How to Build an Easy Root Cellar with SIPs

Left over from construction projects, structurally insulated panels (SIPs) form an inexpensive and effective storage space.

By Mike Johnson
Updated on May 12, 2023
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by Mike Johnson

Put up the summer’s extra harvest in this easy root cellar. This above-ground root cellar design takes advantage of structurally insulated panels (SIPs) for quick construction.

In 2018, we expanded and remodeled our house in Montana. After deciding on a floor plan and arranging contractors and materials, we started the remodel in late March. We wanted to do as much of the work ourselves as we could, not only to save money, but also for the sense of fulfillment.

We decided to use structurally insulated panels (SIP) for the house remodel, as that’s what the original house was built with. While demolishing the old living room, I found that the shed-style roof was constructed with 10-inch-thick SIPs. Throwing the panels out seemed like a waste of good material, and we didn’t want to add that much plastic foam to our local landfill. So, we kept all the SIPs that were large enough to use. We wound up with three 12-by-8-foot panels and one 12-by-6-foot panel. I covered them up and then set them aside until I could find some way to repurpose them.

This past spring, I decided to build an easy root cellar — something my wife has been asking for since we purchased the property in 2010. The land we live on is mostly level, so I couldn’t dig a traditional one into the side of a hill. Instead, I chose to use the leftover SIPs to build an above-ground root cellar.

Easy Root Cellar Walls and Roof with SIPs

Using my Kubota tractor with a 1-foot bucket, I dug a 14-by-10-foot-wide hole. As I got to about 55 inches deep, just shy of the 5-foot depth I wanted, I hit groundwater. I then had no choice but to backfill the hole to about 42 inches and compact it with a sand and gravel mix. This left about 4 feet of cellar aboveground, which was more than I wanted, but we made the best of it.

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