I felt that digging the entire stairwell to the floor level would have just created a large inaccessible space. To save labor and materials, I built the stairway with half of it on a foundation at the floor level, and the other half of the foundation just below the frost line. One of the two 4 inch vents can be seen in the corner.
Currently we are storing apples, carrots and potatoes, and we are pleased with the results. See light reflecting off ceiling in picture below left.īelow Right: Add stairs and doors at top and bottom, and you have a fine root cellar, ready for lots of fruits and vegetables. The arched ceiling is as glossy as a counter top, thanks to the plastic sheet I laid over the plywood. The radius of the top arch is about 6 inches larger than below. It was not difficult creating the arch in the top using standard concrete. The seams are nearly invisible from below, and are waterproof. I poured the roof in 3 sections, for that is the most concrete I can handle working alone.
They will be part of the reinforcement for the entrance-way. The wood at the rear is covering the ends of the rebar to prevent injury. A view of the top before the entrance was completed and the cellar covered with 2 feet of earth.
