[bbesser]

I built my kegerator a couple winters ago, but just started contributing to the forum so I figured I would throw it on here.

My main concern when making the kegerator is that we are limited on space so it has to be in the living room.  Since my fiance is not a beer fan I knew I had to try and make this thing look nice (like furniture rather than a freezer) or she was not going to go for it.  The solution I came up with was to create a frame around the chest freezer and attach some laminate flooring to go with our old hardwood floors.  The other goal was to try and make it so that I did not damage the chest freezer in any way so I could sell it in the future if I have to (shudder).

Started with the weather stripping


2x4 frame at the base to attach the exterior frame/flooring to.



2x8 redwood collar over the weather stripping.



Exterior frame.



Freezer frame, collar and lid frame.



Adding the flooring as wood panels.



Getting everything all glued up and screwed on.  It would have been really nice to have a nail gun at this point.



Adding the trim pieces.  Again, a nail gun would have been nice.



Trim and taps all added.  All finished except for getting the kegs filled and all hooked up.




Considering the limited tools and space I had, it all came together pretty well.  It will hold 3 kegs and the CO2 bottle on the floor with maybe enough room for a future fourth keg on the bump.

Since building this, I have also built a matching fermentation chamber that lives in our home office/bonus room.

[hopfenundmalz]

That looks like a classy piece of furniture. Good job on that!

[HoosierBrew]

Wow, very nice build. Well done !

[Stevie]

Looks good. I told my lady I was going to do the same. I think she forgot two years later.

[mesabrewery]

Great looking keezer!

I notice you put the wooden frame underneath the laminate on the sides...have you had problems with it running a lot?

per most manufacturers, they recommend 3 inches all around for circulation. When I made mine, I affixed the wood directly to the side of the freezer...I can feel that the wood gets warm when the compressor is running, so I know its displacing heat off the outside of the freezer.

I would only be concerned because it looks like you may be creating a small pocket of insulated air between the freezer wall and laminate side which could cause the freezer to run more often and shorten the life of the compressor.

...in the end, if it pours cold beer...Cheers!

[AmandaK]

/\/\/\/\/\ +eleventy to this.

It also looks like the compressor vent was covered up, is that what happened here?

[Stevie]

Good eye Amanda. I've seen builds where there is a gap as well as a fan to help circulate the air. Works better with a tower or coffin box.

[bbesser]

Sorry for the delay on the replies.  I just started a new job as a brewer and happened to have my laptop crap out at about the same time.

The laminate is placed over the wood frame, but the temperature probe that controls the temp of the chamber is located inside of the chamber and is attached to the side of one of the kegs in the keezer.  I could be wrong, but I feel that having the probe in the chamber neglects the effect of having the laminate placed such that there is a pocket of air between it and the chamber.  Additionally, the photos show the compressor vent  being blocked by the wood flooring.  The back of the keezer is actually open to allow ventilation and there are holes drilled in the side of the wood flooring to allow for the transfer of cooler air to the pump