Win a copy of Growing Free this week in the Financial Strategy forum!
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Anne Miller
  • paul wheaton
  • r ranson
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • Leigh Tate
  • jordan barton
  • Greg Martin
master gardeners:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Nancy Reading
  • Jay Angler
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Jordan Holland
  • Saana Jalimauchi

Root cellar building

 
                                        
Posts: 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
We have enough polystyrene blocks (insulated concrete forms) to build a root cellar, but wondering if it would be our best choice of material, given that there could be off-gassing, not to mention the less-than-aesthetic appeal of styrofoam in a food storage room. 

The cellar will be earth-bermed on 2 sides and the ICF's (insulated concrete forms) will probably be covered with something (sheetrock? plywood? mud?) on the inside of the root cellar.

Does anyone have an opinion or experience using this material for a root cellar?

Also we have the book, Root Cellaring, by Mike and Nancy Bubel...
does anyone know of other good sources of info on root cellar design and use???

what about dirt vs. concrete floor?
 
Posts: 14
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I have drawn churches and school buildings utilizing ICF's.  I have also drank hot liquids from EPS, I would have no qualms with it.  I would sheath them with something after construction just for durability. 

I'm a draftsman for an architectural firm in CA. 
 
Posts: 230
3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Humidity is an important aspect of Root Cellaring.
Your construction need to keep this in mind.
 
Posts: 16
Location: boise, idaho
books
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Here is a link I had bookmarked on the topic. I'll be following this topic as we are going to build one in the future too.
http://www.livingoffgrid.org/an-ode-to-preserving/

...also I remember reading about two zones in the best design, one with higher humidity, I think this was the dirt floor side.
 
Maybe he went home and went to bed. And took this tiny ad with him:
6 Ways to Keep Chickens, ebook - now FREE for a while
https://permies.com/t/138684/Ways-Chickens-ebook-FREE
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic