Building A Root Cellar

[ORChick]

I'm envious; I want a root cellar. But I'm a West Coast girl, and the West Coast, in general, doesn't know about celllars or basements. I'm not sure, but I seem to remember reading once that a dirt floor covered with gravel is recommended for root cellars. The dirt floor helps keep the humidity up (? I think ?), and the gravel keeps things up off the dirt. I could be wrong about this, but you might want to check it out before you pour the concrete . If you build this I hope you will take lots of pictures, and keep us updated.

 

[Tallman]

I have talked to several locals around here and have yet to be discouraged about my hedge post root cellar idea. We have a fellow in the area who deals in hedge post, and one idea that was given to me was to go over and buy the post from this dealer. I know this post dealer very well, and I think that this would be a good idea.

I would like to find a solid roof to put over the whole thing. Here in the oil fields there are some steel tanks and some fiber glass tanks that were used for water. I was thinking of trying to find a tank that was about ten feet across and 12 feet high. Maybe something that was damaged. I would have it cut in half from top to bottom. Then use one half for the roof. After it was in place, I would cover it with dirt. If I could find a fiberglass swimming pool that had been damaged or something, I could use it for the roof. About 80 miles north of me there is a huge airplane salvage outfit. There might be an old hull of something there that I could use.

Most of those that I have talked to here in our area said that I should just use gravel for the floor. They all agreed that this "cellar" would get water in it, but with the floor as rock the water would be allowed to get away. My backhoe man said that he could dig a hole in the center of the floor that I could have DH fill with large rocks and then cover the whole thing with gravel about 6 to 8 inches deep.

Anybody have any other ideas along these lines that I could use for a roof.

 

[nightshade]

I think it sounds like a great idea! I would go with the gravel floor and the tank roof idea sounds like it would work fine if you can find a way to keep the water from leaking in around your roof/ walls seam. Keep us updated.

 

[Tallman]

I think it sounds like a great idea! I would go with the gravel floor and the tank roof idea sounds like it would work fine if you can find a way to keep the water from leaking in around your roof/ walls seam. Keep us updated.

I just know that this thing will leak; however, with a gravel floor like I would like to put in I think the water would drain out through the floor. The walls will not be tight unless I put some cement or something in between the posts, but that is what I want to get away from. I guess if push came to shove, I could put the cement in between the posts after it was finished if I just had to.

Thanks for your input.

 

[MorelCabin]

I may be wayyy off here, but what if you put a gravel 'weeping bed' type idea all the way around it on the outside before you backfill with soil. This will help the water drain away from it instead of into it. And of course a gravel floor as well. You can also perhaps use plastic sheeting aound the outside of the structure between the actual structure and the gravel

 

[Tallman]

I may be wayyy off here, but what if you put a gravel 'weeping bed' type idea all the way around it on the outside before you backfill with soil. This will help the water drain away from it instead of into it. And of course a gravel floor as well. You can also perhaps use plastic sheeting aound the outside of the structure between the actual structure and the gravel

You have opened up an idea that I am going to have to consider. The first thing would be the cost of having the backhoe dig down the outside of the post wall which at first I didn't want to do; however, if I did this it would allow me to wrap the whole thing in plastic or whatever, and put in the rock "weeping bed" like you suggest. Your idea just might be a very workable solution. My DW can surely pick up enough rock to fill this "weeping bed" as well as the drain in the middle of the floor. Heck, how hard could that be?

MorelCabin, if I end up using your idea, I'll put you in my will!

 

[MorelCabin]

I may be wayyy off here, but what if you put a gravel 'weeping bed' type idea all the way around it on the outside before you backfill with soil. This will help the water drain away from it instead of into it. And of course a gravel floor as well. You can also perhaps use plastic sheeting aound the outside of the structure between the actual structure and the gravel

You have opened up an idea that I am going to have to consider. The first thing would be the cost of having the backhoe dig down the outside of the post wall which at first I didn't want to do; however, if I did this it would allow me to wrap the whole thing in plastic or whatever, and put in the rock "weeping bed" like you suggest. Your idea just might be a very workable solution. My DW can surely pick up enough rock to fill this "weeping bed" as well as the drain in the middle of the floor. Heck, how hard could that be?

MorelCabin, if I end up using your idea, I'll put you in my will!

Why oh why is it always the wifes job to look for rocks when needed????? I've carried more rock than a dumptruck! Are you sure you're not my husband...oh no you can't be...he would never think of a root cellar!

 

[Tallman]

Why oh why is it always the wifes job to look for rocks when needed????? I've carried more rock than a dumptruck! Are you sure you're not my husband...oh no you can't be...he would never think of a root cellar!

I guess that's just the way it is supposed to be.