How to Restore a Stone Root Cellar
With more and more people becoming interested in growing their own food, the revival of the root cellar is becoming more popular. Many older homes and homes in the country originally had root cellars. These old root cellars crumbled into a state of disrepair through years of inactivity. Revitalize an old root cellar into a modern convenience with a little planning and some muscle grease. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Local stone
- Whitewash
- Wooden timbers and shelves
- PVC pipe
- Wire mesh
- Temperature and humidity gauges
- Gravel, concrete or brick
- Electric wiring (optional)
- Propane lanterns (optional)
- Benches
- Wooden table
Instructions
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1
Clean out debris and stone from a collapsed root cellar, moving the stone close by for later use.
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2
Use the interior floor and walls if they are still in good condition. If not, excavate between 4 and 10 feet down into the earth.
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Locate your root cellar where there is good drainage. If you are relocating a root cellar or building a new one, the best place to locate it is the side of a north-facing hill where exposure is limited at the cellar's opening.
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4
Cover the top of the root cellar with at least 1 foot of earth for insulation.
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Vent the root cellar for airflow. Place a PVC pipe or other opening at the top of the cellar to allow hot air to escape. Place a second PVC pipe at floor level to allow cool air to enter.
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Cover the ends of the PVC pipes with heavy wire mesh to keep critters out.
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Use the original rocks to recreate the front of the cellar and the door opening. If you have enough rock, line the interior walls. You can either dry stack the rocks or mortar them in place.
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Attach a door to the front of your root cellar to keep wild animals out and help keep cool air in the cellar.
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Whitewash the interior of the root cellar to make it bright and easier to keep clean.
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Add electricity for lighting, if you like. Alternatively, place propane lanterns in the root cellar for lighting.
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Cover the floor of your root cellar with gravel, brick or concrete. These materials can be wet down to create some humidity if needed and will drain easily.
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Place a drain running away from the root cellar to remove unwanted moisture.
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Add wooden shelves for food storage. Wood helps with temperature control and doesn't heat up, as metal shelves will.
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Place a humidity gauge and thermometer in the root cellar and keep tack of the readings. This will help you maintain the air quality of the root cellar over time.
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Add benches or chairs and a worktable if you have room in your root cellar.
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Tips & Warnings
Proper venting of a root cellar is important. As fruit and vegetables ripen, they produce ethylene gases. Venting the gases helps slow the ripening process and preserves your food longer.
Check with local utility companies before you dig to be sure their lines are out of the way.
Check local building codes to make sure you are allowed to build a root cellar. Ask if you need to apply for a permit.
Always support the sides of the hole as you dig to protect yourself and prevent a cave-in.
