How to Build a Wintelligent - No Floor

Looking to build a Wintelligent® walk in cooler or freezer? You're in the right place.

This guide for building a Wintelligent® with no floor will show you how to do that.

Building a Wintelligent WITH A FLOOR? Click here.

Before you grab your block wrench and get started, it's important you learn how to locate your assembly drawing, handle your panels correctly, and prepare your site.

Sounds like a lot? Don't worry. The video and step-by-step instructions below will show you how to build a Wintelligent® walk in cooler or freezer in no time.

→ Access Now: The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Walk in Cooler in 2023 [Printable PDF]

One important disclaimer before we dive in...

All electrical and refrigeration work should be completed by a licensed and insured electrician and commercial refrigeration contractor.

Alright, let's get started.

The process of building a Wintelligent® with no floor is broken down into 4 parts:

1. Inspecting and Handling Your Wintelligent® Panels
2. Preparing Your Site
3. Assembling Your Vinyl Screeds & Wintelligent® Panels
4. Finishing Post-Assembly

Inspecting and Handling Your Wintelligent® Panels

Take time to inspect the parts and equipment included in your shipment. Make sure the order number on the boxes and panels match the order number on your invoice.

If you discover damaged parts or equipment, take photos and make a note of the damage on your delivery ticket. Contact your point of sale for further instructions.

Each panel is individually labeled:

Corner wall panel codes begin with "CWNF".

Wall panel codes begin with "WNF".

Ceiling panel codes begin with "C".

Door panel codes begin with "DR".

The assembly drawing included with your shipment, generally found inside the door package, demonstrates your panel layout and shows where each panel goes. This drawing will serve as a reference throughout the assembly process. Keep it handy.

When handling panels, keep them flat and avoid resting them on the edges of the corners to minimize the possibility of damaging them. Stack the panels on an elevated platform if the ground is wet and cover them with waterproof sheathing if you will be storing them outside.

Use 2 to 3 persons during assembly to avoid mishandling your panels.

Here is a list of the tools and accessories you will need to complete assembly: 

• Block wrench (included)
  
• Vinyl screeds (included)
• Vinyl caps for lock holes (included)
• Power drill (block drill bit included)
• Sanitary profiles (included)
• Angle brackets to support door frame (included)
• Masonry anchors and/or screws for vinyl screeds (not included)
• Silicone sealant (not included)
• Level (not included)
  
• Right angle square (not included)
• Measuring tape (not included)
• Rubber mallet (not included)
• Hammer (not included)
• Ladder (not included)
• Chalk line (optional - not included)

Preparing Your Site

Site preparation is key to properly building your Wintelligent® walk in cooler or freezer. Make sure the floor space allotted for your box is level and swept clean of dirt and debris.

An uneven floor could result in a faulty assembly with doors and panels not sealing properly. If your floor is not level, you will need to use shims to make it level.

If you are building your cooler inside, adjacent to a wall, leave 3 to 5 inches of space in every direction around your box to allow for proper ventilation and at least 6 inches between the refrigeration unit and the ceiling if you opted for an indoor refrigeration unit.

Optional Pro Tip:

💡 Using the assembly drawing as a reference, measure and mark the outer edge of where the vinyl screeds will go with a chalk line. Use a right angle square or measure diagonally in both directions to ensure the measurements match and all corners are at a 90° angle.

Assembling Your Vinyl Screeds & Wintelligent® Panels

Save valuable time by reviewing the following "pro tips" before assembling your vinyl screeds and Wintelligent® panels:

💡 When attaching wall panels to each other, place the bottom of the wall panel in the vinyl screed before attaching the panels.

💡 Listen for a "clack" sound when attaching panels to each other. This sound confirms panels are evenly attached. The locks will not fasten if the panels are not even.

💡 Use two persons when handling and assembling the door panel to avoid  mishandling it. Do not remove the door from the door jamb. Keep the door closed and locked until full assembly is complete.

Start vinyl screed assembly in the form of an "L" in the rear corner closest to a building wall.

Step 1: Apply a bead of silicone sealant to the bottom of the screeds designated on your assembly drawing and line them up flush as per your assembly drawing and the rendering below.

Using a power drill, secure the screed into the ground by inserting masonry anchors or screws every 12 inches. These items are typically not provided by the manufacturer.

Step 2: Start panel assembly by inserting the rear corner wall panel (CWNF1 or CWNF3) into the vinyl screed as per your assembly drawing.

💡 The placement of the rear corner wall panel for your specific cooler or freezer may differ from the rendering below. Your assembly drawing may show the rear corner panel goes where the red arrow points below.

Step 3: Work your way toward the front of your box by adding vinyl screeds and attaching the wall panel adjacent and perpendicular to the rear corner panel as per your assembly drawing (WNF15, WNF30, or WNF45). Fasten the wall panels to each other.

Your box should look similar to this:

Step 4: Continue assembling wall panels and vinyl screeds in the direction of the other rear corner as per your assembly drawing and the renderings below. This provides stability as you build your box.

Step 5: Assemble your first ceiling panel by attaching the rear ceiling panel to the wall panels as per your assembly drawing and the rendering below. Fasten the ceiling panel to the wall panels.

Step 6: Attach the wall panel serving as an end cap to the ceiling panel (WNF or CWNF on your assembly drawing) to the wall and ceiling panels.

1. Fasten the wall panel to the adjacent wall panel.

2. Fasten the wall panel to the ceiling panel.

Your box should look similar to this:

Step 7: Continue assembling wall panel(s) on one side of the box as per your assembly drawing. Fasten the wall panels to each other.

Your box should look similar to this:

Step 8: Attach the next ceiling panel (as per your assembly drawing) to the rear ceiling panel and the wall panel(s) you assembled in the previous step.

1. Fasten the ceiling panels to each other.

2. Fasten the ceiling panel to the wall panels.

Step 9: Continue working your way to the front of the box by assembling vinyl screeds, wall panels, and ceiling panels on each side of the box as per your assembly drawing and the renderings below.

Step 10: Attach and fasten the door header panel to the door frame panel.

Step 11: Attach the fully-assembled door panel to the wall and ceiling panels as per your assembly drawing.

1. Fasten the door panel to the wall panel.

2. Fasten the door panel to the ceiling panel.

Step 12: Continue assembling wall panels as per your assembly drawing. The last wall panel assembled should be a corner wall panel (CWNF1 or CWNF3).

Your assembled Wintelligent® walk in cooler or freezer should look similar to this rendering:

Finishing Post-Assembly

Step 13: Attach the door frame support angle brackets (taped to the inside of the door frame) to the floor using the masonry anchors provided . 

Step 14: Remove the protective vinyl coating from all panels.

Step 15: Insert the protective vinyl caps in the panel lock holes.

Step 16: Insert the sanitary profiles in all interior corners. No sanitary profiles are necessary for the ceiling joins.

💡 You may have to cut the black seam tracks and white sanitary profiles to size prior to installing them.

1. Install the black seam tracks by screwing the tracks into the corner seams of your box. The screws are included with the tracks.

2. Snap the white sanitary profiles into the black seam tracks.

Congratulations! Your Wintelligent® walk in cooler or freezer assembly is now complete. Please contact us at (800) 327-3371 or adrian@mrwinterinc.com if you have any questions.

Next you'll need a licensed and insured refrigeration contractor to connect your refrigeration unit now that your cooler is assembled.

Learn how to find a reputable refrigeration contractor who can help solve problems, not create additional ones here.