A wine cellar depends upon temperature and humidity control. Good insulation, a vapor barrier and climate control system are all key components, but a large part of climate control comes in choosing the correct wine cellar door. The wrong decision can force your wine cellar cooling system to work more and allow unnecessary warm air inside your wine storage cellar, nullifying the rest of your careful wine room planning and design.
The right wine room door maintains a seal on the entryway when the door is shut, allowing the wine cellar cooling unit to mix temperature and humidity-controlled air through the entire wine room without battling with air leaking into the room from the other side of the door. Whether you purchase a pre-made standard door, or have one made to your desired specifications, all good wine cellar doors have specific features that make them perfect for the climate control demands of your wine cellar.
Wine Cellar Door Construction
Custom wine cellar contractors advise using exterior grade wine room doors, which are powerful enough to withstand temperature changes and keep outside air from leaking in. A precise exterior grade wine door should be weatherproofed and acclimatized to the level of temperature and humidity in the environment where it will be utilized; the humidity factor should not be disregarded when selecting a wine cellar door. The suggested humidity for a wine cellar falls roughly between 50% and 80%, with 70% being the optimal level. If a wine room door can’t handle 70% humidity without warping or added issues, it isn’t worth the money you paid for it.
Wooden
wine doors should have firm construction; never use a cavernous door as the entrance for your custom wine cellar. If you use a glass wine cellar door, it must be double-paned to help keep hot air out. The recommended thickness for wine room doors varies according to who you ask, but the lowest thickness you should install for your wine cellar is one and three-quarter inches. If your wine cellar door is reachable by children or if you just want additional security for your wines consider adding a lock to your door specs.
Wine Room Door Materials
Wine cellar doors are available in a variety of materials; wood, glass, even wrought iron. Options include standard doors, carved wood doors or carved wood and glass. You can also get beveled glass doors or wine cellar iron doors.
When buying a wine cellar door, the state of your wine cellar may dictate your purchase to a certain degree. Is the wine room already built? Do you need to buy a door to fit your existing entryway? Or do you need a whole set with the door, doorjamb, weather stripping included in a package? Wine cellar doors may come in “door-only” versions or as pre-hung doors. A pre-hung wine room door comes to you installed into a frame which you put into the entryway. Pre-hung doors speed up the installation process if you are doing the job yourself, but you may desire an extra pair of hands to help get the door in place and properly attached.
Some wine cellar doors contain optional wrought-iron attachments which are set up on top of your door after it has been installed in the opening, but these don’t have much to do with climate control issues in your cellar; the wrought iron add-ons are simply decorative. If you add these ornamental designs, it is important to fasten them safely to the door to eliminate the potential for damage to the satin finish of the wood.
Wine Cellar Doors vs. Entryways
Some wine cellar door manufacturers offer custom-designed and built entryways. What’s the difference between an entryway and a wine room door? With a custom entryway you are having the entire section of door, doorjamb and related construction included in the package. This can form a more stylish look for your cellar and provide some additional custom selections for the area. If you order the door only, you can install it in your existing entryway, which is helpful for circumstances where you are already pleased with the surrounding wine cellar construction.
Miscellaneous Concerns
Wine cellar doors ought to come with a threshold, door sweep and perimeter seal. These seals permit the door to be weather-stripped on all three sides to keep out drafts when the door is closed. Weather stripping is a necessity for the entrance to your wine room, otherwise your wine cooling system works less efficiently and your climate controlled air will move into the region outside the wine cellar.
Are you purchasing a custom wine cellar door? You will need specifications for your door jamb or entryway and you must decide whether you want handles or locks. Some vendors will not install locks or pre-drilling. If you want to install a lock in these cases you will have to do the job yourself based on the design specifications of a specific lock.
Sometimes the direction your doors open will be an issue. When thinking of which way your wine cellar doors should hinge, think about the placement of your wine racks or accessories close to the doors, and how wide you need to open the doors should you have to bring in a crate or case of wine bottles. If you need additional clearance than the interior of your wine room can supply, be certain your doors can swing open to the outside, and don’t forget a doorstop or additional add-on to stop the doors from slamming against the wall.
Wine cellar doors are essential to your wine room. Picked wisely the doors can help your wine cellar work properly and make a great first impression to your visitors.
