Can You Store Wine in the Garage?
Creating wine storage in your garage is very possible, but just like creating a wine storage solution inside the home, you have to ensure the garage’s conditions are optimal for storing wine. However, if the conditions needed are met or created, you can have anything from a standalone storage wine rack to a fully custom storage system in your garage space. Before placing your beloved collection in the garage for storage, there are a few things one must do to ensure ideal storage environments to keep your collection from turning and spoiling.
How to Store Wine in a Garage
The first step to getting started with storing wine in a garage is getting an understanding of the space’s climate control. As you should know, for optimal wine storage, it’s important to ensure a consistent temperature range of 45-65°, with the ideal being around 55°. It’s also key to have 50-70% humidity, with perfect being around 60% humidity level. If your garage space cannot naturally accommodate these levels, you will want to consider adding cooling to the space. However, if you live in a climate with high humidity levels, you may also want to consider a dehumidifier. Having too much humidity in your wine storage space can accelerate wine aging or even spoil your collection, while also potentially making your labels come off the bottles and creating a perfect environment for mold and mildew growth. There are also other factors to consider in the garage area. Are there any cracks or gaps in the space that could allow for heat and air leakage into the space? It’s recommended to seal any of these cracks and paint the wine storage area’s walls with insulation paint to keep the air in the most pristine wine storage conditions.
Most garages are finished in a concrete flooring, which is great for wine storage as it helps keep the temperatures cool and won’t necessarily grow mold if any liquids spill. However, if your garage is not concrete, that is another thing to consider updating before integrating wine storage. Another important consideration is light exposure. Wine does not do well with UV exposure and you want to make sure your location of wine storage is not in a zone where light can interfere with wine storage. UV light exposure quickly degrades the quality and lifespan of your wines.
Converting a Garage into a Wine Cellar
If you are considering converting a garage into a wine cellar, it’s best to start with examining your garage space and considering the key environmental and structural elements we discussed above. If you are wanting short-term storage in your garage and the temperature and humidity levels are relatively consistent in the 45-65° and 50-70% humidity range, you can easily add in a standalone short-term storage solution in your space without the need of full garage space conversion and updates like sealing the environment and adding a cooling unit. If you are wanting a more custom long-term wine storage solution, and are unsure where to start, connect with our cellar design experts. Our cellar designers boast over 20 years of wine storage experience and are here to help you every step of the way in your wine storage journey.
Important Tips for Storing Wine in a Garage
- Ensure a consistent temperature range of 45-65°, with the ideal being around 55°.
- Key to have 50-70% humidity, with perfect being around 60% humidity level.
- Ensure you minimize any amount of UV light exposure.
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