How to Build a Wine Rack

The wine making tradition has been going on for thousands and thousands of years. Made by fermenting fresh grape juice, most wines are enjoyed at room temperature. However, certain varieties of red wine or white wine can also be enjoyed chilled. Storing wine properly is important because wine tends to get better only with age. The ideal wine storage temperature should be anywhere between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with a constant humidity in the range of 60 to 70 percent. Another crucial factor to enhance the taste of your wine, is to ensure that the cork remains wet. This can be achieved by storing wine bottles horizontally so that wine is constantly in contact with the cork.

A wine cellar is a specifically allotted place for wine storage. Wine cellars require more space, and building a wine cellar is not possible for everyone. Nevertheless, you can use instructions given below, and do so even in a limited space. It is true that a wine rack is no substitute for a cellar, it does serve the purpose, though, to a certain extent.

Instructions to Build a Wine Rack

Design
To start with, you will need a wine rack plan. You can refer books, other people's work and also search online to find these plans. This design should be transferred to a drawing board, to use it as a guide throughout your project.

Frame
Wine racks have wooden frames. You will have to start cutting the wood pieces along cross rails and end panels. Once the wood is cut, drill holes in to it at places where you will be attaching them with screws. For supporting elements to be locked together, you can either make 'V' shaped indentations along cross rails and end panels, or use screws to connect them together. Whatever technique you use, ensure connections are tight.

Wine Bottle Support
On the racks, you will have to provide adequate support for your wine bottles. Usually, arches, round holes or partial circles hold wine bottles. Decide which one of these you want on your rack. Cut out two holes on your rack, one (larger) to support wine bottles at their base, the other one (smaller) to hold them by the neck, using a saw. Use a wine bottle as a template while cutting out the arches.

Finishing Touches
You will have to smoothen the wooden surface by applying sand on it. Once smooth, you can apply tung oil, stain, or paint on it. In case you are using stain or tung oil, apply it generously, leave it on for some time and wipe off excess oil using dry cloth. After it has dried, your wine rack is ready for wine storage.

Building a Wine Rack Cabinet

Step 1
You will have to start with measuring the depth of your cabinet, from the front corner to the wall behind. This measurement should be more than the height of a wine bottle. If not, you will have select another cabinet for your wine rack. Also measure the cabinet's height, to help you determine numbers of rows you can have inside. Measure the cabinet's breadth as well. Note down all three figures.

Step 2
The numbers you obtained in the first step, will help you determine exactly how many wine bottles you can fit in your cabinet wine rack. It works this way. Divide the height of your cabinet by 4.5 inches, the height of a wine bottle. Subtract 1 from this answer, and those are the number of wine bottles you can have in one row. With the help of a saw, cut those many 1x12 boards, equal to the cabinet's width. Smoothen edges of the board using a sandpaper.

Step 3
You need to now create a proper channel for every wine bottle to fit into. To do this, nail 1x2 inch blocks of furring strips, leaving a 4.5 inch gap in between, on to every 1x12 inch board you crafted earlier.

Step 4
To support the ends of your wine bottles, attach furring strips along sides of the cabinet at an interval of 4.5 inches. On these strips, slide your 1x12 inch boards. Use finishing nails to fix them permanently. You cabinet wine rack is now ready to use.

Apart from the numerous benefits of having a wine rack, the whole project is fun and interesting to work on. You can conveniently preserve your precious wine collection for years and years. Don't be surprised with the divine taste that will fill your mouth and senses, once you uncork a bottle from your rack. You have earned it. Cheers!