Installing wrought iron wine cellar doors in personal spaces has been a popular feature in custom home designs for centuries. Homeowners who value having a good selection of fine wines on hand are known to spare no expense in displaying their exquisite collection. As such, a beautiful wine cellar door, being the first thing they see when they examine their collection, would definitely be a priority in their list of home furnishings.
It’s impossible to overestimate the value of sharing a bottle from your own personal collection. But what kind of wine cellar doors should you install, and what makes good wine cellar iron doors, to begin with?
Below, we will take a look at several things you should consider when buying wrought iron wine cellar doors including what materials you should use and what key components must be included in the design of your iron wine cellar doors.
Continue reading below to learn more, and contact Baltic Iron Doors today to discover how we can help take your wine cellar wrought iron doors to the next level.
4 Things to Check Before Choosing Your Wine Cellar Door
Although your wine cellar door is a decorative and aesthetic piece, its integrity, insulation capabilities, and airtightness will ensure that your wine collection ages in the ideal conditions that each bottle deserves.
Consider the following elements when selecting a wine cellar door:
Door Materials
Wood
Mahogany, pine, or redwood are commonly used for wood cellar doors. With this option, you have the ability to choose a plain door or one with external carvings or custom designs. Additionally, if you go with a stained wooden door, make sure it matches your cellar’s racks.
Glass
Regular glass doors are insufficiently thick and airtight, so you should choose insulated or thermal ones if you go with this option. Furthermore, it should be at least double-paned, preferably triple-paned, with a vacuum or gas between the panes.
Iron
Wrought iron is typically used as a decorative addition to a glass or wooden door. A separate iron door may be installed in front of your glass door in some cases and can be used for decoration or security, such as a lockable door with a fancy wine cellar key.
Door Frame
Your wine cellar door should have weather stripping around the frame and a sweep on the bottom, regardless of the type of door you choose.
Frameless glass doors should not be used for wine cellars, despite their clean and simple appearance, because they do not provide an airtight seal.
Furthermore, most wine cellar door frames are usually made of single-pane glass, implying that your cellar’s high thermal load would necessitate an oversized cooling unit to maintain the desired temperature.
Door Dimensions
Depending on the size of your wine cellar entrance, you can go with single iron wine cellar doors or a grand entrance with a single glass or wood door and insulated glass panels on one or both sides. This option can increase the security of your cellar while also improving its aesthetic appeal.
Door Security
Putting money into your wine cellar is a financial investment. The importance of security should never be underestimated.
There are several methods of securing your wine cellar with door locks, regardless of the materials you use for your cellar door. A standard lock-and-key or deadbolt lock is the simplest method, but you can also install a keypad locking system to set or change the combination if you want a little more security and flexibility.
What Makes a Good Wine Cellar?
Whether you’re buying wine to keep for a few years, just starting a wine collection, or already have a well-curated wine cellar with hundreds of bottles, having good wine storage is crucial.
Here are some additional things to consider for your wine cellar:
Temperature
Wine ages best in a specific environment. The temperature of your wine cellar should be kept between 51°F and 59°F, according to most experts.
Anywhere above or below this point, you risk sabotaging your wine’s aging process and causing unfavorable chemical reactions. Your wine will age beautifully if you can find the sweet spot.
Humidity
The corks in your wine bottles require adequate moisture to keep their seal. However, just like temperature, determining the ideal humidity level, which can range from 50% to 70%, will require some additional forethought.
If the humidity in your wine cellar falls below 50%, the cork will dry out, and your wine will become unsealed. When oxygen passes through the bottle, it alters the flavor, and too much oxidation causes good wine to smell like sherry, causing mold to grow in the cork and neck of the wine bottles.
Lighting
For long-term wine storage, light, particularly sunlight, can be a problem, as rays from the sun can cause the wine to degrade and age prematurely.
Although light from household bulbs is unlikely to harm the wine, it can fade your labels over time. Fluorescent bulbs emit very small amounts of ultraviolet light, so incandescent bulbs may be a bit safer to use instead.
What are the Key Components of a Wine Cellar?
Design, planning, and proper construction are all factors in a well-executed wine cellar. If something goes wrong with your wine cellar, it will almost certainly be due to poor planning and construction.
The following is a priority list for wine cellar construction that should be followed in order.
Insulation
What happens behind the walls is the most important aspect of a well-functioning wine cellar. The importance of proper insulation and a good vapor barrier cannot be overstated.
It is critical to follow guidelines in order to maintain the ideal temperature and humidity levels for wine storage, as well as to avoid condensation and mold growth. There are industry standards in place that cover the use of specific materials and application methods.
Doors
Wine cellar doors are available in a variety of materials, from solid wood to frameless glass and iron. The type of door you use for your wine cellar is also a factor to consider when determining the proper refrigeration sizing.
The wine cellar door protects the inside of the cellar and should be treated with the same care as the rest of your house’s exterior doors.
Racking
Last but certainly not least, while there are numerous options for wine cellar racking, it is critical to start with a comprehensive plan for the wine cellar’s construction.
After that, you can confidently approach the interior design of your wine, knowing that you have a thorough understanding of the necessary elements of a working wine cellar and how to seamlessly integrate them into the design.
Choose the Best Wine Cellar Wrought Iron Doors
It’s important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to designing your wine cellar. As your collection grows, the method that works best for you may change.
If you’re considering installing wrought iron wine cellar doors, Baltic Iron Doors can help.
We are proud of our ability to produce high-quality wrought iron wine cellar doors that instantly increase the value of any home. We draw on all of our artistic resources to create each product to your exact specifications, ensuring that each product is professionally made and free of any workmanship flaws.
Are you considering adding wine cellar iron doors to your home or updating one that you already have?
Schedule a consultation and let us assist you with your wine cellar door project, contact our team of experts at Baltic Iron Doors today.