How to Build a Wine Rack

Tap to Read ➤ Suketu Mehta

For all you wine connoisseurs, learning how to build a wine rack is vital to preserve your precious collection. Follow these steps to build a rack on your own.

The wine making tradition has been going on for thousands of years. Made by fermenting fresh grape juice, most wines are enjoyed at room temperature. However, certain varieties can also be enjoyed chilled. Storing it properly is important, because it tends to get better only with age.

The ideal storage temperature should be anywhere between 50 to 60°F, with a constant humidity in the range of 60 to 70 percent. Another crucial factor to enhance the taste, is to ensure that the cork remains wet. This can be achieved by storing bottles horizontally so that wine is constantly in contact with the cork.

A wine cellar is a specifically allotted place for its storage. It requires more space, and building one is not possible for everyone. Nevertheless, you can use the instructions given here, and do so even in a limited space. It is true that a rack is not a substitute for a cellar, it does serve the purpose, though, to a certain extent.

Ideas

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 into 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

Provide adequate support for your bottles on the racks. Arches, round holes, or partial circles can hold the bottles. Decide as per your choice. Cut out two holes on your rack, one (larger) to support bottles at their base, and the other one (smaller) to hold them by the neck, using a saw. Use a bottle as a template while cutting out the arches.

Finishing Touches

You need to smoothen the wooden surface by applying sand. Then, apply tung oil, stain, or paint it. If 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 storage.

Building Procedure

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 bottle. If not, you will have to select another cabinet.

Also, measure the cabinet's height, to help you determine the 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 will determine how many bottles you can fit in your cabinet. Divide the height of your cabinet by 4.5 inches, the height of a bottle. Subtract 1 from this, and those are the number of bottles 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 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 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.

Wine Rack

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!