I have always dreamed of a red brick cellar with an arched ceiling, like the dungeons of the Teutonic Knights. I had a good idea, but I was afraid to do it myself. So I hired professionals to help.
Foundations
When I presented the construction team with the vision of the basement, we started excavating the foundations. It turned out that, contrary to appearances, it was not the easiest task. While digging, at a depth of 180 cm, we came across a water vein. A cold stream erupted from the ground in the corner of the future dugout. We stopped the work and poured the foundations with B20 concrete, having previously made 70 cm deep ribs.
Walls
The next stage is building walls. Every 80 cm, we strengthened them with pillars so that the pressure of the ground would not destroy them. When they were ready, we covered them with a thin layer of concrete and painted them with a protective agent. The next insulating layer was polystyrene (5 cm) and foil for foundations.
Floor
After the walls are built, we put the construction foil on the bottom of the cellar. We did not give polystyrene so that the ground could heat the floor in winter and cool it in summer. We finished it with tiles.
Ceiling
The next step was to make the bow. To make it more solid, we first made a wooden structure. We placed bricks on such a skeleton, placing a ø 10 wire longitudinally between every fourth with attached hooks. Their task was to bind the bricks to the concrete, which we then poured on top. The poured ceiling was covered with tar and an insulating layer - 3 cm thick polystyrene.
Finish
The cellar is located in an outdoor area, where the sun usually shines brightly. Therefore, we put a thick foil for the foundations on top, with the plugs pointing upwards. This arrangement helps to maintain a layer of over thirty centimeters of soil and protects against its intensive movement during rain. I decided to fill the landed area with colonies and other succulents that can endure extreme conditions. Once the plants take root, they become a natural protection against landslides.
Cost calculation
The total cost of construction is 7,000 zloty. This amount consists of:
- remuneration for the construction team - PLN 2,500,
- bricks - PLN 2000,
- other construction materials (e.g. wire for foundations, approx. 2.5 m³ of concrete, reinforcement, ceiling, boards) - PLN 1,500.
If you were to make the cellar yourself and from other materials, the costs would be lower. Despite the expenses incurred, I believe that it is a good investment for the future.
There are some details that I would do differently now, better. First of all, I would point the pillars strengthening the walls inwards. The wine cellar is small (2.5 x 3.5 m) so this would give extra space. Next to them, you could install shelves for jars. We made one more mistake while building the entrance to the basement. We did not make a connection between the walls - the doorframes and the descent itself. We made the entrance when pouring out the stairs. Accordingly, there is no tight connection there. After heavy rain, the dirty water is squeezed through the cracks and gets onto the landing in front of the door to the dugout.
Robert Synowiec
