe---it doesn't have to be perfect because you'll seal it with spray insulation foam. Fit the plywood and foam back into the window. Use construction adhesive if desired to glue the plywood to the foam.

Cut two lengths of PVC pipe long enough to reach through the window into the root cellar. Cut the ends straight. Slide a closed valve, or blast gate, into each pipe and screw it into place. Place both vented pipes in the holes in the window. Cover the ends of the pipe with wire mesh to prevent rodents or other pests from getting in.

Attach a PVC elbow to one pipe and point it downward. Attach a length of pipe to the elbow that is long enough to reach near the floor. Seal the pipes by using the spray insulation foam to fill the gap in the plywood inserted in the window.

Build the stud walls. Cover the inside wall with drywall and screw it into place. Insulate the walls with sheets of foam insulation. Cover the outside wall with drywall if desired. Seal any gaps in the wall with spray insulation foam where the new wall meets the basement walls, ceiling and floor. Attach the prehung door.

Open the vents on the PVC pipes to allow cool air inside the root cellar. Close the vents when temperatures outside near freezing.