Building a Vaulted Roof "Root Cellar"

[terzy]

Yes, it was finished in November and I also managed to lay drainage plastic so that I could start covering it up before the cold set in. This spring, I've had several other projects with higher priority (garage and patio), so the only thing I've done since then is to cover it with a little more gravel and soil that I had dug out, plus I placed some boulders I had unearthed on the side of the cellar to hold back the soil/gravel and also serve as a (very steep) staircase.

When I get the time again, I'll remove the form, apply plaster, make the door, and add more soil on top. I plan to use landscaping fabric before adding more soil so that the soil doesn't just seep through the gravel. But it should be a bit humid in an earth cellar, too, so I'm worried I might make it too dry, only time will tell.
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What did you decide regarding using landscaping fabric on the rocket?
Have you achieved the temperature you wanted? How do you adjust it, and how do you adjust the humidity?

Did you go with double doors, like an airlock?

 

[Buford]

How do you keep the humidity up/down? What is the temperature like? And if it were a problem, do you lower the temperature by just adding more soil on top in that case? Do you have two doors? I mean an airlock to isolate at the door?

As I have described in the thread, this does not function like a root cellar, partly because it is too small and not built in the required way. It functions more like a storage room that I thought was a bit different and looks nice on the plot.

 

[Buford]

What are all the courses?

I think all the longitudinal seams where mortar is placed are called courses. Maybe the wrong terms to use.

 

[terzy]

As I described in the thread, this does not work as a root cellar, partly because it is too small and also not built in the way required. Functions more like a storage that I thought was a bit different and looks nice on the property

Thanks for the quick response, how much did the materials cost?

 

[terzy]

I think that all longitudinal joints where mortar is placed are called courses. Maybe the wrong terms to use.

It's probably right, just wanted to double check if it also applied to the walls or just in the mortar in the vault.

 

[Buford]

Thank you for the quick response, how much did it cost with materials?

Can't really remember, about 5,000 I think.

 

[skogsliden]

Now most of it is done. The door needs to be painted, but we'll see when that happens. The grass has taken well and the construction seems to be holding tight, considering the amount of rain that has fallen in recent weeks.

I got inspired by this thread and started working on the same principle of an earth cellar. Cast slab with cell plastic, recess in the middle for ground cooling, Leca walls and arched roof built on temporary support. Isodrän on the sides, cell plastic on the roof, pond liner on top of the arch, geotextile fabric and then backfilled with soil. I will do as you did and cover the front with natural stone.

I'm now planning to plaster the inside and have been considering how to finish the ceiling. Will it hold up with a netted ceiling and plaster or will it be difficult to plaster and get it to stay? Have you plastered your vaulted interior and how did it turn out?