A cold cellar can store more than fruits and vegetables.
It's time to pack away the warm woolens for the summer, but the closets are full. Moreover, there have been signs of moth activity all winter long. You need a bug-free place to put your prized possessions, but the only free space is that cold cellar downstairs. Luckily, there's a way to turn this damp, chilly food storage facility into a beautiful cedar closet where you can keep your clothes dry and moth-free all year long. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Preparation
1. Consult your local building authority. Ensure that the construction is within code.
2. Waterproof the cold cellar. Redirect water away from the structure. Patch cracks and apply waterproof paint to the interior. Consult a professional if moisture persists.
3. Thoroughly clean the now-dry cellar. Map out plans for the space.
Protect the Interior With Underlayment
4. Apply construction adhesive to the floor in an "S" pattern. Cover the area with one sheet of underlayment.
5. Apply high-density polyethylene, one sheet at a time, over the adhesive. Screw each sheet into place with 1 1/2-inch concrete screws at 24-inch intervals.
6. Glue polystyrene sheets to the walls. Caulk all seams.
Framing and Wiring
7. Stud walls allow you to keep the wallboard separate from the concrete, and provide a way to attach the planks.
Measure the length of one wall. Subtract 7 inches to account for corner posts. Cut top and bottom plates to this length, using treated 2 x 4 lumber.
8. Set the plates side-by-side, with the ends flush. Hook your tape measure to the end of one of the boards. Mark a line every sixteen inches on both plates.
9. Screw the bottom plate into place along the wall with 3-inch concrete screws. Leave 3 1/2 inches at either end for corner posts.
10. Nail the top plate to the floor joists overhead, leaving room for corner posts.
11. Cut four treated 4 x 4 corner posts to room height, less the underlayment thickness.
12. Cut studs for each end of the wall, and for every 16-inch interval. Measure studs to room height, minus the underlayment thickness and the thickness of the top and bottom plates.
13. Place a corner post in one of the corners. Make sure it is level, then "toenail" the post to the top and bottom plates by shooting nails diagonally through the end of the plates and into the post. Set one end of the first stud on the base plate against the corner post. Raise the other end until it catches. Hammer the stud flush with the post. Toenail the stud to each plate. Nail the stud to the corner post. Repeat at the other end of the stud. Align the centers of intermediate studs to the 16-inch marks. Toenail them in place.
14. Frame the other three walls. Use a corner post at each corner. Leave the doorway open in the front wall. Run wiring while the framing is open.
Floor, Ceiling and Walls
15. Attach the first floorboard with flooring nails. Lay floorboards end-to-end until you reach the end of the first run. Cut the final piece to fit. Repeat until the floor is covered.
16. Nail cedar planks or plywood panels across the floor joists above.
17.Nail 16-inch wide cedar boards or plywood panels to the stud walls. Work from one end to the other until the walls are covered. Putty the seams. Sand all surfaces.
18. Install shelving and an exterior-type door.
Tags: corner post, corner posts, bottom plates, cold cellar, concrete screws, floor joists, into place
