Red Clay
Well-Known Member
Looks great! Is that a hunk of concreate laying on the ground through the door?
Brew room design questions
- Thread starter hezagenius
- Start date
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Yes, that's what they cut out of the existing basement wall for the door to the new room.
Red Clay
Well-Known Member
Holy moly. I bet that shook the house when it fell!
Not sure. I was out getting lunch I think when it happened. At least the contractors had the decency to push it outward instead of inward. It still took a jackhammer and a skidloader to remove the pieces of it.
Floor drain tied into the house drain
Floor drain in the brew room
Floor drain in the brew room
While there is still an opportunity possible to have a cold room for storing beer (before kegging, etc). Do wish I had the room for such a thing.
I plan to have at least 1 fridge/upright freezer for temp control and possibly a 2nd one if the need arises.
Red Clay
Well-Known Member
Yeah. In my build I'm planning on a two-stage cold room (both small...basically a long 8' wide walk-in closet with two rooms.)
Front part will be ~55F, the back part I'll keep at ~38F. That's the plan at least. I might need to up my glycol system as I'm going to use glycol chillers I think...since I'll have the glycol system anyway. I want to do some stuff other than beer, specifically artisan cheeses. And the misses wants a 'cellar' for storing stuff and that's really hard when you are 7 foot above the high-tide mark!
Front part will be ~55F, the back part I'll keep at ~38F. That's the plan at least. I might need to up my glycol system as I'm going to use glycol chillers I think...since I'll have the glycol system anyway. I want to do some stuff other than beer, specifically artisan cheeses. And the misses wants a 'cellar' for storing stuff and that's really hard when you are 7 foot above the high-tide mark!
Sweet!
Red Clay
Well-Known Member
@hezagenius Are you going to put a roll-up garage door in that large opening? That'll be sweet if you do!!!
Hmm, hadn't thought of that. We were planning on french doors so we could easily get through anything we wanted (appliances, mowers, snowblower, etc.) Since it will be exposed to the outside, I want to make sure whatever door goes there has a nice seal.
Red Clay
Well-Known Member
Check out this type of door (if you are interested.) Lots of light, seals very well and can be thrown open to get that 'outside-while-inside' feeling on those awesome days.
The problem would how to attach that to the ceiling, plus the room will be about 7'8" so that type of door would really cut into that clearance. I like the idea though.
Garage doors are nice if the weather cooperates. Around my home, we'd probably have maybe 1 hour or so to actually use.
Floor drains are rough. Perhaps, best not to watch.
But then things turned out OK.
Nice!
Wish we lived closer and I'd invite you over. I even have a Ruthie tap from Exile Brewing Co. in Des Moines ;-)
Red Clay
Well-Known Member
Yeah, at 7' 8" that would be a problem for sure unless you and all your friends are particularly short! The build is looking great. You are going to love it.
Zenmeister
Well-Known Member
I have been in Concrete and Waterproofing for almost 30 years, so a couple comments on the floors...
If at all possible PUT A VAPOR BARRIER under the floor before pouring concrete. Even in dry desert environments vapor drive will cause your coating (even epoxy in many situations) to bubble and delaminate from the floor. Ideally you would want a vapor barrier such as Grace Florprufe which will prevent vapor from coming thru, but it is very expensive. A good Vapor Retarder such as Stegowrap would likely be good enough (especially if seams are taped), easy to install and should run you about 30 cents or less a square foot. (As a side note, using 6-mil visqueen is common in residential construction but does very little good for moisture mitigation and is generally a waste of money. )
Secondly, like the other posts I recommend epoxy coating. However, you may need to wait 4-6 months or longer after placing the concrete for it to cure/dry out enough to install it. A good installer will have moisture meters and should be able to tell you when the moisture (and pH) levels in the concrete are ok for additional coatings.
Finally, many of today's coatings use chips that are good for wet/non slip situations without needing a broadcast of sand. Talk to a local subcontractor about what they have to offer.
EDIT:
Full Disclosure, I worked for Grace/GCP for ten years before retiring in May. I have no connection with the company now.
If at all possible PUT A VAPOR BARRIER under the floor before pouring concrete. Even in dry desert environments vapor drive will cause your coating (even epoxy in many situations) to bubble and delaminate from the floor. Ideally you would want a vapor barrier such as Grace Florprufe which will prevent vapor from coming thru, but it is very expensive. A good Vapor Retarder such as Stegowrap would likely be good enough (especially if seams are taped), easy to install and should run you about 30 cents or less a square foot. (As a side note, using 6-mil visqueen is common in residential construction but does very little good for moisture mitigation and is generally a waste of money. )
Secondly, like the other posts I recommend epoxy coating. However, you may need to wait 4-6 months or longer after placing the concrete for it to cure/dry out enough to install it. A good installer will have moisture meters and should be able to tell you when the moisture (and pH) levels in the concrete are ok for additional coatings.
Finally, many of today's coatings use chips that are good for wet/non slip situations without needing a broadcast of sand. Talk to a local subcontractor about what they have to offer.
EDIT:
Full Disclosure, I worked for Grace/GCP for ten years before retiring in May. I have no connection with the company now.
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Stress level high as concrete is getting poured. Hard to undo something now if it gets messed up.
Not sure why they started on the outside instead of inside but I'll let them do their thing.
Did the side of there truck say ACME, kinda like painting yourself into a corner.
Very nice build BTW, would love to have a dedicated brew room.
Very nice build BTW, would love to have a dedicated brew room.
They do have another egress from the brew room but I just assumed they'd go inside to out.
Well that's not so bad then.
Yes. Logistically it seems weird but who knows. Maybe the floor drain made them do it that way?
And they were building a subtle ridge in the floor to drain away from the existing house so maybe that's why.
And they were building a subtle ridge in the floor to drain away from the existing house so maybe that's why.
NickTheGreat
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Awesome thread. I see you're in Iowa, the metro? That's where I'm at.
I do not have a brew room, but have a couple unistrut trolleys around for things and they are great. I mounted mine to wood, but don't see why you couldn't use them here.
I do not have a brew room, but have a couple unistrut trolleys around for things and they are great. I mounted mine to wood, but don't see why you couldn't use them here.
It's coming along. Some things are probably best unwatched. Relax and have a few homebrews. After yesterday's heavy rains caused by Ida, we now have fall temps. Very nice for sitting outside with a homebrew, or two, and relaxing.
Finish work is pretty much done. I think the concrete guy is coming back tomorrow to do some cleanup.
It's supposed to rain tonight so I guess we'll see how well it's graded and drains.
It's supposed to rain tonight so I guess we'll see how well it's graded and drains.
Indeed
IMO, probably best things are progressing at a normal pace. It concerns me when things are rapidly, half-as*ed, done and then there are problems in the future.
Rain is good for cement. No, not a torrential downpour. Cement needs to be kept moist while curing.
I'm actually surprised they didn't put plastic on top of the freshly poured cement.
I'm actually surprised they didn't put plastic on top of the freshly poured cement.
Also, um... that's a BIG area of cement. What about seams in the cement for contraction/expansion?
It's interior space - I think it must matter because I've seen some hella large breweries with solid concrete from wall to wall.
And I had a 24 x 16 foot pour done for a commercial oyster shucking & packaging room in a former life, had a center-sloped drain, and it was done in one big sheet...
Cheers!
And I had a 24 x 16 foot pour done for a commercial oyster shucking & packaging room in a former life, had a center-sloped drain, and it was done in one big sheet...
Cheers!
RufusBrewer
Well-Known Member
I was going to suggest this. When the walls are open, it is cheap and easy to put multiple sockets on a given circuit.
Put sockets in the ceiling for lighting options.
Zenmeister
Well-Known Member
OK, guys, first off it's concrete, not cement. Portland cement is just one component of concrete, and they are not the same. (Sorry, this is my big rant, as it drives me crazy. Imagine people constantly calling an IPA a Pilsner ... )
Secondly, you generally don't need expansion joints in interior concrete, as it doesn't move as much as exterior concrete. They will put in control joints or saw cut the slab which control cracking, but your slab doesn't really look that big to have major cracking issues. While cracking will occur, it wont be a major issue.
Overall the job looks pretty good and I believe you will be happy with it.
Secondly, you generally don't need expansion joints in interior concrete, as it doesn't move as much as exterior concrete. They will put in control joints or saw cut the slab which control cracking, but your slab doesn't really look that big to have major cracking issues. While cracking will occur, it wont be a major issue.
Overall the job looks pretty good and I believe you will be happy with it.
The concrete guy said he would likely put a cut width-wise in there to control cracking. He was going to do it today but the surface is still wet from the rain.
I think it was a gentle rain so it should be fine. I just didn't want it to be a torrential downpour and have the mechanical action of the raindrops mess up the surface.
In a former life, I did a lot of concrete testing and we kept our samples in a temp controlled room with pretty much 100% humidity to help with the curing so I'm not too concerned with the water itself.
Actually the guy just showed up to put the cut in!
I think it was a gentle rain so it should be fine. I just didn't want it to be a torrential downpour and have the mechanical action of the raindrops mess up the surface.
In a former life, I did a lot of concrete testing and we kept our samples in a temp controlled room with pretty much 100% humidity to help with the curing so I'm not too concerned with the water itself.
Actually the guy just showed up to put the cut in!
The walls will not be framed (except where the exterior door is going to be) so I will have lots of flexibility for sockets. And I plan to have a lot of them. The electrician is coming on Tuesday to run the wire for the 100A subpanel.
Are you having all surface mount conduit?
