# advice for root cellar on flat land



## philm (Dec 16, 2014)

Hey There,

I would love to build a root cellar but my property is completely flat. I do have a ravine in the woods where i could build into the side of the hill but that would be a 10 minute walk each way so I dont think its worth it, it would be nice to have it close to the house. are there any mods one can do to their basement to make it more like a root cellar? 

Could anyone post any pictures of theirs?

Thanks.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

If you have a good spot, how about building your root cellar at just above ground level and then bury it, making yourself a "mound" or "hill" of sorts. So long as you have the dirt several feet thick at closest parts all the way around, that ought to give you some pretty decent insulation. 

When you can't take Mohamad to the mountain, you have to bring the mountain to Mohamad.


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## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

philm said:


> Hey There,
> 
> I would love to build a root cellar but my property is completely flat. I do have a ravine in the woods where i could build into the side of the hill but that would be a 10 minute walk each way so I dont think its worth it, it would be nice to have it close to the house. are there any mods one can do to their basement to make it more like a root cellar?
> 
> ...



How about building one outside of the building footprint, but connected to the basement? This would still keep it below grade and if you have an insulated door from the basement the temps of the basement won't affect the root cellar. You could even go deeper so the root cellar always has the coolest temps.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Pour 2 walls in a corner of the basement, the size you want the root cellar. Build an insulated door and insulate the ceiling extra extra thick. Put 2-6" pipes, 1 6" from floor to near ceiling to outside, the other near ceiling to outside. IF you finish or heat the rest of the basement, build a 6" wall and insulate those 2 inside walls, too....James


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## chromdome35 (Apr 12, 2013)

You could also do a half buried cellar and use the dirt from the excavation to cover the part above ground.


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## pengyou (Jun 22, 2009)

You could put the root cellar in the ravine and move your house to the root cellar.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I have a root cellar that is constructed under my porch deck, accessed through a door in my basement. Since there isn't "living space" above the root cellar (it's a porch landing thing...not a room with a roof), it always seems cooler in that room than in the basement. The basement is finished. 

Gosh, hope this makes sense. I'm having a hard time describing it! 

The root cellar was probably dug at the same time the basement was dug....same depth, same cement blocks, etc., but as an extension of the basement. Then the house was built over the basement, but just a concrete slab poured over the root cellar part (which is the porch "floor").


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## gimpyrancher (Jun 6, 2010)

Bellyman said:


> If you have a good spot, how about building your root cellar at just above ground level and then bury it, making yourself a "mound" or "hill" of sorts. So long as you have the dirt several feet thick at closest parts all the way around, that ought to give you some pretty decent insulation.
> 
> When you can't take Mohamad to the mountain, you have to bring the mountain to Mohamad.


Now this is a suggestion I can work with. No basement, no problem. Thanks Bellman. :thumb:


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

How about getting a piece of culvert,like 8' amd whatever length you want. Then cover it with soil. Build ends and a door.


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