Putting in a Root Cellar

[Midnight Blue]

Last night I started digging a nice big square hole for the beginnings of a root cellar. It's good size, I'm guessing 5'x5' square and between last night and this morning, I got alot done with the shovel. I'd use a tractor but it's in an area where the tractor is too big to get into, so for now I'm using a shovel.

Now I know many here probably have root cellars so I'd like to know how deep and what reinforcements are needed inside. I'm thinking straight down a ways and then expanding out underground a bit. Any input and/or pictures would be appreciated.

[just me]

Here is one from the Walton feed site

http://waltonfeed.com/old/cellar1.html

There are a couple more as well

http://waltonfeed.com/old/cellars.html

[KuernoDeChivo]

Doesn't this post belong in the "Root Cellar"...? J/K :lol:

I am not sure what your soil is like but mine gets pretty hard once you get down 3 or 4 feet. What I was thinking is to water it down and then wait a day and lower the rototiller down in there to help me loosen things up a bit.

My garage floor was never concreted so I have often thought of adding an underground storage room/Fall-out shelter. I would just need to make sure the ceiling is strong enough to park a car.

One of my buddies told me that as long as I used "B-Deck" and then concrete... I think he said 6 inches (I forget now). Of course for the price of poultry or Chain-link Fence I would "re-enforce" the ceiling or new garage floor.

[Midnight Blue]

I dig as much as possible and then soak the spot big time and let it sit.

[Homesteader1]

We built a new 10x12 rootcellar two seasons ago. Our soil is sand and our water table is high, so our hole was 7 ft deep. Our cellar we choose to build out of wood, not treated lumber, as it puts off fumes, and then wrapped it with a vapor barrier and then tar paper. We made the rood with a peek and a slight pitch, so water would run off then put vapor barrier and rolled roofing on drapping down over the sides to seal water leakage down side walls. It needs to be braced well inside, don't underestimate the weight of dirt. We used steel shafting, on cement footings( ends and one in the center) under our center beam( 8x10 header beam). Also make sure you use a good header over your doorway opening, as it is a weaker point in the structure. We have an entrance door and a door down into the stairwell( door into cellar) Our cellar also has two vents, due to high moisture and we laid a vapor barrier on the dirt floor and covered with a gravel mix. The humidity is just right for keeping potatoes,carrots, beets, parsnips, cabbage and onions(cured). Squash and pumpkins keep well for about 2 months then mold spots begin)

The pictures don't show the finished look, there is far more dirt added than is shown in the last photo, the back vent is only 3 ft above the dirt now. Our winter temps was a pretty constand 34-36 degrees F with one vent blocked if it was above zero and bothe vents blocked if below zero.

[LC]

You might want to take a look at the book "Root Cellaring" by Mike and Nancy Bubel. It comes from Rodale Press.

LC

[Belle]

I don't remember where I got these pictures, so I can't provide a link or instructions, but maybe they'll help. BTW, I have to split this into 2 posts, since there are 6 pictures and the site only allows 4.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/gayleannesmith/169-043-01.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/gayleannesmith/169-043-03.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/gayleannesmith/169-043-02.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/gayleannesmith/169-043-04.jpg

[Belle]

Continued...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/gayleannesmith/169-042-01.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v412/gayleannesmith/169-044-01_07.jpg

[Freeholder]

Midnight Blue, I think if you build it the way you mentioned, enlarging the hole after you get down a ways, you are in danger of being buried in a cave-in before you get the roof reinforced. In other words, dangerous. I know it's more work, but it will be much safer to dig the hole the right size from the top down -- it will be easier to get the dirt out that way, also.

How big are you planning to make the cellar?

Kathleen

[Caplock50]

I agree with Freeholder. If you're going to have a slope to the walls, have them slope in...not out, at the bottom. You've just gotta plan for Mr. Murphy and his law, ya know.


"How big are you planning to make the cellar?"

And how deep?

[Samurai Jane]

I would build it the way it's done in The $50 And Under Underground House book, to prevent leaks, rot, and cave-ins and to keep it from going out of square during construction. No concrete is required, either.

[Midnight Blue]

Yeah, after thinking on it and reading here, I will dig the right size hole all the way down. I would like it to be a good size, we've actually talked of getting those big c-containers(sp?) and burying it. We have the spot picked out, now we have top get the tractor running and move all the car parts and such to another part of the property. The property years back looked like it came right out of a Jeff Foxworthy joke. :mrgreen:

Samurai Jane, I haven't heard of that book but now I'm going to look online for it. Thanks.

[Belle]

Be sure you put some gravel or tiling underneath and along the sides of it so that any water that gets down there has a way to drain out. Can't say firsthand if it's true or not, but I've heard stories of people inside self-contained storm shelters floating down the road during a heavy storm because there was noplace for water to go and it floated the shelter right out of the ground.

[Navajo]

Yeah, after thinking on it and reading here, I will dig the right size hole all the way down. I would like it to be a good size, we've actually talked of getting those big c-containers(sp?) and burying it. We have the spot picked out, now we have top get the tractor running and move all the car parts and such to another part of the property. The property years back looked like it came right out of a Jeff Foxworthy joke. :mrgreen:

Samurai Jane, I haven't heard of that book but now I'm going to look online for it. Thanks.


Those c- containers , most of them, do not have the roof support to be covered in dirt. ones that are buried have to have additional support added.

[Midnight Blue]

Those c- containers , most of them, do not have the roof support to be covered in dirt. ones that are buried have to have additional support added.

That is good to know, thank you.

[Freeholder]

Samurai Jane is right about the book by Mike Oehler -- I have a copy of it, and hope someday to use it to build a house, but it would also be a good way to build a root cellar.

Kathleen

[Samurai Jane]

Here's the site of the the underground house book:
http://undergroundhousing.com/book.html

What are c-containers, the big old steel cargo boxes? Wouldn't they corrode really fast in the ground?