The Challenge of Building A Wine Cave
The major challenge when designing and constructing most wine caves is to create a fairly wide span in weak rock with low cover. If the tunnel is too narrow, it may hold up longer but storage space will be severely limited. It can also be really difficult to find a good portal site, especially in areas of complex geology.
The construction of cave interiors can also be complicated by the elaborate curves and labyrinth-style floor plans that are selected by some owners for their wine caves. Then there is the interior finishing of the caves and that is an integral part of the construction process. One major concern is the waterproofing details, these are especially important for the interiors of wine caves.
Once the cave complex has been completely excavated, it is then waterproofed and initially supported so that about a 2 inch (5cm) thickness of final shotcrete or plain/colored gunite can be applied to the walls and arches.
If you decide to create your own wine cave take a look at what Wine Cellar International commercial wine racks division has created for many of their clients, everything from under the stairs cellars to huge commercial wine cellars.
