Is it possible to transform an undecorated private cellar into a space with the feel of a historic village wine cellar, with ashlar walls, sections of old brick, and access arches carved in stone? The case that answers this question occurred in a private underground winery in León, a wine-producing region with a strong tradition of family-run wineries carved into the hillside. A themed professional with the ESTonetex TXT thixotropic mortar He rebuilt walls, arches and decorative volumes on the blind basement walls, combining textures of ashlar stone, themed brick and decorative boulders in a single continuous finish.
The starting point — a private winery to be renovated in León
The original winery is located in a private home in León, a province with a strong tradition of family-run underground cellars linked to the region's wine. The original space was a basement with solid masonry walls, lacking decorative finishes and with no differentiation between the various intended uses (aging area, tasting table, access from the house's patio).
The property set three objectives that usually appear together in the theming of private wineries: to give the whole an air of a historic village winery with irregular ashlar walls, to incorporate a section with exposed old brick to visually mark the separation between areas of use, and to work the access arches with volumes of carved stone as if they were part of the original excavation of the underground.
Elements decorated with artificial stone in the winery
The project was structured around four blocks that share a technical system (mortar, mesh, molds, and finish) but differ in their final form. Coherence between the blocks was achieved by treating the entire cellar as a single, continuous surface, without visible joints.
Walls with imitation limestone block
The main surface of the basement's solid walls was finished to resemble irregular ashlar masonry with a limestone surface, replicating the typical stonework of León's historic underground cellars. The texture was achieved using a stone mold. L1 as a base and freehand carving in fresh to introduce variety between pieces and avoid repetitive reading of the mold.
Themed antique brick panels
In a separate section of the winery, coinciding with the tasting table area, the texture of the ashlar was changed to an apparent old brickwork, using the mold L11 Specifically designed to replicate the rough brick of a traditional tile factory. The change in texture serves as a visual coding: as the visitor transitions from ashlar to brick, they know they have entered an area with a different function within the same space.
Vaults and access arches
The access arches from the house's courtyard and between the internal areas of the winery were constructed with carved artificial stone on a pre-existing support, giving the impression of vaulted sections built from solid stone. The transition between the arch and the ashlar wall adjacent to it is seamless, without interruptions or visible joints, reinforcing the feeling of excavation from a single block.
Decorative rocks and boulders
Small decorative rocks and boulders with an eroded finish were placed in the corners and along the edges of the archways to break up the overly orderly appearance of the regular masonry and suggest the passage of time on the cellar. They were worked freehand directly into the mortar, without molds, so that no two pieces were alike.
Preliminary hand-drawn decorative project
Before beginning construction, the professional presented the owners with a hand-drawn decorative plan showing the distribution of textures (where the ashlar would go, where the brick, where the arches and corner stones would be located) and the color palette for the finish. This is a particularly important step in private wineries, where the intended use dictates the arrangement of textures: the tasting table area requires a warmer finish, while the aging area can tolerate a cooler tone and a rougher texture.
Complete system applied — ESTonetex TXT thixotropic mortar
The system applied to all four elements shares the same base materials. These are the layers of the complete solution, in order of application.
- Support preparation: Thorough cleaning of the basement's blind walls, removal of loose debris and sanitation of existing cementitious areas down to firm support.
- Placement of EST-Mesh 80 g/m² as anti-crack reinforcement across the entire surface that will receive mortar, with special attention to the angles between the wall panel and the arch starting point.
- Application of ESTonetex TXT thixotropic mortar projected with the EST-SIRIUS Plus single-phase machine in two layers: base layer and finishing layer on which the final texture will be carved.
- Application of EST-Release Agent on the molds before stamping, to achieve a clean peel and avoid dragging when removing the texture.
- Printed with molds L1 (limestone block) and L11 (themed antique brick): The two L-series molds are used differently depending on the section of the winery: L1 for the entire main surface with a stone imitation and L11 for the tasting area with exposed brick. On these base textures, the professional hand-carved the fine details (veins, edges, fissures, overlapping planes) while the surface was still wet, giving each piece its individual character and preventing the mold from being repeated.
- Freehand decorative rocks and boulders: In corners and edges of arches, small rocks and boulders are modeled on the fresh mortar itself, without a mold, providing an organic texture that breaks the overly regular reading of the masonry.
- Fresh color with EST-Decor: first pigmentation directly onto the fresh mortar, so that the color enters "vibrantly" into the pores of the finish and does not sag over time.
- Color glaze with EST-Silcopin: second pigmentation in glazing on the already dry mortar, giving the final color nuances (warm ochres for the tasting area, cool grays for the aging area, reddish tones for the themed brick).
- Final sealing with waterproofing EST-3 PLUS Apply a double coat when the surface is completely dry and cured, to protect the mortar from the ambient humidity characteristic of the underground cellar environment.
Colored finishes — EST-Decor and EST-Silcopin
The color finish is the step that determines whether the themed winery reads like a historical stone excavation or like a painted mortar. In León, the standard system of the themed series was applied: EST-Fresh Decor to set the base color and EST-Silcopin in glaze for the final nuances that give the definitive reading of the finish.
The color palette was resolved with three different tones for each zone: warm and toasted ochres for the tasting table area (brighter, more livable), aged grays with cooler undertones for the rearing area (more visually contained) and dark reds and maroons for the themed antique brick panels, with darker shades in the joints to simulate aged grouted mortar.
Maintenance and durability of the themed winery
A unique wine cellar themed with ESTonetex TXT It has no known durability limit Under normal indoor use conditions, the stable underground environment (constant temperature, no direct sunlight, no freeze-thaw cycles, and no direct water splashes) is especially friendly to decorative mortar: it does not require periodic waterproofing renewal cycles.
Maintenance is limited to an annual visual inspection of the entire structure, paying particular attention to the joints between different elements (ashlar against brick, arch springing against wall), to detect changes in relative humidity or the appearance of structural leaks in the cellar itself. If leaks appear, the structural cause must be addressed before it affects the decorative finish—the finish itself is not the pathway through which moisture enters the cellar.
ESTECHA International School — theming course with thixotropic mortar
The professional theming of private wineries with artificial stone requires mastery of the entire system: mesh, sprayed mortar, various molds depending on the texture, freehand carving for organic elements, and a two-layer color system. For construction, decoration, and landscaping professionals who want to add themed wineries to their service portfolio, the ESTECHA International School It provides face-to-face training at its headquarters in Valderrobres (Teruel).
The face-to-face course on thematic application with thixotropic mortar lasts for a week intensive and its price is € 2.500 VAT included, with materials and meals included. It covers everything from preparing the surface to the final finish with EST-Decor and EST-Silcopin glazes, with practical 1:1 scale projects on real structures that simulate winery walls with different textures.
Frequently asked questions about building wineries with thixotropic mortar
Is it possible to theme a private winery without structural work?
Yes. The ESTonetex TXT system allows for direct application to the existing basement walls, without altering the structure or changing the layout. The intervention involves applying a decorative coating in layers over the existing walls, with a final system thickness of approximately 2–3 cm.
How can ashlar and brick be combined in the same cellar without it looking forced?
The transition is achieved with a clean change in texture between two continuous surfaces, aligned with an existing architectural element (an entrance arch, a change in ceiling height, a wall corner). The ashlar surface is finished with mold L1, and the themed brick surface with mold L11, both using the same ESTonetex TXT mortar and color system to ensure a coherent overall appearance.
Does ESTonetex TXT mortar withstand the ambient humidity of an underground cellar?
Yes, provided the cellar has no active water leaks or unresolved rising damp. TXT works well in environments with high relative humidity if the surface is sealed with EST-3 PLUS water repellent at the end of the process. If there are structural leaks, these must be addressed before applying the decorative system.
How long does a themed wine cellar last using ESTonetex TXT?
Under normal indoor use conditions without structural leaks, a themed cellar finished with ESTonetex TXT has no known lifespan limit. The stable underground environment (constant temperature, no direct sunlight, and no freeze-thaw cycles) is especially favorable for the decorative mortar and does not require periodic waterproofing reapplying.
Is the preliminary hand-drawn decorative project useful?
Yes, especially in private wineries where the intended use dictates the arrangement of textures. The preliminary design allows for agreement with the owner on the placement of stonework, brickwork, arches, and corner stones, as well as the color palette for different areas. This step is particularly recommended in wineries with multiple uses (aging, tasting, access, storage).
Can any professional perform the job or does it require specific training?
A skilled bricklayer or plasterer can execute the basic system, but the combination of molds with release agent, freehand carving of rocks and boulders, and a two-layer color system using EST-Decor and EST-Silcopin requires specific expertise. That's why the ESTECHA School offers a one-week in-person course in Valderrobres, aimed at professionals who want to add the theming of private wineries to their service portfolio.
Do you buy the products through the online store or do you have to go to Valderrobres?
ESTonetex TXT mortar, EST-Mesh, EST-Release Agent, EST-Decor and EST-Silcopin dyes, and EST-3 PLUS waterproofing agent are all available in the Estecha online store with shipping throughout the Iberian Peninsula. The Valderrobres headquarters is reserved for the Theming School and for in-person support of unique projects.
To learn about other examples of themed wineries and spaces using artificial stone published on this blog, you can consult the cases of wine cellar imitation caves with mortar rock, decorative vaults for hotels and wineries y wine cellar imitation of natural limestone.