upgrading to a sugarhouse

[team40]

hi
i am thinking about upgradeing from the shed i have now i would like to put in a 2x4 w.f mason evap i am trying to dicide if a 10x12 is big enough for this set up
and i dont know how much wood storage i need in side i dont have any r.os or any thing.

[cvmaple]

No it isn't. I boil on an 18" x48" and have a 15' x 13' building. I don't want a bigger evaporator in that setting and I don't store any wood inside. I hope this helps.

[team40]

ok thank does any on else have any ideas on if it is big enough or not

thanks

[sugarwoodacres]

Ive been steadily upgrading # of taps each year and you probably will have the itch too. Make it big enough to not have to add on later or my design is going to have a wood shed (outside ) and room on other to add a bottling room later . I havent settled on 12 x 16 or 14 x 20 . Think about off season and what you want to store in there . Check out some sugar houses near you and look through some of the great pics people have on here . Good Luck !

[RipTyd]

10 x 12 Shack with a 2x4 mason will be tight you should go a little bigger if you can.

[team40]

what size does every one think i should have if 10x12 is too small

thanks

[wnybassman]

Build it big enough the first time. I don't have a sugarhouse, but everything I have ever built here I wish it was just a little bigger.

[christopherh]

I think If I were to build one again it would be 16X20 or even 24X24 with a woodshed. I also do all my canning inside my house. If I was to bottle in the sugarhouse it would be even larger.

[RipTyd]

I think you should base it on your potential ability to max out on taps. If you hav the potential for 1000 taps then you need to plan for that max number but if like me you will max out at about 100 tap potential then a shack about 12x16 should give plenty of space. Mine is 12 x 12 and I wish I had added a few feet onto the length. Best of luck !!

[sugarwoodacres]

Its easy to sit here and say make it bigger but I just got a price for hemlock siding board and batten . 95 8' and 95 battens of $812 . a little more than I expected. So cost is a big factor . I agree to think about max taps because we all get that crazy idea of add more...add more and then theres no room left . Outside wood storage can be an add on later or I have the idea of adding a bottling room later on the side . Good Luck and spend time on here looking at everyones pics.

[highlandcattle]

We foolishly started small because of money concerns and we didn't know where this would lead. BAD MOVE!!!! After one expansion we are adding on "wings" to house wood, bulk tank, refrig and stove. Then log siding it to match the house. UGH< it never ends!!!!!!!!

[Spanielslovesappin]

Give yourself room to grow, also arches are getting longer and narrow. A vortex is 3' longer than the pans. I did 24X20 with a 10X24 wood shed, it is roomy, but not long enough for the 30x12 vortex i lusted after. now i sacrifice 2 feet of pan cus it just wont fit. Good advice about counting your maximum number of taps cus once you get hooked, you will tap the trees. 10X12 is to small and make sure you leave lots of overhead, again, if you ever ended up with a steamaway ect your rig will be just over 8' tall. the right size is a little to small to use but a little to big to pay for!

[team40]

i was thinking i could build a 10x12 for a 1.000 dollars or so i will put a lean 2 off the side for my sap tank and wood but dont know
how much wood i need and how much sap storage i need a little help please

thanks

[Fishgill]

I've got a 12x12 shack with a 2x4 mason. I store my wood outside. I find there is plenty of room. But if I had to do it over & money was no object I would make it larger.

[maplekid]

with the amount of taps id say 2-3 cords is plenty. so an 8x12 or even 10x12 wood shed should do that justice

[smokeyamber]

I have a 2x5 and I have to open the door on the 8x11 shack when it gets going. So even if you went long and high to allow for length and with the extra height you could build off the siides as needed that would do the trick. Say a 10x16 ? My wood is partially inside ( enough for one boil ). I will be raising my entire shack 2ft this off season and adding a side wood shed so I have more side to side room. Lenght wise I may go another couple of feet on each end as well. Add-ons are not what we all would like to do, but if you plan the core building for them they can go pretty easily. I sized the rig for my max taps so that is driving my shack size. My shack is also built with recycled wood so costs are nil, just the way I like it ! :cool:

[team40]

ok i went with a 10 x 12 and the spot for the sugar house is leveled, picked up some used walls today at
the local fair grounds and hoping to put them up in the next couple of weeks. oh forgot to say the stone for the
floor should be here tomarrow stuff is coming together fast thank god

[meadster02]

ya know everyone is right with the go bigger thing but the expansion of taps for me isnt the problem. Its the number of people that show up to help drink the beer o yea and boil the sap. I started with a 12x16 now i have a 12x12 kitchen off the side of that with just the 2x6 evaporator in its own room now.

[GramaCindy]

ya know everyone is right with the go bigger thing but the expansion of taps for me isnt the problem. Its the number of people that show up to help drink the beer o yea and boil the sap. I started with a 12x16 now i have a 12x12 kitchen off the side of that with just the 2x6 evaporator in its own room now.

Hello Team40. I hace a 2x4 Mason, and we built our shack 14x14. That leaves enough room for most of the wood needed per boil, a small table, 8' of counter top and my supply tank. I think for me it is working out fine. It does get a bit tight when more than 4 people come to visit. I love the company though, so we make it work.https://picasaweb.google.com/103968764779354846524/TheMangyMooseConstruction?authuser=0&feat=directlink