Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 04, 2009 07:09pm | #1

   Looks to me that the dimesions of the units in your link give you all the info you need.  Just make an allowance for the thickness of the stiles and rails and you can easily back into the sizes of the openings.  Double check the dimensions you derive with a quick stop at a liquer store.  Be sure that some places are allowed for some of the larger bottles, including champagne bottles, even if most spots ony fit the 750 ml bottles. 

2. 
   dustymctevish | Apr 04, 2009 09:35pm | #2

   Are we talking height-width-and depth of standard wine bottles or the racks as a whole?  I haven’t found a standard to speak of because wine bottles can be of a variety of sizes and racking system vary depending on manufacture and location of the system.  If you are building for a customer ask them for some of the empty bottles to define the size of system.  If you are building for yourself follow suit but you’ll at least enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

    

   DustyMc

    

    

3. 
   Jimma | Apr 06, 2009 11:33pm | #3

   This is not as simple as it may look. For one thing, racking is often dimensioned to accommodate standard lumber sizes and not bottles, so you need to start with the approximate size of the space in which the racks will be placed and the number of cases or bottles you plan to store. Detailed planning is a must. For example, a typical room height of eight feet can easily accommodate two-case columns (24 bottles) not counting any allowance for a subfloor or base or any display space. If you will not be storing by the case, you may choose any dimension you like and plan columns to suit. As to width of columns, most (note the word most) 750 ml bottles fall within a four-inch diameter, but the height of the cell for one bottle needs to be approximately one quarter to one half inch higher than wide to avoid contact with the bottle above or below. (This dimension depends on how thick the horizontal bottle supports are and whether the bottles are the same diameter.) For reasons that are not clear to me, the diamond-shaped spaces offered in catalogs do not accommodate full cases, perhaps because there is no firm standard on bottle diameters. There are several other factors to consider when planning a cellar such as cooling provisions, shape of he space and access to it, lighting, odd bottle provision, and any esthetic or decor considerations. Insulation may or may not be a factor in your planning. You did not mention the size of your space, whether to plan for both red and white wine or how much you will store, so your question is too general for a practical answer. Obviously, an under-counter rack or closet will have very different requirements than a full basement or room, and a serious wine collector will need to consider many nuances of storage, display and inventory control. So -- where do you go from here? Many of the companies offering prefabricated racking will offer help in planning a cellar, and some will offer on-site expert design input. If you want to plan and build your own, some of us on this site can answer your questions once you narrow the main variables down to something we can respond to. Good luck.

4. 
   vinworx | Apr 07, 2009 05:05am | #4

   most ladders (the vertical racking) is 3.5 X3.5 it can be adjusted slightly. Most folks are storing 750 ml bottles which the 3.5 x 3.5 will accomodate. You can +/- 1/8 but not much more. I normally build everything out of 11/16 lumber for the ladders and support frames.  It gives a better look than 3/4 and anythign less will start to warp and twist on you.

   Mark Rhodes

   Vinworx.com

   Custom Wine Cellars & Cabinets

   
   

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   Edited 4/6/2009 10:17 pm ET by vinworx