Build your wine a home of its own - Spiral Cellars

Build your wine a home of its own

Contents 

www.spiralcellars.com 

What is a Spiral Cellar? 2 

Why have a Spiral Cellar? 6 

Ideal conditions for storing wine 7 

How many reasons do you need to have a 

Spiral Cellar? 9 

How a Spiral Cellar works 25 

Where can a Spiral Cellar go? 27 

Planning Permission and Building 

Regulations Approval 33 

Installation options 34 

Choosing the right Spiral Cellar 37 

The Mini Cellar 39 

The Original Spiral Cellar 41 

The White Spiral Cellar 43 

Accessories 49 

● Trapdoors 51 

● Step Covers 53 

● Lights 55 

● Safes 56 

Cellarmaster Services 57 

What happens next 61


1 

“It can be installed in 

5 - 9 days.”

What is a Spiral Cellar? 

The short answer is: 

it’s the quickest, cheapest 

and easiest way of 

building a wine cellar 

for your house. 

2 


A watertight, pre-cast 

cylindrical system that’s 

sunk into the ground, 

it can be located 

anywhere from kitchen to 

conservatory, workshop 

to study. 

It can keep up to 

1,900 bottles in 

ideal storage 

conditions and 

like a traditional 

cellar, it relies on 

the surrounding 

earth for its 

insulation, plus an 

ingenious air-flow 

system. It requires 

no power to 

maintain its 

constant 

temperature. 

Once it’s paid for, 

that’s it – no more 

expenses except 

for the wine itself, 

of course! 

If you’re at all 

interested in wine, 

then a Spiral 

Cellar is 

something you 

ought to consider.


3 

Spiral Cellars Ltd is a company 

dedicated to the supply, delivery and 

installation of prefabricated 

concrete wine cellars. We 

have been established for 

over 25 years supplying 

spiral concrete wine cellars 

to customers in the UK and 

Internationally 

The company is 

owned by Adrian and 

Lucy Hargreaves, 

and Nigel Hall. 

Our installation 

teams in Australia 

are fully trained and 

qualified. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Spiral Cellar was originally a French invention, 

developed by Monsieur George Harnois in 1977. Realising that many modern 

homes had no proper cellar he designed the perfect solution. Since then over 

20,000 cellars have been built in France and over 3,000 in the United Kingdom. 

The Pont du Gard (bridge 

of Gard) is a magnificent 

aqueduct constructed to 

cross the valley of Gardon, 

and transport water from 

source in Uzes to Nimes, 

along a journey 50kms 

long. It’s thanks to the 

inspiration of Le Pont du 

Gard and its spiral 

staircase that was added in 

1844, to enable its visitors 

to access the canal, that 

the concept of the Spiral 

Cellar was invented in 

1977. At this point in time, 

was no commercial system 

for the storage of wine, 

apart from houses that 

were built with cellars. 

Most wine collectors were 

left with the only option of 

storing wine in their 

garage. But unfortunately 

the heat wave of the 

summer of 1976 ruined 

many a good wine stored 

in this way. 

One day, when passing the 

Pont du Gard by chance, 

upon returning from a visit 

to friends in Toulouse, the 

idea of a spiral staircase 

grew, and gave Georges 

the idea of storing wine in 

a circular fashion. Upon 

his return home, he 

started excavation in his 

garage, by digging a well 

2m in diameter. The walls 

of the hole were built of 

brick and a staircase 

of wood. 

A few ‘test’ clients 

were invited to the 

demonstration site, 

and were seduced by the 

concept. Obviously the final 

construction could not be 

of wood, due to vibration, 

humidity, and wood mites. 

He developed a system of 

modules and steps 

constructed of concrete 

with some assistance and 

research by experts in the 

field of concrete 

manufacture. He then 

selected a partner 

manufacturer, who were 

able to offer a production 

facility, and grew a 

distribution network of 

agents throughout France.

Frequently Asked Questions 

You’re going to dig a 3m hole in my 

living room. How do I know the house 

isn’t going to collapse? 

For each project we undertake, the house is 

surveyed and all critical information passed to 

our independent consultant engineer. 

They prepare the technical calculations to 

ensure that the selected location will not have 

an impact upon the property. Our engineer 

has Professional Indemnity insurance and 

Spiral Cellars' Australian distributors and 

installation teams have Product and Public 

Liability insurance to $10m. 

If you’re digging that deep do you 

need to underpin the existing 

foundations? 

The installation of a Spiral Cellar does not 

require underpinning of existing foundations. 

Where there is a risk of the foundations being 

undermined, the Spiral Cellar is installed with 

a reinforced concrete ring which completely 

eliminates the need for underpinning. 

Can you integrate the cellar 

installation with our kitchen refurb 

and work with my contractor? 

Yes, in fact over 50% of our projects involve us 

fitting into refurbishment, extensions and new 

build programmes. We recommend that if the 

contractor has mechanical excavators on site 

that they dig the hole and secure with our 

shuttering system. Then we would fit the 

cellar during the later stages of your build 

programme. 

Is planning approval required for 

installing a cellar? 

Planning requirements vary state to state. 

Where planning approval is required, in NSW 

for example, we will help guide you through 

the Development Application process, leading 

to a Construction Certificate. 

How many times have you done 

this before? – I don’t want an 

inexperienced company to ruin 

my home. 

Although new to Australia, in the UK Spiral 

Cellars Ltd has been installing cellars since 

1981 - over 25 years! In that time we have 

installed over 3,000 cellars. Our installation 

teams in Australia are Licensed Builders that 

have been thoroughly trained by our UK team of 

experts in cellar installation techniques and 

every project is covered by Home Warranty 

Insurance. 

How do I know that after a couple of 

years that there won’t be a leak? 

The cellar has a butyl liner that is pressure 

tested prior to installation – this ensures that the 

cellar remains waterproof. Equally as our teams 

are so experienced on installing our cellars, 

great care is taken to protect the liner. All our 

cellars come with a 5 year guarantee, if during 

the first five years a cellar is found to be 

defective in any way, under normal use and 

service, we guarantee to repair or replace the 

cellar free of charge. 

Can I visit one of your customer’s 

cellar and talk to them about your 

workmanship? 

We have many customers that are so delighted 

with their cellars, they are very proud to show it 

off! Contact us, and we’ll find one that is 

available for you to view close to your home. 

I haven’t heard of you before, how 

do I know you’re not cowboy builders? 

We are still relatively unknown, but our 

awareness is increasing – after all it is quite a 

niche product! We are a professional company, 

this is our sole activity – we specialise purely in 

the installation of our Spiral Cellars and we have 

traded since 1981. 

How many cellars do you install 

each year? 

In the UK we have four installation teams, each 

installing one cellar a week, every week. In 

Australia we have an installation team both in 

Sydney (servicing NSW) and Melbourne 

(servicing Victoria) each with the capacity to 

install one cellar every week. 

4 

www.spiralcellars.com


5 

“Having a proper 

cellar is like a ‘badge 

of honour’ that proves 

that you are interested 

in food, drink and the 

finer things in life.”

6 


Why have a wine cellar 

in the first place? 

Because it’s the only way of ensuring that 

the wine you’re drinking has been stored 

in the ideal condition. 

If you’re the sort of person who never 

keeps any wine for more than a week 

or two then a cellar might not be 

necessary. But if you always like to have 

a few dozen bottles around the place 

and tend to keep bottles for months or 

years before drinking them, then you 

need a Spiral Cellar. 

A Spiral Cellar will enable you to keep 

hundreds of bottles in ideal condition for 

as long as you want. You can buy wines 

by the case (still the cheapest way of 

purchasing) and keep them for a couple 

of years to see how they develop. 

You can buy a vintage of the same wine 

for ten years to create your own 

‘vertical’ collection. And you can take 

advantage of special one-off offers, 

knowing that you’ve got the space – and 

perfect conditions – to store your latest 

purchase. In short, a Spiral Cellar will 

open up the magical world of wine to 

you like never before.


7 

What are the ideal 

conditions for 

storing wine? 

Wine is a living product. Its ability 

to change with time is what makes 

it so interesting, but it also means 

that if it’s kept in the wrong 

conditions its quality can quickly 

be affected. 

Temperature 

warming and cooling 

Humidity 

Clean, dark and 

Temperature is 

between winter and 

Wine bottles 

quiet 

the most critical 

summer is not a 

need to be kept 

aspect in storing wine. 

problem the sort of 

horizontal and in a 

Store wine somewhere 

daily temperature 

slightly damp 

Wine doesn’t like direct 

too hot and it ages 

fluctuations seen in 

atmosphere to prevent 

sunlight, noise or 

quickly, rapidly losing 

your attic for example, 

the corks drying out. 

constant vibrations 

its vibrancy and 

do wine no favours at 

If corks do dry out, 

from, say, traffic. 

becoming tired and 

all. Insulated by the 

they shrink, allowing air 

By storing it in a Spiral 

stale. 

ground, your Spiral 

into the bottle and 

Cellar, you give it the 

The ideal temperature 

for wine is about 13˚C 

but five degrees or so 

either side of this is 

acceptable. The key is 

that there are no 

sudden fluctuations – 

wine likes things to 

change slowly – so 

while a gradual 

Cellar keeps your 

wines at a steady 

temperature, allowing 

them to age gracefully. 

oxidising the wine. 

The recommended 

relative humidity is 

around 70% or more. 

dark, silent 

environment that wine 

needs. And unlike 

‘ordinary’ cellars, 

because a Spiral Cellar 

isn’t used to store 

anything else, there is 

no risk of odours from 

wood, paper or food 

contaminating the wine.

8 


For years I didn't have the 

luxury of a cellar, but it was 

always a dream. Now I have a 

Spiral Cellar where I keep 

about 1200 bottles – all my 

expensive wine so I can 

cherish it in years to come. 

It's a beautiful piece of 

engineering, as well as being 

secure and discreet. 

Vincent Gasnier, 

Master Sommelier 

“Our Spiral Cellar is jammed 

with everything from £5 bottles 

for Tuesday night to en primeur 

Bordeaux. It’s great to know 

that it’s all being kept in 

perfect condition.” 

If you install a Spiral 

Cellar you’ll never 

need to worry about 

your wine ever 

being in less-than 

ideal condition. 

You’ll be able to pull 

a wine off the shelf 

with confidence, 

whether it’s been 

there six months or 

six years, or more.


9 

“We go on holiday to wine 

regions and know we can 

buy plenty of wine.”

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www.spiralcellars.com www.spiralcellars.com 

0845 241 2768 

211 

“Because I like my wine 

to be close at hand.”

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0845 241 2768

www.spiralcellars.com www.spiralcellars.com 

0845 241 2768 

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“My cellar is my den, a place to 

unwind, select a fine bottle, and chill 

after a long day at work.”


15 

“We treated 

ourselves – 

a new kitchen for 

me and a wine 

cellar for him.”

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17 

“I was fed up 

with wine boxes 

cluttering up the 

entire house. This 

was the perfect 

solution.”

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19 

“ I look at my cellar and I 

think wow! doesn’t it look great. 

I walk over the trapdoor and 

just want to go down.”

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21 

“Our friends are really envious, 

but always keen to help empty it!”

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23 

“We’ve added 

value to our home 

and now get to grow 

our wine collection.”

24 


“Not only does a Spiral Cellar add value 

to your property, but also compared to the 

cost of external warehousing, the cellar 

pays for itself within 10-15 years.” 

“For a larger property, Spiral 

Cellars appear to be a very 

sound investment and 

excellent value – one would 

have thought that buyers 

should more than get their 

money back. Also, by installing 

a Spiral Cellar this adds 

another dimension when it 

comes to selling the house.” 

Paul Jarman, 

Director/Head of Residential Agency Group, Savills.


25 

The big picture 

Over the last two and a half decades, 

more than 20,000 Spiral Cellars have 

been built in France and over 3,000 

in the UK, where the company has 

been operating since 1981.

“It’s incredible that 

something so simple and 

that requires no real 

maintenance can work 

so efficiently.” 

Cool air comes into the cellar through a pipe at 

ceiling level, pushing the warm air downwards and 

out through another pipe situated at the bottom of 

the central spine. This then feeds up through the 

centre of the stairs and outside, where the pipe is 

fed to 1.5m above ground level. 

26 


The cellar itself is a solid concrete 

construction that sits inside a waterproof 

lining, which means that it is damp-proof, 

and highly resilient to temperature changes 

and vibrations. 

The wine is stored horizontally 

inside separate slightly curved 

‘bins’ that line the walls of the 

cellar. Each bin holds up to 

two cases of wine. 

As well as being set into the earth, which 

aids insulation, the cellar maintains a 

constant temperature through a ‘passive 

ventilation’ system, using two pipes. 

This system helps 

prevent the air in the 

cellar from becoming 

stale, since it is always 

at the same level as the 

natural ground 

temperature. 

Where they cannot be fed through the 

cavity, pipes will be directed to the outside 

wall, and both feed up outside the wall. 

We acknowledge that the hot/cold airflow through the pipes 

seems to contradict the laws of physics, where warm air rises. 

The differential height of the vent pipes causes warm air to be 

sucked out through the top pipe and hence cold air flows in 

through the bottom pipe displacing the warm air. 

The positioning of the vent pipes is crucial to ensure an 

efficient cellar.


27 

How do we get 

started? 

First, we discuss your 

needs and advise on 

the best location for 

your Spiral Cellar. 

Once you have 

decided you would 

like to know more 

about a Spiral 

Cellar, we will 

arrange for a site 

survey to be 

carried out. Our 

surveyor will visit 

your home (or 

meet with the 

architect and/or 

builder in the case 

of a new-build 

home or 

extension) and 

assess the 

suitability of the 

property for the 

installation. He 

will carry out a full 

technical 

assessment, 

looking for drains, 

mains supply 

pipes and load 

bearing walls, as 

well as taking a 

note of room 

dimensions and 

your construction 

preferences. 

So where can the Spiral Cellar go? 

Just about anywhere, provided our 

independent consultant engineer approves it! 

It’s up to you whether you want to have it in your kitchen, conservatory, 

dining room or study. 

However, we do not recommend cellars in the following locations: 

In a north facing conservatory or sun room due to overheating (other 

orientations are acceptable). 

Where the cellar is positioned more than 7m away from the nearest exterior 

wall, due to the length of the ventilation runs.

Conservatory 

Dining room 

Garage 

Hallway 

Kitchen 

Lounge 

Study 

Utility Room 

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VENT/CELLAR LOCATION – POOR 

The efficiency of the cellar is 

directly related to the location 

within the property. 

FAIR 

VENT LOCATION – GOOD 

FAIR 

Optimum performance can 

be achieved where the 

ventilation pipes are on the 

South or South Eastern 

aspect with no more than 

5m in plan to a perimeter 

wall. 

However other locations can 

be considered, but the 

temperature of the cellar is 

at a risk of being slightly 

higher. Site specific advice 

will be given at the site 

survey stage.

www.spiralcellars.com 0845 241 2768 

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Living room

30 

Kitchen 



31 

Dining room

32 

Garage 



33 

The process is simple... 

Once you decide to proceed, the site survey information is passed 

on to our independent consultant engineer, who prepares the 

necessary technical calculations and makes sure that your 

preferred cellar location is suitable. 

Development Application 

(DA) Approval 

It is necessary to obtain DA approval 

from your local authority for any 

building work in the state of NSW. 

We can submit this application for you, 

prepared by our engineer and submitted 

to the local authority on your behalf. 

This is likely to be in the form of a 

Development Application, followed by a 

Construction Certificate or a Complying 

Development Certificate application, if 

applicable. 

If other building works are being 

undertaken (i.e. extensions), we can 

forward our calculation package to your 

architect or builder so the documents 

can be included with the Master 

Development Application. 

A Principal Certifying Authority will 

inspect the work during the installation 

and issue a final occupation certificate 

once the cellar is complete. 

Planning Permission 

NSW planning regulations currently 

require that any structural change to a 

building, including excavations of the 

sub-floor area, require DA approval and 

a Construction Certificate. However if 

the Policy is amended, as happens from 

time to time, it may be possible to 

obtain an approval under the Exempt or 

Complying Development code. This 

approval would be able to be obtained 

from the Local Council or a Private 

Certifier. 

DA Approval, for most Council’s in NSW, 

takes a minimum of 6 weeks. 

A Construction Certificate or Complying 

Development Certificate can take as 

little as 10 days with a Private Certifier, 

but may be longer with the Council. 

A Construction Certificate is required 

before any work can begin. 

Party Wall agreements 

If you share a party wall it will be 

necessary to obtain a DA approval from 

Council followed by a Construction 

Certificate from the Council or a Private 

Certifier, with supporting Structural 

Engineer’s plans 

As with all building works, we 

recommend that, if you share a party 

wall and the cellar will be close to the 

party wall, you approach your 

neighbours to discuss the potential 

works prior to submitting the DA. 

A cellar must be installed a minimum of 

900mm from any party wall or the 

boundary of your property. 

Underpinning of existing 

foundations 

The installation of a Spiral Cellar does 

not generally require underpinning of 

existing foundations. Where there is a 

risk of the foundations being 

undermined, the Spiral Cellar can be 

installed with a reinforced concrete ring 

which completely eliminates the need 

for underpinning, or an alternative 

solution might be recommended by the 

Structural Engineer. 

Listed Buildings 

If your property is a Heritage Listed 

building, or in a Conservation Area, a 

Heritage Impact Statement may be 

required as part of the council approval 

process. 

Building Code of Australia 

Rarely do spiral staircases comply with 

the Housing Industry Association (HIA) 

Building Code of Australia’s strict 

criteria for staircases. However, as the 

Spiral Cellar’s stsaircase is in a 

non-habitable area, with limited space 

and infrequent use we are able to apply 

for an exemption. The staircase in a 

Spiral Cellar only needs to meet certain 

performance requirements and we are 

thus able to apply for an “Alternative 

Solution”, certified by our Structural 

Engineer and signed off during the DA 

process.

Installation 

options 

We are flexible in our 

approach and can install to 

fit with your requirements 

34 


Full Installation 

The Spiral Cellar team will excavate the hole for your cellar, 

organise skips for removal of waste, gain necessary permits 

from your local authority, and supply all building materials: 

waterproof liners, Spiral Cellar modules, trap door and 

lighting. Within 5-9 days your cellar will be fitted and complete. 

Fit only 

Should you be already building a new home, garage, extension 

or conservatory, it may be easier for your own contractors to 

dig the hole, should they have the right mechanical excavators. 

The Spiral Cellars Team will then supply, deliver and install the 

cellar. Please consider carefully the programme of your own 

building work, as timing is critical for an efficient installation of 

your cellar. 

“I have to thank the whole team at 

Spiral Cellars. It was the smoothest, 

most trouble-free construction work 

we have ever had done.”


35 

...and most Spiral Cellars 

can be installed in 5-9 days! 

First, a hole is 

Next the whole 

Now the cellar 

Finally the trap 

6-8 weeks after 

dug 2,200mm in 

construction is 

begins to take 

door of your 

installation, 

diameter and to 

lined with a butyl 

shape! The pre- 

choice is fitted – 

to guarantee your 

the pre-arranged 

liner and a 

cast modules, 

though it needs to 

satisfaction, our 

depth. The bottom 

second base felt 

with one step per 

be left open for a 

After Sales 

is covered with a 

put into position. 

layer, are placed 

fortnight while the 

Manager will visit 

layer of sand, a 

A reinforced base 

in position and 

cellar dries out 

the Cellar to 

base felt placed 

slab is poured – 

two coping stones 

fully. 

check that it is to 

over it and more 

without touching 

line the entrance. 

our high 

felt positioned 

the liner – and 

The ventilation 

standards, before 

around the walls. 

left overnight. 

pipes are fitted. 

signing it off. 

We have our own teams of installers, 

all dedicated to Spiral Cellars.

“From nothing to cellar in such a short space of time. 

I couldn’t believe how fast the whole thing went in.” 

36 


Approximately 6-8 weeks after the cellar is installed, we will visit 

and give your new purchase a thorough review. We’ll vacuum it 

out, fit any extra additions (such as a carpet and/or safe) and 

check the temperature and humidity. By then the concrete should 

have dried out, and the cellar temperature and humidity started 

to stabilise.Once we’re happy that everything is as it should be, 

we will ‘sign it off’ and all you have to do is fill it with wine. 

Guarantees 

All our fully-installed cellars come with a five year guarantee. 

If during the first five years a cellar is found to be defective in 

any way, under normal use and service, we guarantee to 

repair or replace the cellar free of charge. Full information 

can be found within our Terms and Conditions. 

What if something goes wrong in 

the future? 

At Spiral Cellars we don’t believe that our service finishes 

once the Cellar is built. We will always give free advice on 

how to get the most out of your Cellar, and, should you have 

persistent concerns over its functionality, we will visit once 

again to assess and remedy any problems. 

What maintenance is necessary on 

my part? 

None.


37 

Which Spiral 

Cellar is right 

for you? 

To an extent, the cellar size you choose 

depends on whether you’re likely to use it 

mostly for everyday-drinking wines (which 

have a higher turnover) or also to store 

cases of fine wine, which you may wish to 

hold onto for many years. 

Even if you just buy three cases of fine 

wine a year, it’s amazing how quickly 

even a good-sized cellar can fill up! 

As a starting point, try the following 

calculation. Work out roughly how many 

bottles of wine you might drink in an 

average week, multiply it by 50 to get 

your yearly consumption (allowing for 

two weeks holiday away from home). 

Next, add on the rough number of fine 

wines you might buy to drink in the 

long-term. Finally, multiply this overall 

figure by five, and that will give you 

some idea of the size of cellar you need. 

Example 

Bottles 

Weekday consumption 3 

Weekend consumption 2 

Yearly consumption 250 

Plus 4 cases of fine wine 298 

Multiply by five 1,490 

Thus the best Spiral Cellar in this 

case would be either 2.5m or 3m deep, 

depending on the expected turnover 

of bottles. 

As recommended by Hugh Johnson.

38 


Mini Cellar 39 

Original Spiral Cellar 41 

White Spiral Cellar 43 

Accessories 50

THE MINI CELLAR www.spiralcellars.com 

39 

The Mini Cellar 

Cellar capacities 

Each ‘bin’ can take up 

to 24 Bordeaux 

shaped bottles or 

1 wooden case. 

Half bottles, German and Champagne bottles also fit 

in the bins, to assist stacking we have developed 

neck supports which can be purchased as required. 

For those who feel something smaller will suit their 

needs, The Mini Cellar, accessed by a simple wooden 

staircase, rather than a spiral, allows storage for up 

to 770 bottles. 

What it holds 

Depth 

Maximum bottles 

1.35m 650 

1.60m 770

40 

THE MINI CELLAR www.spiralcellars.com

THE ORIGINAL SPIRAL CELLAR www.spiralcellars.com 

41

The Original Spiral Cellar 

Every Spiral Cellar is the same 

2m diameter, but the depth 

varies depending on how many 

bottles you wish to store. 

42 

THE ORIGINAL SPIRAL CELLAR www.spiralcellars.com 

What it holds 

Depth 


2.00m 1000 

2.25m 1150 

2.50m 1300 

2.75m 1450 

3.00m 1600

THE WHITE SPIRAL CELLAR www.spiralcellars.com 

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44 


The White Spiral Cellar 

Our Original Spiral Cellar, 

designed over 30 years ago 

is still as popular as ever, 

but we’ve listened to our 

customers over the years, 

and have made some 

improvements to the 

original design…


45 


More capacity 

The ‘bins’ are now taller, enabling up to 

27 Burgundy shaped bottles to 

comfortably fit. 

More light 

The Original Spiral Cellar has a ‘rustic’ 

concrete effect. The White Spiral Cellar 

is more akin to limestone. It is a 

smooth, white concrete which provides 

a very luminous feel inside. Also, wine 

labels will not become scratched.

46 


More indulgence 

We offer a LED lighting system – a 

circular ring in the floor of the cellar, 

and an LED strip under each step. 

The effect is stunning, especially at night 

when the cellar is illuminated and is 

visible through a glass trap door option – 

a real showcase.


47 


The White Spiral 

Cellar provides the 

opportunity to 

customise the cellar 

such that the interior 

design style of the 

room fits seamlessly 

with the Cellar.

What it holds 

Depth 


2.00m 1190 

2.25m 1360 

48 


2.50m 1530 

2.75m 1700 

3.00m 1870 

More space 

Steps are wider. A standard wine bottle sits comfortably inside 

the depth of each 'bin' – the necks do not oversail onto the 

steps – all making the cellar feel more spacious, even when 

fully stocked.

ACCESSORIES www.spiralcellars.com 

49

Accessories 

50 


Trapdoors 51 

Step coverings 53 

Lights 55 

Safes 56


51 

Trapdoors 

The trap door covers half of the 

circular hole that is dug. 

The other half is covered with 

concrete and the floor covering 

of the rest of the room. 

The door can be positioned at any point 

on the centre line of the cellar – to suit 

the room layout or the easiest access 

point. We then locate the first step in 

line with the trap door, with the steps 

descending either clockwise or anticlockwise. 

In most occasions, the open 

trap door is opposite the entry point as 

you descend the door acts as a pseudo 

handrail. 

The cellar comes with a four-panel 

wooden trap door measuring 1500mm x 

900mm x 50mm as standard, with a gas 

strut to ease lifting and supports the 

door in the open position. Other door 

options are available at a 

supplementary charge. 

Standard Trap Door 

The cellar comes with a standard trap door – 

a four panel softwood door. 

Length: 1500mm 

Depth: 50mm 

Width: 900mm 

Lifting mechanism: Gas strut arm, 820N 

(supplied). 

Please note that the door is supplied with one layer of 

varnish but can be adapted by client to suit room 

interior. 

Reinforced Trap Door 

The standard trap door – a four panel 

softwood door, but with reinforcement bars 

to take the loading of a vehicle. For 

installations in garages. 


Depth: 50mm 

Width: 900mm 


(supplied). 

Recessed Trap Door 

for timber 

Similar to the standard trap door – a four 

panel softwood door, but recessed to 

accommodate timber, engineered wooden 

floors and laminate to a maximum thickness 

of 18mm. 


Depth: 30mm 

Width: 900mm 


(supplied).

52 


Motorised Recessed 

Trap Door 

This door is designed to accommodate 

timber and ceramic or natural stone tiles up 

to 12mm thick (subject to specification 

confirmation), with a motorised mechanism. 

Frame in stainless steel. 


Width: 900mm 

Recess: 20mm 

Depth: 520mm (to bottom of motorised arm) 

The door pan comprises reinforced sheet 

metal. 

Lifting mechanism: Motorised strut arm, 

24 volts. A manual Gas Strut arm is also 

fitted in case of motor or power failure. 

Heavy Duty Recessed 

Trap Door 

This door is recessed by 25mm to 

accommodate ceramic or natural stone tiles. 

Frame manufactured from Aluminium 

by 'Bilco'. 

Length: 1499mm (excluding flange) 

Width: 899mm 

Recess: 25mm 

Depth: 300mm (to bottom of springs) 

The handle supplied is removable and acts 

as a key. 

Lifting mechanism: Stainless steel 75mm 

piano hinge. 

Motorised Glass 

Trap Door 

This door has two glass squares supported 

by a central cross bar, with a motorised door 

opening mechanism. Frame in stainless 

steel. 


Width: 900mm 


Glass thickness: 24mm. No lock. 



fitted in case of motor or power failure. 

Motorised Round 

Glass Trap Door 

This door has two semi-circular glass panels 

supported by a central cross bar, with a 

motorised door opening mechanism on one 

of the panels. Frame in stainless steel. 

Diameter: 1500mm 


Glass thickness: 24mm. No lock. 



fitted in case of motor or power failure.

STEP COVERINGS www.spiralcellars.com 

53 

Step coverings 

Original Spiral Cellar – sisal matting 

Covering the concrete steps 

Sisal matting doesn't just add a bit of extra class to the look of your cellar, it lessens the risk of breakages 

should you ever be unlucky enough to drop a bottle in your enthusiasm! Black rubber nosing on the treads 

guarantees a sure footing every time.

The White Cellar – leather tread inlays 

54 

STEP COVERINGS www.spiralcellars.com 

We offer a range of step tread inlays as below. Or you can customise it 

as you wish to fit with your interior design. 

Karndean 'oak' effect Sisal matting Amtico 'slate' effect

LIGHTING www.spiralcellars.com 

55 

Lighting 

As standard there are 

two lights, one on the 

‘ceiling’ and one at the 

foot of the spine. 

We use exterior grade 

bulk head lights, with 

40 watt bulbs in brass or 

chrome finish. There is a 

manual switch to operate 

the light. 

For the White Spiral Cellar we offer a 

LED lighting system – a circular ring 

in the floor of the cellar and an LED 

strip under each step.

Safes 

We have sourced a 

small ‘hotel room’ style 

safe that we fix into one 

of the modules. 

This provides a secure 

facility for storing cash, 

jewellery and small 

items of value. 

56 

SAFES www.spiralcellars.com 

Insurance Rating: Class S1, EN 14450 Tested Safe, Model 

2010 Owners insurance company to advise the limit insured, 

but the base limit should be £20,000 (Jewellery risk) 

Locking: Standard locking, one key lock with 2 keys 

Fittings: 1 shelf 

Unit weight: 11 kgs 

External dimensions: H 180mm, W 310mm, D 205mm 

Internal dimensions: H 170mm, W 300mm, D 150mm 

Neck supports 

We have received feedback from customers stating that they 

often find it difficult to stack non- standard bottles such as 

Champagne, Alsace and Half bottles. In response to this we 

have manufactured some curved foam neck supports. 

They are available in two sizes: 

30mm height support 

Designed to sit on the bottom of the module and provide 

support for the first row of bottles. 

50mm height support 

Provides support in between rows 1 and 2 of the bottles.


57 

What happens next... 

See the construction 

process 

Visit our website www.spiralcellars.com to 

see a movie of the step by step installation 

process. 

Book a Site survey 

If you are considering having your own 

Spiral Cellar, we offer a no-obligation visit 

where our surveyor will visit your home (or 

meet with the architect and/or builder in 

the case of a new build home or 

extension) and advise you on the best 

location for your cellar. We will also 

perform a basic ‘site survey’ by 

identifying the position of load bearing 

walls, drains, gas and electric services 

underground where possible. Call us to 

book; 

Melbourne: 0434 652 060 

Sydney: 0412 521 226 

We will then provide an estimate tailored 

to your installation requirements. 

When you are ready to proceed we will 

provisionally book an installation date that 

is convenient to you. If you are having 

other building work done in parallel with 

the cellar installation (e.g. conservatory or 

extension) we will attempt to fit with the 

contractor's programme. Our installation 

teams are generally booked up to 

12 weeks in advance, so please invite us 

to carry out a site survey well in advance 

of your installation date. 

Once a date is booked, and the deposit 

received, our engineer prepares the 

calculations and we can then apply for the 

relevant Development Application, 

Building Approval and/or Construction 

Certificate, depending on what is required 

in your state or territory. Where the cellar 

installation is in a Heritage Listed Building 

or Conservation Area, a Heritage Impact 

Statement may be required as part of the 

approval process and additional time 

should be allowed for this. 

Visit a real Spiral Cellar 

Because we are new to Australia, only a 

small handful of cellars have been 

installed in Sydney and Melbourne. If you 

are in one of these cities, we may be able 

to arrange a visit to one of these cellars 

but please bear in mind that these cellars 

are in people’s private homes.

58 

www.spiralcellars.com 0845 241 2768

Appointed distributor: 

IntWine Cellars Pty Ltd 

Jane Thursby, Malvern, Melbourne, Victoria 

Tel: 0434 652 060 

Email: melbourne@spiralcellars.com 

Appointed distributor: 

The Galahad Group Pty Ltd 

Neil Smallman, Clovelly, Sydney, NSW 

Tel: 0412 521 226 

Email: sydney@spiralcellars.com 


Price List 2011 

Please note all prices are exclusive of GST 

The Original Spiral Cellar 

Depth Maximum Full installation Fit into 

bottles 

excavated hole 

2.00m 1000 From $35,295 From $29,443 

2.25m 1150 From $36,163 From $30,311 

2.50m 1300 From $37,930 From $32,078 

2.75m 1450 From $40,897 From $34,275 

3.00m 1600 From $42,096 From $35,474 


Depth Maximum Full installation Fit into 

bottles 

excavated hole 

2.00m 1190 From $52,348 From $40,182 

2.25m 1360 From $54,534 From $42,368 

2.50m 1530 From $58,811 From $45,259 

2.75m 1700 From $64,724 From $49,709 

3.00m 1870 From $67,020 From $52,005 

Trap Door Options 

• Standard Trap Door (4 panel wooden door 1500mm x 900mm 

x 50mm with flat handle and lock) included in price for cellar 

• Reinforced Trap Door – for use in garage, to take 

the weight of a vehicle $560 

• Recessed Trap door to take vinyl, timber, laminate 

and engineered wooden flooring $680 

• Recessed Trap – Motorised, to take ceramic 

or stone tiles up to 10mm thick $4,430 

• Heavy duty recessed Trap Door – Motorised, to take 

ceramic or stone tiles up to 20mm thick $8,200 

• Rectangular Glass Trap Door – Motorised $6,850 

• Half Round Glass Trap Door – Hinged and motorised $11,700 

• Round Glass Trap Door – Hinged and motorised $17,000 

Optional Extras 

• Safe, which fits into one module $360 

• Carpet fitted from $680 

• Leather treads and other inserts fitted from $1,800 

• LED lighting from $2,500 

If you install a 

Spiral Cellar you’ll 

never need to 

worry about your 

wine ever being in 

less-than ideal 

condition. Pull a 

bottle off the shelf 

with confidence, 

whether it’s been 

there six months or 

six years, or more. 

The small print 

Our estimates will include a provision for 

reinforced concrete. If our engineer 

calculates that this is not required it will 

be deducted from the cost. We also 

estimate for hole protection rings to be 

used during the excavation process. 

If during the dig, the ground conditions 

dictate that this is not required it will also 

be deducted from the cost. 

Appointed distributors: 

IntWine Cellars Pty Ltd 

Jane Thursby, Malvern, 

Melbourne, Victoria 

Tel: 0434 652 060 

Email: melbourne@spiralcellars.com 

The Galahad Group Pty Ltd 

Neil Smallman 

Tel: 0412 521 226 

Email: sydney@spiralcellars.com

Build your wine a home of its own - Spiral Cellars

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