Diane vs Warren

diane5000 · #1 02/07/10, 06:26 PM

Where should the root cellar go???

http://frombeyondthegrid.com/diane-vs-warren

WisJim · #2 02/07/10, 07:35 PM

If I were building a root cellar from scratch it would have access from the kitchen and access from outside. You want to be able to get to it from in the kitchen no matter the weather, and you want to be able to haul stuff in from the garden and orchard during harvest without going up and down more than minimal stairs and without traipsing through the house. If it isn't convenient to get food out of in mid-winter it could just become a hole full of rotting food. Good garden soil, good solar exposure, and a good root cellar location are 3 things to consider when buying property.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #3 02/07/10, 08:46 PM

why not bring the hill to the root cellar , where ever it is best for the indivigual building dig as deep as you can reasonably then build the concrete structure then build up the hill put the door either connected to the house or not but close can be achived what you excivate will likely be your fill 30 inches of compacted soil i belive is what i once read was nearly the equivilent of being under ground

salmonslayer · #4 02/07/10, 11:35 PM

I gotta go with Warren on this one, sorry Diane. You could build something into the side of a hill and line it with concrete block or something but rock is rock.

david_r · #5 02/08/10, 01:08 AM

Build under the kitchen -- Diane can deal with the rock removal
Build into the side of the hill -- Warren plays gopher in the winter

Each side needs to be willing to eliminate the concerns of the other side if they wish their idea to win in the end. If I was Warren, I'd sell my idea with how much larger the root cellar could be and really try to avoid trudging out to the cellar in the winter.

Old Vet · #6 02/08/10, 01:36 AM

If you dig into the side of a hill how far can you dig without hitting rock? What I would do is to build a concrete shed and pile the dirt that was inside up on the outside You only need to dig half of the hole and have a root cellar to boot. I have seen some around here that was built that way and they worked good. Dig down to the rock and if it is smooth use that for a floor or if not smooth pour a concrete floor and seal the sides of the concrete building to it. Put a light down their so that you can see and use that when winter sets in to keep everything from freezing.

bill83 · #7 02/08/10, 03:43 AM

I can see both points but tend to agree more with Diane. My question is, do you know how far it is down to the rock? Around here we would use what we call a 'tile probe'. We use it to fine buried drainage tile. It is a 5 or 6 foot stretch of 1/4" steel rod with a piece of 1/2" pipe on one end for a handle. The other end is tapered. Find out the depth of rock by the house. I agree with WisJim for the reasons he gives. Put it next to the house with access into the house and to the outside. If the rock is shallow, find dirt somewhere (hopefully close by) and bury as much of it as you have to. Just my 2 centavos.

flowergurl · #8 02/08/10, 06:00 AM

How about building it as close to the cabin as possible and building a covered walkway, such as a pergola from the cabin to the root cellar.
http://www.pergoladesignideas.com/

You could plant a decorative vine to grow on it, or plant something usefull such as grapes. The vine would cover over the top in time and become the roof.

That way you both get what you want and you could add a beautiful accent to the yard.

meanwhile · #9 02/08/10, 05:11 PM

I am not taking any sides here but I will tell you about our former root cellar. It was in our basement, dug out of the dirt....to the side of the main basement area. We could get to it from inside BUT it was awful. In winter the cold sank into the basement (the former owners had put permanent pipes in the walls that drafted cold air down) then up to the house. In summer mold smells came up. It was damp, stinky and just a mess.

We did try to rehab it to no use. Finally, we took the walls out and cleaned it, poured cement on the floor after moisture barrier.....just did away with it. After that mess, I would not have a root cellar hooked to my house at all.

Yes, I know that is not always the case....but just think more about it. Good luck.

Cascade Failure · #10 02/09/10, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Vet

If you dig into the side of a hill how far can you dig without hitting rock? ...

Depends on your site. Here in CT we have a lot of glacial till and exposed rock. I think our state flower is the rock. Again, depends on your site.

I would have to build my cellar and then backfill.

artificer · #11 02/09/10, 11:21 AM

Another way to think of the argument is that you will do more work now or forever. If you build it next to the cabin, you have to do more work now. If its on the side of the hill, you'll be doing more work forever.

How big do you want the root cellar? As others have said, I would at least try to dig as deep as possible. Once you find out how deep that is, then build up a structure, and cover with dirt.

My thought is that the more inconvenient it is to use, the less it will be used.

I guess it comes down to the type of rock, and can you do anything with it. If you absolutely can't go down into the rock, and its at surface level, then the hillside makes more sense. If it's glacial till or layered rock, I would drill and use wedges to break the rock up. Add a diamond blade to the skill saw, and it might be doable. (yes... I know how much of a pita it would be)

Michael