Help Convert Closet to (small) Walk In Humidor

[jhedrick83]

I think @Tombstone is thinking of T111 - I used that in my hot tub room and I agree that it holds up well to the moisture.

You have an Wineador Apartment Complex and a Hot Tub room and golf all the time?? Tony knows how to live.

[SoCal gunner]

I've been reading and watching everything I can find on the interwebs on this topic.

So with an aggregate of ideas, I'm leaning towards putting up a vapor barrier over the existing painted drywall and using 1/4" SC plywood for the walls. I always assumed vapor barrier just meant XX mils (6) of plastic sheeting, but there are a bunch of different products, materials, and "membranes" out there. There are limitless wood products to use on the walls and almost everyone of those has someone telling you not to. So I figure I'll just bite the bullet and pay for SC - hoping to source semi local, because shipping 4'x8' sheets of wood is costly.

I shared my thoughts on the project with my brother who used to flip/rent homes. He thinks I should pull the existing drywall out and put up a blue/green board product. Next, he prefers some paper-like vapor liner they use behind shower stalls (forget the name) and doesn't think I should nail/screw the panels (puncture the barrier), but rather glue them. Further, he expressed concerns about moisture getting trapped between the drywall and the vapor barrier.

On the other hand, I've read a lot of warnings about using any kind of adhesive due to off-gassing, odors, etc. While it will obviously be a "humid" environment, do any of you think a small finishing nail through a vapor barrier, into a wall stud would present any issues? Ok, it wouldn't be 1 hole, but more like 100 - lol. Also, I'm not going to lie - the thought of pulling all the drywall out (really not that hard, but messy) and then cutting, hanging, taping, and half-assed buttering (it's an art and I suck at it) is almost enough to make me want to back out.

At this point I"m paralyzed by indecision, so any thoughts are appreciated.

[Nature]

I think you are overthinking this. The end goal is to create an environment in which you can control the humidity (and temperature to a lesser degree, but that is taken care of by your home’s HVAC). It doesn’t need to be hermetically sealed. Only enough that your humidification source can keep up. If you use an active humidity source, you shouldn’t have any issue. I still say, painted drywall would meet that end. Filling the small nail holes will help. Is the moisture barrier to keep moisture i? or to protect the structure/walls behind the plywood? Seriously, I think you could just nail up the plywood, fill the nail holes and any seams. Vapor barrier optional. It’s inexpensive and easy enough to hang some 4 mil plastic sheeting, go ahead as no harm should come of it. You don’t need the extent of what they might install behind a shower that receives direct water spray and splashing. What do the walls, if they are exterior, feel like in the coldest months? I don’t know what type of insulating properties your home might have. I imagine it is similar, as you are still insulating against heat. If it feels cold in the winter, then MAYBE condensation could be an issue. If all of the walls are interior, not an outside wall, no worries. 70% ish humidity shouldn’t pose an issue at or near room temperatures or we would all have problems with our wooden trays, drawers or humidors we may are using now.

You have likely come across this article already. https://www.cigarjournal.com/how-to-...n-humidor-one/

[josh lucky 13]

I think pulling dry wall is overkill. Added work and cost. You want the barrier between what ever you want to put up to stop the humidity from leaking out. I have read the bottom of cheap humidor is the main reason they don't hold humidity well. They are too thin and humidity passes thru it. True? Idk but a barrier to help hold would be good. As for nails or staples I think the holes you may lose some humidity but should not be enough to matter. Nails or staples will cause less damage if this is ever removed.

If you go sc on walls what wood are you going to use for shelves? Sc or something different. I would rather have sc shelves and a possible different on walls.

[Emperor Zurg]

Listen to you guize! Overkill you say??? If anything its UNDER-Kill.
What you ought to be encouraging is converting the entire bedroom into a walk-in humidor. The bottom of that closet can then house an elaborate environmental control system and the upper part can be shelving to hold / display accessories; lighters, cutters, ashtrays etc... Then of course the upstairs can be the 'smoking room' and SCG and his family can sleep in the basement.

[SoCal gunner]

Nah, Come on@ Emperor Zurg - Nothing like that. More on pace with what this guy did (though I question his paneling choice - but he says it works for him).
https://www.youtube.com/embed/sTAuJp...feature=oembed

Or what this guy did on Reddit:
https://amp.reddit.com/r/cigars/comm...ilt_my_walkin/
(Buried in the comments is a detailed build sheet with costs)

[josh lucky 13]

Nah, Come on@ Emperor Zurg - Nothing like that. More on pace with what this guy did (though I question his paneling choice - but he says it works for him).
https://www.youtube.com/embed/sTAuJp...feature=oembed

Or what this guy did on Reddit:
https://amp.reddit.com/r/cigars/comm...ilt_my_walkin/
(Buried in the comments is a detailed build sheet with costs)

Bit more shelves than I had imagined. However the scalloped shelves did make me think he had a small wine rack down there at first. I like his baskets for holding singles but I think I would want some sort of built in with drawers for singles and bombs. But it really depends on your stash. Flat shelves or angled? For me angled is only for the boxes you want to show off.

[Emperor Zurg]

And of course a massive wine rack and beer taps all along one wall...

[SoCal gunner]

Yeah, that guy has waaay more shelves than I'd need.

Speaking of shelves, I've been talking with some suppliers and one of them suggested only doing the back wall, but doing 6 or 7 shelves. I like the fact that this guy thought about the room and mentioned it may not be a good look to have shelves on the sidewalls as they would stick out past the (current) entryway. Also, there would be more "walk in space" and easier to move the humidifier around.

Overall, I'm surprised on how many places just don't get back to you (covid effect?). Still haven't heard from several lumber suppliers.

[CentralTimeSmoke]

I don't see why there's concern over dampness--this is a humidor, not a greenhouse. 65% humidity shouldn't cause any kind of mold/dampness issue with drywall, unless your active humidifier isn't properly set up and it's all going to one spot on the wall. This is how I gauge whether I can buy and immediately smoke from a B&M...if it feels like Florida when I walk in, it's too humid and will need rest. A correctly humidified humidor shouldn't really feel like anything when you walk in.

Just think about your coolidors or humidors--do you have any issues with mold or mildew? They're just tiny versions of a room. If you're wanting some Spanish cedar to help with humidity retention, I've seen people use cigar box lids in a mosaic-type fashion on the back of a cabinet humidor and it looked great. Most B&Ms will give them to you for free, or look out for estate sales/Craigslist.

IMO, your most pressing concern is what kind of door to install. I agree that you should leave it in the hands of a pro, and glass would look great. I would try to get it as air-tight as possible. I think the idea of outside airflow is a bit overstated. I've used nothing but air-tight coolidors for years now, and some I won't open for a month of two. Never had any issues whatsoever. I would install a small fan at the bottom and have it kick on every other hour just to keep the humidity constant throughout, but that's it.