How to make a cellar on the street your own. How to build a cellar in the country on your own

The value of the crop harvested in the country, directly depends on its safety. Insure family budget from unnecessary expenses and to serve a fresh vitamin crop to the table all winter - these are the main tasks that the cellar performs. No home refrigerator, even the size of a linen closet, can replace it.

The word cellar is most often associated with a country house. Here on the veranda or in the kitchen there is a hatch leading to the basement or a shallow pit.

Free-standing cellars outside the house for storing vegetables, fruits and conservation are less common and many summer residents are practically unfamiliar with them. This article will help you evaluate the benefits, study the varieties and understand the features of the construction of such structures.

The difference between a cellar and a basement

Despite the same purpose, a detached cellar is structurally different from the basement. Placement of storage under open sky requires a reliable roof and powerful insulation.

The need to build a cellar on the territory of the cottage arises in two cases:

• At a high level ground water.
• For storage of a large volume of fruits and vegetables.

The type of structure depends on the water saturation of the soil. Surface storage is built in cases where it is impossible to go deeper into the ground by more than two or three “bayonets” of a shovel.

If the maximum level of soil water rise is at a depth of 1.5-2.0 meters, then the structure is buried in the ground at half its height. With a deep aquifer, the repository can be completely dug into the ground, leaving a sloping roof covered with sod on the surface.

Entrance to a semi-buried cellar

Someone may say why should I make a cellar in the yard when I can dig it under the floor of the kitchen or veranda? There are several serious objections to this argument.

First. The cellar under the house is best dug during the construction of the building. In the existing dacha, it will be necessary to dismantle the floors, after which, in cramped conditions, manually remove tons of earth.

Second. The construction of a bulk storage under the house can disturb the soil conditions of the foundation and cause the building to settle.

Third. The ground may contain radioactive gas, radon, which will enter living quarters.

Fourth. The dimensions of the basement are limited by the size of the room in which it is arranged. For a street cellar (storage) there are no such limits.

Fifth. AT winter period heat from the house significantly increases the temperature and humidity in the basement, worsening storage conditions and activating the growth process of potatoes.

General information on the device of the cellar

As we said above, deciding which cellar is better to do depends on the level of groundwater. If they are close to the surface of the earth, then the only way out is ground storage.

Ground cellar - the best option for wet soil

Original appearance the ground cellar is liked by lovers of rock gardens and other miniature "mountain ranges" created in the country.

As the “top water” moves away from the surface of the earth, the storage for vegetables and fruits can be lowered deeper.

The lower the water, the deeper the vault

Along with an increase in the depth of the summer cottage, the problems inherent in all underground structures are exacerbated: the need for high-quality drainage, waterproofing of walls and ceilings. To solve them, a trench is dug along the perimeter of the pit, filled with rubble and sand. This reserve "pocket" will collect excess moisture trapped in the ground after snow melt or heavy rains. The walls are backfilled not with earth, but with a gravel-sand mixture that drains water into a drainage trench.

Regardless of the quality of the drainage, an outdoor cellar needs waterproofing. Today it is easy to make it. On the market you can find many hydrophobic impregnations and mastics that protect the bottom and walls of the building from soil moisture.

Water protection is needed inside and out

Any summer resident knows that a certain temperature and humidity is required for long-term storage of the crop. In winter, the temperature in the country cellar should be from +2 to + 4C with an air humidity of 80 to 90%. It is easy to control it using a thermometer and a hygrometer. But how to ensure that the room is warm enough and not too damp?

The first problem is solved by warming. In surface and semi-buried storages, this role is played by the soil, with which the walls are lined.

The best natural heat insulator is peat. Unfortunately, it is quite rare. Therefore, having decided to build a cellar in the country with your own hands, buy polystyrene foam plates 5 or 10 cm thick to insulate the floors and walls. They are covered with earth from above, and fixed to the walls with glue or bituminous mastic. To prevent erosion of the embankment soil, it is sown with grass or covered with layers of turf cut from the soil.

This is not a hobbit house, but a bulk cellar covered with turf.

Humidity in the storage is regulated by the simplest system of natural ventilation. It consists of a long supply pipe and a short exhaust pipe.

Pipe A - supply, pipe B - exhaust

There is a very effective and cheap way of accumulating cold in storage - a glacier. Our great-grandfathers successfully used it to store meat and dairy products. This is a shallow pit with ice (in our time, its walls are made not of wood, but of concrete). There is nothing tricky in the design of the glacier, but the return of cold from ice blocks is very impressive and persists for several months.

What are the cellars?

The simplest cellar is wooden frame from logs, on which the reel from the slab rests. A layer of roofing material is laid on it and soil is poured.

It looks like a wooden vegetable cellar

Wood, even antiseptic, will not stand in a deep storage for more than 15 years. Therefore, most often the walls of the cellars are built of brick, cinder blocks or monolithic reinforced concrete. The cover is made from standard hollow core slabs or use concrete pouring on the reinforcing frame.

Sometimes used to cover wooden beams, between which expanded clay insulation is poured or mineral wool is laid.

Overlapping of a concrete storage from wooden beams

Ceiling insulation with expanded clay

For an in-ground storage of vegetables, in addition to concrete and brick, metal or plastic can be used. A ready-made cellar for a summer residence is a container with stiffeners, which is buried in the ground to a predetermined depth. The metal is treated with bituminous coating before installation. Plastic does not need additional protection.

Metal cellar in the process of installation

During the period of the seasonal rise of the “perch water”, a powerful buoyant force acts on the cellar-caisson (the law of Archimedes). Therefore, a prerequisite for its trouble-free operation is the use of ballast - monolithic or prefabricated concrete slab. It is placed with a crane or poured at the bottom of the pit before mounting the tank and attached to it with anchors.

When considering purchasing pre-fabricated plastic or metal storage, the following considerations should be taken into account:

• The price of a container for storing fruits and vegetables (with installation) is higher than the cost of building a structure made of concrete or brick.
• Despite the high factory readiness of the caisson, you will not be able to completely abandon earthwork and concrete work (a pit and a ballast plate are necessary).
• Drive the crane onto the equipped country cottage area to install the plate and container without damaging green spaces, paths and fences is problematic.

The only real advantage of plastic and steel construction is absolute tightness - an important factor for a buried cellar.

The average cost of a 5 cubic meter plastic cellar (without installation) is 95 thousand rubles. Installation work will cost 50 thousand rubles.

Estimated price of a metal storage of the same volume (walls made of steel sheet 5 mm thick) - 85 thousand rubles. For installation, you will have to pay at least 45,000 rubles.

Looking for inexpensive option street vegetable store pay attention to concrete rings. They are used for septic tanks and other underground structures. Having done concrete base and by installing several rings on it, you will get a reliable shelter for the grown crop.

Factories make not only round, but also rectangular concrete sections

The floor in the cellar of prefabricated rings and its walls must be treated inside and out with a waterproofing compound (coating or impregnation). Required condition tightness - the presence of docking locks on concrete sections.

Underground storage nearing completion

You do not have to manually cast a concrete cover for such a cellar. It can be bought with rings.

If the old slate is lying idle on the farm, then the problem with the cellar can be considered solved. Having made a frame from a corner or pipes, it is lowered into a prepared pit. After that, the slate sheets are fixed with self-tapping screws to the profile.

A slate cellar on a metal frame is a simple and inexpensive option

Having made sand and gravel preparation and installing a reinforcing mesh, the bottom is poured with concrete. The next stage is the laying of electrical wiring, coating the slate and frame with bituminous mastic. The work is completed by concreting the ceiling and backfilling.

Monolithic slate roof

Regardless of the type of material used to build the walls, a well-executed cellar floor design includes several layers indicated in the diagram.

floor construction

In conclusion of our review, we will consider two options for ground-based mini-storages. The first of them is a “box” made of boards with a gable roof and a door. By insulating the space between its outer and inner lining with mineral wool (at least 150 mm thick), you will get an inexpensive and functional storage.

The second version of the ground mini-cellar is a structure attached to the wall of the house. The benefit of this solution is twofold: saving space and one finished wall.

The ceiling here is made of boards covered with crumpled clay and a layer of roofing material. The embankment is made with soil, which, after laying, is moistened, rammed and lined with turf.

The main purpose of the cellar is the storage of conservation, vegetables and fruits. But not every cellar can guarantee the shelf life of products. Therefore, the construction of your subfloor should be given special attention. The main thing is to decide for what purposes it is necessary.

In a cellar with a temperature of -7 degrees, various products can be stored for about one year. Therefore, many housewives appreciate and use such premises for long-term storage of vegetables and fruits. After all, its main advantage over the refrigerator is spaciousness.

Such construction is a serious step, therefore, in the work it is necessary to rely on the schemes and drawings of the cellars. To understand which option is most suitable, you can see the photo of the cellar. There are many options on the Internet. The picture will show the finished layout of the building, it remains only to match.

What is important in construction?

When building a cellar with your own hands, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• the use of wood materials requires pre-treatment by special means. This procedure protects the room from moisture;
• summer is the ideal time to install a cellar, as groundwater is at a low level;
• it is desirable to immediately equip the ventilation system;
• it is best to build two doors inside the vault. This will keep the correct temperature;
• for optimal temperature it is recommended to provide thermal insulation;
• think about all the equipment in advance, so as not to delay construction work due to their absence.

Instructions on how to make a cellar

Place

It is necessary to choose a place for the future cellar. Dry elevated places are best suited, in the future you will not have to install waterproofing. In this case, there is no risk of moisture ingress. The choice of depth depends on the desire of the owner, by about 2-3 meters.

A certain distance between the base of the cellar and groundwater (50 cm) must be ensured, otherwise flooding may occur.

Material

The construction of the cellar should be taken responsibly, taking into account all the nuances, otherwise troubles are inevitable. Another main point is the choice of material for construction.

Natural stone, wood, red brick and others are suitable for such purposes. Timber cladding is required when building an earthen cellar. Metal constructions best avoided as they are finicky with climate conditions.

Ventilation

Such an element is necessary in order to deal with moisture and gas accumulation. Most often, a pipe is used that connects the inside and surface of the cellar. But you can install two pipes that will perform the function of an exhaust.

Advantages

A do-it-yourself cellar under the house has many advantages:

• site savings;
• ease of use. Especially in winter, you can quickly go down and also quickly go up;
• waterproofing and underground drainage help to forget about dampness;

Characteristics of the ground cellar

When building a ground cellar, it is important to take into account the level of the soil. Such a room is built on the surface of the earth, in contrast to underground structures. The ground cellar takes up less space, is not flooded, functions all year round, has an impressive size and is very convenient to use.

However, such an extension requires hydraulic engineering work. The storage needs maintenance: periodic cleaning, disinfection.

Ground cellar happens three types: ground, semi-buried, buried. Such premises can be built with your own hands, using bricks, logs or concrete.

Features of the construction of a wine cellar

Wine drinks need special storage, because this affects their taste characteristics. Building a wine cellar is very popular.

In such a room, it is important to provide a thermal insulation system. Closed-porous materials are ideal for building a wine cellar. They are responsible for maintaining the temperature.

The front door must be well sealed. Abundant air penetration will negatively affect the quality of the wine. Any materials are suitable for the floor, as long as harmful chemical elements do not come from them.

Bottles with a drink are stored in a horizontal position and it is not recommended to move them. Everything necessary equipment should be of good quality using natural materials.

Construction must be carried out in compliance with all necessary instructions to avoid additional work and damage to the product.

DIY cellar photo

A cellar for storing vegetables, food stocks, conservation is a traditional, indispensable element of country life. A well-built cellar keeps almost the same temperature, no matter what time of the year it is. Thus, you can be sure that vegetables, fruits, pickles, jams will be safely stored. No one will say that a cellar with your own hands is easy. Of course not. But information about “what and how” will not hurt.

It is worth considering that the cellar and basement are different rooms, but they have the same goal - you can store food, gifts of the seasonal harvest. Proper ventilation basement - main factor to be taken into account during construction.

Equipped storage under the house (in other words, a cellar in the cellar) is convenient, since everything is nearby: in winter you don’t need to dress to go outside, as if it were separately placed. Also, you do not need to insulate walls, ceilings, because such a room always keeps a positive temperature.

The cellar is a purposeful building, it can have any area, can be equipped with all kinds of shelves, stands, racks. Competently established ventilation system, waterproofing, thermal insulation will create an optimal temperature level for food storage. Unlike a basement, a cellar can be built anywhere you want. adjoining territory.

A separately located cellar can become part of the design concept, harmoniously complement style direction garden plot.

Cellar device or why the basement is the coldest place in the house

This factor is explained by the laws of physics - despite the connection of the basement space with the outside air, in the summer the basement will be the coldest place in the house. In winter, it will be warmer in the basement, even if the rooms upstairs are not heated.

This phenomenon is due to the fact that warm air currents are much lighter than cold ones, therefore they rush upward. BUT cold air tends down, concentrates in the basement.

AT summer time the house receives heat from the roof heated by the sun, heated walls, and to the basement, of course, Sun rays never reach. But even if in winter you don’t live in a country house, and the house is not heated in any way, the basement will keep the temperature slightly above zero. The lower the basement is buried, the warmer it will be in winter.

How to build a cellar

It is better to start planning the stages of building a cellar with your own hands with the onset of heat, however, to determine the level of groundwater better in spring or in autumn.

There are three main types of cellars: ground, buried, semi-buried. Soil with a high level of water penetration can be a major obstacle to the construction of a classic cellar. It is in such cases that it is recommended to choose a semi-buried or ground type of storage.

Stages of construction work:

Cellar ventilation

Cellar and basement ventilation is an important factor in maintaining acceptable temperature conditions for storing food stocks. Excessive dampness is the eternal companion of all underground premises. If you do not intend to exclusively grow mushrooms, then you should take care of controlling the humidity of the air.

If the cellar is located in the basement of the house, then the vents in the basement of the foundation of the house (which are laid during construction) will purposefully perform the ventilation function. For a small basement, about 5 square meters, such an air exchange system is quite suitable. To prevent rodents from penetrating, it is better to cover the vents with metal nets, and tightly clog during frosts.

If you need a large basement, then based on natural air exchange supply and exhaust ventilation will become best solution. For a separately erected cellar, as well as basement, it is necessary to foresee two air ducts in advance. The thickness of the pipes (preferably PVC) depends on the area of ​​the room. The most commonly used diameter is 20-60 cm.

The principle of operation of such a system works on the temperature difference inside and outside the cellar. The hood (exhaust pipe) is located under the ceiling of the cellar, passing through the ceiling, leaving one end on the roof. The supply pipe also leads to the roof, but its other end, which is located inside the room, must be no higher than 100 cm from the basement floor. Grids, dampers at the outer ends of the pipes will protect the air ducts from precipitation, help regulate the level of heat in the room, if necessary.

Cellar ventilation scheme:

Basement waterproofing from the inside

It should be dry in the cellar and basement - this is an axiom. In addition to standard waterproofing mastics (Aqua, TechnoNIKOL, BITUMAST), plasters (Monolith, Polimin, Scanmix), it is advisable to use penetrating waterproofing (for example, Penetron or Millennium).

The most effective methods:

1. Penetrating waterproofing is effective, easy to use: applied with a brush on slightly damp walls, floors, environmentally friendly. Before use, it must be diluted with water until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.
2. Liquid rubber is best applied to pre-primed walls and floors. It is desirable that the surface be even - this will contribute to the ideal application of the bitumen-polymer layer, and ensure optimal adhesion. After applying and drying the first layer liquid rubber at strategic places (seams, joints, sections of communications), you can apply the second layer again.
3. Basement waterproofing with liquid glass works in the same way as the types of penetrating insulation. It's extremely effective method with a long-lasting effect, has good breathable and water-repellent qualities.

Cellar insulation

It is advisable to take care of the insulation of the cellar even at the construction stages. After applying waterproofing layers, foam plastic (density 25) or polystyrene foam plates are most often used - they sheathe the walls of the cellar both outside and inside. These materials are good because they are not affected by fungus, mold, are easy to fit, and have a low cost.

Stages of floor insulation:

1. The rough surface of the floor is leveled, covered with waterproofing material.
2. Insulation is being installed (approximately 4-8 cm).
3. Polyphenol (multilayer reflective insulation) is laid.
4. A reinforced screed is placed on top of all layers.

As for the walls, the layering effect also works here:

1. waterproofing layer.
2. Installation of foam boards (or other suitable material), for fixing which you can use the appropriate adhesive composition.
3. Cement screed (small thickness), reinforced with reinforcement for greater reliability. The brand of cement M-100 is optimally suited for these purposes.
4. Since the cellar is a room with high humidity, to enhance the effect, you can additionally treat the walls with a waterproofing composition over the screed.
5. The finished surface can be revetted with any finishing coating, which you like (tile, wild stone, etc.).

It is better to carefully fill all existing joints with mounting foam.

Basement stairs

Staircase is important structural element cellar, cellar. Your safety depends on them, so stairs must be properly manufactured and installed. Most often, hardwood, metal or concrete is used for construction.

The staircase can be straight, turning, spiral or attached - it all depends on individual design cellar or basement, as well as on your preferences. The staircase must be strong, reliable, it is desirable to have a railing. The thickness of the steps directly depends on the width of the step.

It does not matter what material the staircase will be made of, but building codes must be strictly observed. The correct width, clearance, slope are the main parameters of construction.

The plastic cellar is an innovative alternative to standard cellars or cellars. In fact, this storage is a ready-made plastic cube (box), with strong walls, shelves, stairs, and a hermetically sealed lid. Such storage is mounted quite quickly, subsequently it is not afraid of moisture - and this is an important factor for storing food stocks. For the manufacture of such a container, plastic is used, which contains fiberglass or polypropylene. A ready-made factory version comes with a ventilation system.

A plastic cellar can be installed in any desired place in the local area or under a garage, house, or any building. The only one important nuance – correct installation boxes.

Advantages:

• no temperature fluctuations;
• humidity control;
• rodent protection;
• does not absorb odors;
• easy cleaning and disinfection;
• not subject to corrosion;
• service life of more than 50 years.

The installation process in in general terms, step by step:

1. A pit of the appropriate size is dug.
2. The bottom of the pit is concreted (or a ready-made concrete slab is installed).
3. The box is installed on a concrete bottom, fixed with slings (or according to the recommendations of the manufacturer).
4. The pit with the box is covered with a mixture of sand and concrete, only the entrance cover remains visible from the outside.

It is also worth mentioning the addition that the owners of such cellars sometimes make - we are talking about the insulation of the walls with foam. Here, opinions are divided, since the design itself is self-sufficient and, in theory, does not need to be improved. Only the owner decides this issue, but additional thermal insulation will definitely not harm the box.

Whatever type of storage space you choose, you need to take into account the characteristics of the soil on the site, pay close attention to all construction parameters. A plastic cellar, a separate building, or a basement in a private house, equipped with your own hands as a repository for the gifts of summer, requires accurate preliminary calculations. If you stick to everyone building regulations, a self-built cellar will delight you and your loved ones with high-quality preserved products for many years.

Increasing interest in the construction of cellars, in particular ground ones, is shown by the owners of summer cottages and country houses. The city dweller under the word "cellar" certainly represents deep hole in the ground. While in rural areas it is not at all uncommon to find an above-ground cellar - an excellent alternative to a traditional storage buried in the ground.

Such a structure is distinguished not only by its large capacity, but also by the optimal microclimate, which allows you to keep food fresh for several months. Yes, and build it yourself is quite simple. The cost of construction is also quite low compared to the underground option.

A ground or riding cellar can be built on any site, including those with a high level of groundwater. At the same time, the cellar, like any other outbuilding, can be beautifully decorated, and thereby make your site even more attractive. But first things first.

Site selection

The durability of the ground cellar and the safety of products in it depends precisely on the correctly chosen location of the building. Construction should be carried out on a dry (preferably elevated) place so that the groundwater level is 50-60 cm below the bottom of the storage.

It is better to choose a place for construction on a hillock.

If the water is very close, you should first create a pillow of sand and gravel under the bottom of the storage. It is also easy to do it yourself. Due to the drainage, it will be possible to avoid water seepage into the room.

Well, now it's time to decide on the type of this repository itself.

Surface storage features

The main difference between the cellars from each other lies in the only indicator - the location relative to the level of the soil. The ground cellar is built completely on the surface, in contrast to the underground ones, which are buried half or completely in the ground.

Ground cellars are:

1. Separate, that is, erected as an autonomous structure.
2. Wall-mounted. In this case, the wall of an existing building acts as one of the walls of the cellar: barn houses, etc. The ground wall cellar will not be discordant with the surrounding landscape.

Despite external differences, both construction options have undeniable advantages:

• Occupy small area site.
• They completely prevent flooding.
• Excellent functionality at any time of the year with absolute energy independence.
• Ease of use due to relatively large sizes cellars, unlike the usual household refrigerators.

But, of course, as in any other structure, here you can notice some drawbacks:

There are three main types of above ground storage structures.

Ordinary storage shed with bunding

This is the simplest building. It is more like a hut, and for its construction boards or logs are used. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to buy new ones, because at each site there are previously used building materials.

Scheme for the construction of a vegetable storehouse.

To build such a cellar with your own hands, you need to perform only a few operations:

1. Sanded logs with a diameter of not more than 25 cm, cover with bitumen or burn to a height of 50-60 cm, which will double their service life.
2. Along the perimeter of the future building, dig the blanks with a machined edge into the ground. Tie the upper ends tightly together with long poles. Thus, a holistic design is obtained.
3. Make a crate from the "croaker" and a roof from the boards.
4. Cover the structure with roofing material, that is, create the necessary waterproofing.
5. Arrange thermal insulation: sew up the end side in 2 rows with boards and lay a layer of roofing material between them.
6. Fall asleep (dump) with peat soil, which perfectly retains heat. Sow any undersized or creeping plants.
7. On the north side, make an entrance with an insulated door and a canopy above it.
8. Dig a not very deep ditch around the entire perimeter of the constructed cellar - to create protection against the approach of water.
9. Arrange ventilation: the hood will serve wooden box, equipped with a control valve and a pair of pipes: exhaust (under the ceiling) and flow, located 50 cm above the floor level.

This is what the storehouse might look like from the outside.

The optimal dimensions of the storehouse are 4x8 meters. Its service life is about 10 years.

Important! The edges of the roof should hang almost to the ground. Thus, the built cellar should externally imitate a hut. And the snow that has fallen in winter will act as a natural insulation.

There is also a collapsible storage shed model - for those who do not want to annually clean their vegetable store. As a rule, it is erected in early autumn, and dismantled in spring. However, after that, the soil should be dug up to the depth of the shovel bayonet and treated with a 5% solution of copper sulphate. That is, to disinfect the soil. The service life of such a cellar can also reach 10-12 years.

Cellar without bunding

A cellar built entirely above ground level, like a regular outbuilding.

Building such a storage facility with your own hands, with some building skills, is quite simple. You just need to follow the sequence of work:

1. Make a marking of the future ground cellar and remove the sod. Dig a hole no more than 50-60 cm deep, and collect the earth in a pile (it will still be needed). Then, level and tamp the prepared area well.
2. Arrange a drainage cushion made of expanded clay, fine gravel or coarse sand, that is, equip the cellar with the necessary waterproofing.
3. Create reliable protection from rodents: put a layer of 10-12 cm of well-soaked and mashed clay on the prepared pillow.
4. Lay (drown) red bricks flat in it. Moreover, the gap between them should be minimal.
5. Lay out the side walls with a brick (put on the edge). The binding solution is a mixture of sand, clay and lime. In this case, the masonry should rise above ground level on the bayonet of the shovel.
6. Make a ceiling and walls: to build a ground cellar, you will need fairly thick boards (magpies or fifty). They should be sewn in 2 rows, laying each heat-insulating material(expanded clay, polystyrene foam, moss and others).
7. To sheathe finished walls with roofing material - this will avoid the occurrence of unwanted drafts in the vegetable store.
8. On one of the end sides of a self-built ground cellar, arrange a manhole with inner and outer doors. In the event of severe cold weather, insulation must be laid between them. It is also necessary to build a small vestibule, which contributes to more reliable thermal insulation of the storage. Install a ventilation pipe on the same side.
9. Build a roof: it can be single or gable. Any material will serve as a material for it. roofing material: slate or roofing felt.
10. Dig a drainage ditch up to 50 cm deep along the perimeter of a self-built ground cellar and equip a blind area (1 m wide) with a slight slope from the storage. This will protect it from flooding.

Surface wall cellar

A good solution that saves land area is to build a cellar at bearing wall at home. Moreover, with minimal material costs(subject to doing the work yourself).

Scheme of construction of a wall storage.

The order of work is as follows:

1. Designate the perimeter of the future building (its size is selected individually).
2. Lay out the walls of the vault: the material can be fired brick or monolithic concrete; masonry is carried out in 1 brick using a sand-cement mortar in a ratio of 3x1. Internal and external walls must be carefully plastered with cement mortar.
3. Outside the cellar, apply 2 layers of bitumen grease, that is, create a reliable waterproofing.
4. To make a floor - to properly level the earthen surface, clean it and make a concrete substrate with a thickness of no more than 20 cm.
5. After the concrete has completely hardened (after 7-10 days), pour cement-sand mortar 5-6 cm thick, that is, finally create a floor in the cellar. At the same time, in order to avoid the occurrence of excessive stresses of the building, all concrete work should be carried out in one day. So the mass will harden evenly over the entire area.
6. Build a multi-layer roof using slab, clay and 2 layers of roofing material.
7. Perform an embankment with dry (preferably fertile) soil and sow it with undersized perennials.
8. Along the entire perimeter of a self-built ground cellar, make a blind area with a slight slope away from the building and dig a shallow (20-25 cm) groove to drain rain or melt water.
9. Equip with shelves and all kinds of necessary containers for storing vegetables and home preservation.

Important! Do not neglect any of the systems (waterproofing, ventilation, insulation, drainage), as they are all equally important, interconnected and support each other.

Any outbuilding can be beautifully designed.

At the same time, it should be remembered that best time for the construction of a cellar, this is summer, when the level of groundwater (underground) water is the lowest.

Thus, a ground cellar built according to all the rules with your own hands will bring only benefit and satisfaction to its owners for many years.

Reading time ≈ 13 minutes

Those who have their own garden and garden are very close to this topic, since with the onset of autumn there is a need to store vegetables, fruits, preserves and meat products. It is unlikely that anyone can realize all this in a few days - the products have to be stored somewhere. It is in such cases that the question arises of how to build a cellar in the country with your own hands?

home cellar

Definition and requirements

Before proceeding with construction, it is imperative to decide on at least two things:

1. What you need: basement, underground or real cellar.
2. What is the depth of the structure you need and can afford.

Basement and cellar - what's the difference

Basement under the house

The main difference between a basement and a cellar is that the basement is located under the house. Sometimes a basement is a room in which the floor is located below ground level, but its main part is located above. If you correctly evaluate such a structure from an architectural point of view, then this is a semi-basement. But if the main part or even the entire structure is underground, then this can already be called a basement.

The cellar is always located away from the house and at the same time, it can be:

• ground;
• semi-submerged;
• buried.

AT this case Let's talk about the last two options.

How to choose a bookmark

Much depends on the level of groundwater.

To dig a cellar in a private house with your own hands, it is necessary to conduct a preliminary analysis of the soil, the level of water occurrence and the desired point in height. First of all, you need to explore your site and determine at least visually where this highest point is located - this place will be a priority. In this case it will less problems with groundwater or they will not exist at all. But there are flat areas, which are also in the lowlands and for the most part the water is very close. In such cases, a sand-gravel or sand-gravel cushion is poured into the bottom of the pit, which, as it were, cuts it off from groundwater (you can also find out about this on our website).

The analysis of the level should be made in the spring, since at this time it is the highest for obvious reasons - the snow has melted. It can also be done in the fall, just after heavy rains, when the soil is abundantly saturated with moisture. The easiest way is to make a determination by the nearest wells and / or wells, or drill the hole yourself - manually or with a power drill. The proximity of water is also determined by the state of greenery on the site - where the level is higher, there the grass is the most green and juicy.

There is one very effective old-fashioned method: take a piece of washed wool (you can use a piece of pure wool sweater) and spread it on the ground cleared of sod. Put a freshly laid egg on it, cover with a clay pot, a frying pan (you can use a small saucepan), cover with turf and leave overnight. In the morning, after sunrise (no later!) make a check, and there will be three options. When there is dew on the wool and the egg, it means that the water is close, if the dew is only on the wool, the water is deep enough for digging the cellar, and if everything remained dry, then the water is either too deep or not at all.

soils

Soil types

Do-it-yourself cellar construction in a private house largely depends on the soil where the pit will be dug. The thing is that some soils are quite dense and the probability of a collapse is so negligible that they don’t even pay attention to it, for some it is more, and for some it is critical. Let's take a look at them briefly.

• Sandy - this is a loose rock from grains of various minerals, no larger than 2 mm in size. For the cellar, it is only suitable as a pillow. Otherwise, a well is made of brick or stone masonry in the pit.
• Sandy loam - loose soil containing clay. There is light sandy loam, where clay is only 3-6% and heavy, with an indicator of 6-10%. Here, too, it is necessary to line the walls of the pit, protecting it from collapses.
• >Loam - contains clay. If the clay content is 10-20%, then it is considered light, if 20-30% - heavy. Cellars of small sizes (up to 1.5 m) in such soil are often not lined with brick or stone.
• Clay - such soils contain from 50% clay. If groundwater is close, then it swells, becoming slippery; if water is far away, then it is dry and hard. Cellars here are difficult to dig, as in such places there is often a lot of water.
• Peat - has a black-brown color and consists of decaying vegetation residues. It perfectly absorbs water, so the pit here will have to be protected not only with masonry, but with concrete and waterproofing.
• Quicksand - may contain different soils. It is unstable, so there is no point in digging a cellar here.

Video: building a cellar in high groundwater conditions

Technology for the construction of a country cellar

Building a cellar in a private house with your own hands, if you do not take into account the search for a place, can be divided into two general stages:

1. Preparatory work.
2. Installation work.

Preparatory work

Ordinary red brick

Whatever soil you are going to dig a pit on, first of all, the cellar arrangement in a private house is determined with its dimensions - area and depth, that is, cubic capacity or volume. These parameters will determine which ones you need. Construction Materials and their number. Never expect to decide on this after digging a foundation pit, taking into account its size.

The thing is that when the pit is ready, and you start taking measurements and looking for necessary material, it may rain, and the walls of the pit will collapse. Calculations are easy to do if you know exactly the perimeter and depth of your cellar. That is, the floor area will mean the same ceiling area, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bone wall will be equal to the opposite area. Based on these data, sand, cement, brick and reinforcement (for reinforcement) should be purchased.

The depth of the pit, as a rule, is determined by the proximity of groundwater - they must be at least half a meter below the floor, otherwise the cellar will flood in the spring. The semi-buried version provides for a depth of the pit of about one and a half meters, but, you see, this is not enough even for a short person. If possible, it is better to go deep at least two meters, although there are cellars 3-4 meters deep.

Some believe that it is too warm at a depth and potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots will sprout, but this is complete nonsense - the temperature from two meters will not change, practice has proven. The fact is that a microclimate is created in a closed deep pit, and the temperature in shallow cellars depends on the air temperature on the surface.

Pit and bottom

Digging a pit for a cellar on light loam

Next, we will look at how to do it step by step in the country (photos and videos will help with this). First, the perimeter is marked, and not in a circle, not in a triangle, not in a parallelepiped, but in a clear square or rectangle. To do this, you need to do a few very simple steps.

egyptian triangle

In order to calculate a right angle on a piece of land, you will need a peg, two cords that do not stretch (tie wire will do), and a metric tape measure. Drive a peg at point A and stretch the cord from it to points B and C, and segment AB should be exactly 4 m, segment AC exactly 3 m. If points B and C are separated by exactly 5 m, then you will get an almost perfect right angle of 90⁰ .

On average, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe cellar in the country is 4-5 m2, but when it comes to country house, then this parameter can increase to 7-8 m2. The whole question is how much you are going to store fruits, vegetables, meat and so on. The pit is most often dug by hand, although a small excavator can be used if access is available. In the case when earth-moving equipment is used, the walls are still cut off manually, and the vertical is checked with a level or plumb line.

If you want the cellar to be comfortable, then it is advisable to pour a concrete screed on the floor, mind you, it is concrete, not cement-sand. The fact is that concrete is much stronger and will not crack from dampness. If someone is afraid that it is difficult to work with concrete because of crushed stone, then it should immediately be noted here that granite screenings are suitable instead of crushed stone in such situations. Here they shoot at two birds with one stone: it is easier to pull the solution along the beacons, and the strength of the solution practically does not decrease, since there are no large loads.

First of all, it is necessary to go deeper below the expected level by about 20 cm - this is a niche for the pillow and the screed itself. To fill the floor of the pit, it must be planned, and the easiest way to do this is with sand, but without clay. After planning, waterproofing is covered on the floor with a twist 10-15 cm above the zero cycle (you can just use dense polyethylene), a layer of sand 2-3 cm high is poured on it, and then a crushed stone or even gravel pillow 7-10 cm high and tamped down ( usually by hand).

Explanation. The zero cycle in construction is called the final level, which is supposed to be reached along with the cladding. For example, floor level with tiles, laminate, etc.

Proportional composition of concretes

The grade of concrete for pouring can be chosen 150 or 200, higher is optional, and the proportions of the ingredients can be found in the table above. The height of the concrete cushion, taking into account the fact that screenings of 4-4.5 cm are used instead of crushed stone, is enough for the cellar. It is desirable to reinforce the screed and at the same time it is not even necessary to knit a mesh - the reinforcement can simply be laid in the form of a mesh with a cell of 20 × 20 cm, but the metal should not protrude beyond the fill.

Note. This information is laid out from the author, who has at least a quarter of a century of practice and of which for about 15 years he has been engaged in repairs on an ongoing basis. GOSTs on this occasion simply do not exist in nature.

Reliable walls in the cellar

Cellar wall masonry

Next, we will consider the construction of walls for the cellar in the country with our own hands step by step - we lay out the walls to the surface of the soil. As a rule, the walls are raised - some may dispute this statement, but again I start from personal experience. If the pit is dug correctly, observing right angles and the screed is poured strictly horizontally, then the erection of walls and their operation cannot cause any special problems or even no problems.

An example of laying in a dressing

So, brick for walls is placed directly on the screed, at least 2-3 weeks after it is poured ( full cycle drying of concrete lasts 28 days). Masonry is done in half a stone in dressing, regardless of climatic region, without any vents or windows (exceptions for special needs). If the soil is unstable, then it is better, of course, to make reinforcement every three or four rows, that is, to lay steel (aluminum is now too expensive) wire with a cross section of 3 mm on top of the brick with a turn on the adjacent wall.

An example of a ligation angle

The corners, like the masonry itself, are also made in dressing, if necessary, reinforcing with 3 mm steel wire. The masonry is learned the most common, only priority is given not to the outside, but to the inside.

Note. The walls of the masonry cellar, as a rule, are raised above the ground level. This is very important, as the raised roof of the cellar will prevent the abundant flow of water when the snow melts.

There is always a distance between the erected masonry and the walls of the pit, which can reach 10-20 cm. This can be used to waterproof the brick box and this is not at all difficult, but effective. You will need either roofing material, or dense polyethylene, as well as sand, you just need to wait at least one and a half to two weeks for the masonry to dry.

Everything is very simple here: one person with inside climbs the ladder to the wall and lowers the film into the gap, and the other from the outside controls that the film reaches the bottom. All walls are closed in this way - the distance is usually enough to correct the insulation with a long stick. Then the entire perimeter is covered with sand, but since the sand cannot be tamped, it can simply be poured with plenty of water so as not to wait for subsidence.

Attention! I offer this method specifically for those who are looking for how to make a cellar in the country with their own hands. AT industrial scale everything is much more complicated, that is, the labor intensity increases several times, as well as the cost of work and materials. The same applies to various companies offering their services "to the fullest".

Roof and ventilation

Cellar ceiling

And now comes the most crucial moment - this is the installation of ceiling and ventilation. Actually, ventilation is just a pipe inserted into the ceiling, which now has to be done properly. To create a cellar floor, you can purchase reinforced concrete floors, but it is too expensive for a construction of this scale - you can do it yourself, as you can see in the top photo.

For home-made overlap, you will need corrugated reinforcement (A3) with a section of 10-12 mm, from which two grids with a cell of 20 × 20 cm are made, the perimeter of which should be 2-3 cm larger than the outer perimeter of the masonry. A frame is made from these grids using vertical jumpers with a length 10-12 cm (connections are best tied with knitting wire, but not boiled). In this case, you need to leave a niche for the doorway, which is just cooked from a corner of 50 × 50 mm.

Cellar ventilation

Two such stretchers are made at once, cutting them into the frame, so that later it will be possible to insert the door for entry. Exactly the same subframes that are welded in are made for a ventilation pipe (or two pipes). Please note that the outside diameter PVC pipes, from which ventilation ducts are most often made now - 110 mm.

The connected and welded metal reinforcing frame is laid directly on the masonry. Bottom, with cutouts for doorway and ventilation, OSB, chipboard, plywood are hemmed, simply tying with a knitting wire to the reinforcement. When the casing is ready from the bottom, they put supports from boards, logs, timber (which will be at hand) and fill the armature frame with concrete. After 28 days, the supports are removed (the filing can be left) and proceed to the installation of the ventilation pipe, the construction of the cap and the installation of the door. Here you can already indulge in fantasies, both in form and in materials.

Video: some nuances in the construction of the cellar

Conclusion

In conclusion, one factor should be noted, which is often neglected not only by summer residents, but also by permanent residents of country houses. This is ventilation in the cellar of a private house, without which high-quality storage of products is simply impossible. Don't overlook this feature!