San Marcos Wine Cellars builds under-stair wine cellars in San Marcos, using the wedge of floor beneath a staircase for racking that steps down with the slope. Close it with insulated glazing and the collection becomes part of the living area; close it with a framed wall and a small insulated door and it disappears. Either way, the stair’s own underside becomes the cellar ceiling once it is insulated and sealed.
An under-stair cellar uses space that otherwise goes to storage. We build them in San Marcos and in Kyle, Buda, Wimberley, New Braunfels and Martindale.
An under-stair cellar is small, but its cooling unit still needs somewhere to put heat. A through-wall unit can exhaust into the living room on the other side if that room is large, ventilated and air-conditioned; it cannot exhaust into a closet or storage cupboard beside it. Otherwise the heat is ducted away: one retailer’s published under-stairs case used a remote ducted system placed elsewhere in the house.
Enclosing the stair void and adding a circuit are the parts that may involve the City of San Marcos. Its Permit Requirement Determination form lists examples such as moving an interior wall, and its Planning, Building and Engineering reviewers each mark whether a permit is required. Electrical and mechanical work goes on the trade permit application; mechanical applicants must be state-licensed air conditioning and refrigeration contractors or exempt under state law.
When the staircase is an interior one, away from exterior walls and the attic, a cellar beneath it starts from house temperature rather than from Texas afternoon heat. Where the stair also opens onto a large air-conditioned room, the through-wall exhaust option above becomes practical.
Through-wall heat can go into the big living area beside the stair if that room is air-conditioned and ventilated. A coat closet or cupboard next to it is ruled out, so the alternative is ducting the heat away or running a split system to an outdoor condenser.
For storage beyond a few months, yes; the space follows the house temperature, which in a Texas home stays above the 50–60°F range recommended for long-term storage.
It can. An insulated double-glazed front and a glass door sealed on every edge put the bottles on show, and the cooling is sized up for the extra heat that glass admits compared with a framed wall.
Tell us whether the stair is enclosed underneath or has open risers, which room sits next to it, and the home’s address. We'll get back to you soon with an estimate or any questions we have. Estimates are free and there's no obligation.