# root cellar construction



## TexasGunOwner (Nov 26, 2010)

We'd like to build something similar, but have water barrier, drainage, and ventilation concerns. What did this guy do wrong, what would you do different, etc..

Sorry for posting an outside link but I wanted to get as much info and opinion on this as possible.

http://robertchristine.blogspot.com/2010/02/root-cellar.html


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## TexasGunOwner (Nov 26, 2010)

alrighty then.


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## theemon (Jan 14, 2013)

well, i read that. first let me say i know nothing  but what i saw looked good, execpt, what if the dirt pushes in on the cinder blocks?


not a root cellar(and not totally dirt) the previous owners of my house back filled(with dirt and broken cinder blocks/bricks) to cover a basement wall,' point is my buried cinderblock wall pushed inward'


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

I would definitely tar up the outside before backfilling and if you have a place to run a drain i would run a french drain around it and a drain in the middle of the floor. Also as he said, arch the roof a little more.


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## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

Search here on this site. There is some good info.

SPIKE


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## paraclete (Feb 1, 2013)

I don't know what part of Texas you're in, but in northeast Texas, multiple counties have a deal that if you have a tornado shelter put in they will reimburse you half of the money upon completion up to 3000.00 dollars. 

One of my relatives just got one done by the company in the video (ours was a 8' one, I believe they go up to 10' diameter). They were fast, polite, cleaned up the site real well and even hauled off some of the excess rock and dirt to another part of the property where we needed some fill dirt. The guy who ran the backhoe cut the shape out mainly with just the backhoe... dang near a perfect circle ( minus the stairway) down to about 6', incredible to watch how precise he was. 

The only downside was the benches they put in the shelter to sit on felt kinda flimsy (then particle board/plywood) but I imagine you won't want the seats, so no biggie.

here's a link to the video, hope it works
[ame]http://youtu.be/pi_vu6g69tY[/ame]

Security Tornado Shelters
940 W Front St
Blossom, TX
(903) 982-7427


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## paraclete (Feb 1, 2013)

Oh, it's FEMA that reimburses you, forgot that important part.


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## Zeet_Cranberry (Jan 11, 2011)

If you have groundwater concerns put extra effort in protection. Put perforated drain lines on both sides of the footings...maybe a line under the slab too. Put a foot of peagravel under the slab and use a commercial grade vapor barrier...not 6 mil visqueen but 10 or 15 mil Stego Wrap. Use commercial grade water proofing on the outside of the walls...not just residential tar but heavy duty RubberWall. Water moves on the path of least resistance so if you give it an easy way to go it won't push against the structure.

Make sure you have two vents one high and one low preferably on opposite sides to promote air circulation.


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## LadyHawk77 (Oct 11, 2011)

paraclete said:


> Oh, it's FEMA that reimburses you, forgot that important part.


Any idea if that is only a Texas thing? Checked FEMA's site and did not find anything.


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## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

lady they do it here as well but it is a state thing so rules and regs and amounts vary. ar ay i have to build to fema specs.


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