New 12x16 Sugar House ... post & learn as i go ... pics

[WoodButcher]

hey guys . however slow it may be finding tidbits of time here and there , i decided to make a progress post on the new 12x16 sugar house i am building. like many , i was tired of the tarp shack, slipping in the mud , cussing ... wondering why years ago i didnt just make whiskey as a hobby instead. however, i got a 2x6 raised this year and i am not about to leave that thing outside. :o

at first i was going to build it 16x16 , as that is the max space i have .

i figured... go as big as possible , since inside storage is better than outside storage , right?. but i forgot i have other hobbies that have toys too , and it would be nice to have a roof over their heads (snowmobile, 4 wheeler, splitter, etc) . i dont need the space for wood as its stacked by the shed now ( i heat home 24/7 in winter with it ).

so i decided on 12x16 with an 8/12 pitch roof , and a 5' lean-to off the left side with a gravel base .

as for the sugar house foundation, i am on a slope so a concrete slab wont work , plus its a good chunk of money .
so i decided on 9 12" concrete pillars for the sugarhouse, dug 42" deep and the frame will attach directly to that via three 2x10x16' mudsills running the length of the house laid right on top of the pillars and bolted to the crete in all 4 corners (sunk J bolts). the pillar in the far right corner of the shed(from picture view) will be sticking out of the ground 18-20" to be level with the front piers, so itll still be stable im thinking . the rest will be sticking out 6-10" max.

i will then frame the beams and joists out of double 2x8s.

i am running electrical (12-3 wiring in a 2" pipe for possible expansion) , coaxial tv connection, and water (3/4" pipe) .
i got these tips from a post on here that asked , 'what are a sugar house's must have's ?' .

the rest will be standard stick framing .... one wide double door in the front with 2 windows on either side of it, one man door on the far left corner under the lean to on the long wall, and then 2 windows on the right long wall facing my house . the more natural light the better .

i saw one sugar house with french doors - i know.... fancy - but hey , im sure they let in a ton of light ! but that can add up , unless i find them used somewhere . i want to keep it nice, but practical.

i am still debating to use 2x4 trusses or just simple birds mouth rafters attached to a center ridge beam ...
the wall height will be 7'6" (give or take) so then i can use a full sheet of T1-11 to cover the walls and then hang over the framing to protect it a bit from the elements. my evaporator is a d&g raised flue , so its 50" tall with a 18" preheater hood , making it 5'8" . once i add paver stones to the feet of the evap ill be approaching 6' tall for sure .

if i chose trusses , the bottom 2x4 of the truss would be about 7'8" , giving me only 18" to raise the preheater for pan cleaning ... will that be enough or should i just stick with standard rafters? im thinking 18" is enough and would be nice to have the extra snow load capacity of trusses . we get about 120" a year in my town . then again , rafters are easier once you get the dead center down and the angles right .

any ideas or experience you can throw in would be fantastic . its just me out here working on this . while i have done some framing work (decks , countertops, etc.) this is going to be a big learning process for me . the roof is the only thing that i havent totally wrapped my brain around . luckily its last :lol:


well, anyways , heres a pic of the sugar house site . i graded it a bit to direct rainwater , and still need to square up the mason string so i can start drilling(a lot easier with a helper) :)

chime in if you want to add anything !
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-08-13_12-27-21_89Medium.jpg

[lastwoodsman]

Good luck, I will enjoy the updates as you progress. I built mine in 2010 just in time for the worst season ever-- It can only get better from now on.
Woodsman

[christopherh]

Glad you got it started, you'll really enjoy it next season! Looks like you're on the right track getting your building square to!

[WoodButcher]

thanks guys . . .
a bit tired right now . i did 14 footer holes ranging from 32"-40" deep through some nasty roots and a bunch of shale . 9 for the shed, 3 for the lean to , and 2 in the back for a raised sap tank platform facing NW . had to use my air chisel to get through the shale.

frost line around me seems to change every 10 years it seems.... my uncle said in the 70s it was 18" , then up to 24" in the 80s. then 32 . then 36 , now code is 42" in my county in ohio. i did 28 footers for my deck 2 years ago and had that inspected as it was attached to the house and wanted to for home resale eventually.
but with this shed i just cleared with the neighbors and im off to drilling !

i know there seems to be a million ways to fill a footing , but my method will be to flare out the bottom of the holes under the shed like an elephants foot , then pour one bag only in each of the 9 holes , then stick a piece of rebar in the middle and let dry for a day .
once thats dry i will put the footer hole over the rebar sticking out and lay it on the nice smooth concrete platform which is nice and level . then fill with concrete and backfill around the holes with dirt .

i know this is long winded , but whenever i post on here , i like to spell everything out so then someone else that tramples on this thats building a shack can learn as they go too .

ok , time for rest ..

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-08-17_11-34-21_748Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-08-17_16-48-56_900Medium.jpg

[WoodButcher]

i found some really nice french doors locally for cheap. they are new old stock . (display models for 350$ with knobs and locks)
one problem : they swing in . would this be an issue? the 16' depth of the sugar house should more than suffice for the doors to swing open . i plan on putting the evaporator in the center in the room , though as close to the back wall as possible without the heated stack being an issue . i would rather them swing out , but it would be nice to get them as theyre in great shape . the dimensions are 72" x 81" , so theyll swing in 3' each .

[Sdave]

Hey here's one I can answer - take the brick moulding off and mount it on the outher side and stick them in. or just leave the brick moulding on and use it for interior trim. This will work just fine as long as security isn't a big issue. The doors have no idea which is inside or out side. To make it more secure tack weld the hinge pins in.
Dave

[Dennis H.]

Just a little tip about using rafters, you will need some kind of cross ties/ceiling joists to tie the walls together.
If you do not use them the walls will push out over time. Now you can raise them up so that they are not at wall top height but the lower they are the stronger the whole wall and roff system will be.
You didn't say what pitch the roof will be. The steeper the pitch the higher you can raise the ceiling joists and still have a strong system.

Good luck with the build and keep the pics coming.

[WoodButcher]

thanks for the tip . ill look into it . security isnt an issue . i would rather have functionality , and outswinging doors are the answer for me . that way i can utilize the front corners of the shack .


i ran up to the tool rental place and got an extension for the auger bit so now the footer holes are all 42" (up to code).

heres a pic of the 5" thick 'elephant foot' footing . once dry , i am putting 12" sonotubes on top of the 9 footings and filling them with crete . the rebar will tie in the bottom 15" diameter elephant foot to the 12" diameter sonotube nicely . i know , overkill ... but hey , whats it gonna cost me to overbuild the foundation.... maybe 75$ and a few hours more of flaring out holes? i now have the confidence that the one thing hardest to change and repair later on (the foundation) wont be going anywhere for a long time . once the frame is up , square, and level, the rest is fun !

back to work next week so post as i go ...

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-08-19_14-22-44_730Large.jpg

[WoodButcher]

You didn't say what pitch the roof will be. The steeper the pitch the higher you can raise the ceiling joists and still have a strong system.

your right , i didnt, but just added it to the original post . the pitch will be 8/12, so i could go up a foot or so before i tie them in .
thanks for clarifying that . i was always wondering how the birdsmouth rafters didnt splay out under pressure or over time without a bottom joist.

it seems like either way i frame the roof, its going to take the same amount of time. ill have enough headroom either way i think.

[WoodButcher]

finished the last 3 footers today ... now its time to sit and wait till they are good and dry . i know i can build on them in a few days , but im going to give them about a week to be sure .


talked to a local amish sawmill by me who only deals in rough sawn wood .
im picking up some pine .
$350 for 80 1x10-8' boards , 10 1x10x12' boards for the back of the shack, and all the battens .
he said it will be ready in a couple weeks or so . sounds like a good deal to me seeing how t1-11 board from lowes would cost me $300.
and this will give it that sugar house look too .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-08-24_18-47-18_607Medium.jpg

[WoodButcher]

between work and getting a couple free wood scores , i found some time to finish the floor frame minus the joists which ill do tomorrow .
i decided on double 2x8s for beams and installed a mudsill on all beams to act as a barrier between the concrete and the beams + added joist support...
but the real reason is so each joist can rest perfectly flush with the beams while i hammer them in.
no need to buy those pricy joist hangers like i did on my deck .

joists tomorrow ... then (6) 3/4" exterior grade plywood sheets (32$ each :o ) .
i plan on gluing them and then screwing them in flush with deck screws ... though i dont know if the glue is necessary as this stuff shouldnt peel up at the corners if im placing a screw every 10" . plus it would be nice to pull a panel off if i needed to access below .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-08-29_20-02-30_692Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-08-29_20-03-03_706Medium.jpg

[rookie]

I would glue them, wood against wood is what can cause a creek, if you plan on an access hole I would make it ahead of time. its a lot easier to make it now than when you have walls sitting on top of the plywood. als are you gonna use tounge and groove ply? or just standard sheets, I personnaly like the t&g better all your sheets will be interlocked to eachother and also make a stronger bond at the joints.

I find that making trusses is faster. if you have a nice flat area to assemble them on. when i built my tool shed a laid the deck then before any walls went up I figured out my roof pitch and laid out my pattern truss on the floor screwing scrap wood blocks to the floor around the out line of my truss ensured that each truss was the same as the one before, then a nailed them together using small ply wood gussets. if you want more head room you could make a scissors truss. or you can increase your head room if you use crows foot rafters, with a structural ridge beam, like in cathedral ceilings. the beam would have to go from one gable wall to the next. hope some of this helps and doesn't just make you think more.....

[WoodButcher]

are you gonna use tounge and groove ply? or just standard sheets, I personnaly like the t&g better all your sheets will be interlocked to eachother and also make a stronger bond at the joints.


thanks for the tips . there should be no reason to access underneath the shed , therefore i will glue them . i would rather have it as strong and as quiet as it can be . i can also put some clear caulk in the tiny plywood joints just to keep the sparks from the arch from peaking in there and landing on a beam or joist . i have already heard the horror stories . but i plan on putting some hardibacker board down around the evap , and then raising the arch up about 4" on pavers.


i called a few lumberyards and HD and lowes and none of them had T&G 'exterior grade' plywood, just 3/4" t&g regular plywood , only rated to 6months outside exposure or something. . all the places had flat edge pressure treated exterior grade 3/4" plywood , which is what i bought . oh ... and it was 38$ a sheet, more than i thought .
there gonna be a lot of moisture, muddy boots , steam , wood piles, etc in this place ... need to keep it tough and sturdy .

as for the rafters , ill figure it out . depends if i have help hoisting them or not . itll probably be only me , so i may just pin up a couple king posts to lay the ridge board on, and make some birds mouths .
if my top plates are as plumb and square as my frame , it shouldnt be too bad making those rafters .
ill have enough headroom with normal trusses with the cross tie resting on the top plate , but raising the cross ties with regular rafters would be nice . that way i could get an extra foot of headroom for my steam hood .

well see .... laid half the joists today , will do the rest and the flooring by the end of the weekend .

[WoodButcher]

joists done . just need to glue the plywood down tomorrow. nice and square too . need to shave about an 1/8" off the end since i am leaving an 1/8" gap where the square ends butt up for expansion . i put the 4x8 sheet in the dead center to break up the edge seams.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-01_10-56-23_501Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-01_11-08-16_649Medium.jpg

[WoodButcher]

quick question ...

i just finished the floors and everything is square . the rain we expected never came .

my siding will be 8' long boards and batten .

i was told to keep my wall height 7' 6" (90") so then you have board overhang to cover up your plywood floor for rain and weather protection.

when drawing up my walls on paper , should i account for the board and batten to cover all the way up to the top of the double top plate ?
or would the board and batten get in the way of the birds mouth rafters ?

if i went to the top top plate , that would leave 1.5" left below the bottom plate to cover up the 3/4" plywood floor (3" double top plate + 7' 6" wall + 1.5" bottom plate = 7' 10.5")


i was just wondering if the rafters would be impacted by having to make the birds mouth deeper to accommodate for the board and batten , what the normal protocol is . cant wait to get the walls up !

[maple flats]

I suggest you board before the rafters and cut the rafter birds mouth to accommodate, then batten after the roof is on and the soffits are closed in if you plan to. This makes it simpler and neater.

[WoodButcher]

good idea dave. ill keep it simple . i can always trim the top of the battens that intersect with the birdsmouths. i would only be trimming off maybe 2-3" of the batten in the way of the mouth ... depending how deep i make the birdsmouth cut.

i was thinking of milling my own flooring . . . i have some big 2' eastern white pine that are windblown at the back of my property ... sure would be a lot prettier than my plywood floors . heck , i can always stick with the plywood and add the pine flooring inside of the stud walls later

[rookie]

I agree with dave, and think you should definetly add flooring after, if you want floors. I think I would put cement board down on the whole thing, tape the seams and skim coat all the cement board with thinset. It will look like crete, and sparks on a wood floor can be bad news! the cement board is about 10 bucks a sheet 3x5 should cost you about $130, save the pine for your walls

[WoodButcher]

I think I would put cement board down on the whole thing, tape the seams and skim coat all the cement board with thinset. It will look like crete, and sparks on a wood floor can be bad news! the cement board is about 10 bucks a sheet 3x5 should cost you about $130,

good idea , but if i were to do that ... i may as well go the extra step and stick cheap strong 12x12 porcelain tile in the thinset and be done with it . i love tile , but a bit fancy for a sugar shack .

[rookie]

except that you would not need to buy 192 feet of tile, and more thinset to lay the tile bed. (a skim coat uses very little, where laying tile your using much more. And the added fire risks if you put down wood, which if you have to pay to get it milled, seems more expensive to me. but every one has there own take on things!

[WoodButcher]

That's a good point. But everybody is different.

The way I see it.... I may as well spend .50 - .75 cents a square foot for tile and a dozen or so more bags of thinset... total cost would be 200-250$ more. Not bad.

I will probably just put cement board down for this season anyway.

I have my own chainsaw mill, otherwise I would not even consider milling boards for the floor.
I'm liking the cement board and maybe tile idea better anyways

[rookie]

didn't realize you have your own chainsaw mill. that must make life easier, and cheaper especialy in the sugar house! good luck to you post more pics as you get them.

[WoodButcher]

I just bought a mill to tinker around with some big hardwoods I cut up around here. I use my wood burning insert 24/7 from thanksgiving until Easter to heat the home so I go through a lot of firewood .....
and some of the wood I wish I would make a coffee table, bench or something out of it instead of burning it. Around me there is mostly maple , Hickory , oak , beech, and a little locust and walnut.

I will make a bottling bench or something out of the pine.

I almost finished one of the 16 foot walls today but just before doing the window openings it started to pour rain

[WoodButcher]

forgot to ask....

i am putting a 30" man door (steel door i had laying around) in the far left corner of the shack . itll be on the left 16' long wall under the lean to (shed roof). i planned on placing the rough opening 24" from the far left corner to the first door jack stud . would this be the norm ? i wanted to put it as close to the corner as functionally possible so i dont waste any wall space as i plan on putting firewood etc on that left wall since it wont have any windows on it . i figured 18 1/4" from the corner (after the first wall stud) would be too close . i will probably make the door swing out to save space inside . ... though nothing is going to go in front of the door on the inside either .

[WoodButcher]

window wall up . had to watch football today too ya know ...

whats a typical overhang size from the top plate out? i would assume 6" , but is 12" too much?

need to buy the rafters this week . i am just going to butt 2 pieces of rough sawn pine together for 16' fascia board on the ends of the rafters .... no soffits .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-09_16-48-06_540Medium.jpg

[rookie]

12 inches is not to much the longer the over hang the more water you keep off your siding ( unless its really windy. and if you do a trussed roof you can even bring the over hang out farther to allow for a little semi/ dry storage under the eaves. 24 inches away from the corner sounds decent to me, especialy if your gonna make it swing out. looking good so far!

[WoodButcher]

thanks chris .

im gonna go with traditional rafters with birds mouth cuts and a center ridge . no trusses .

i have been reading into how they can be to cut accurately with my irwin speed square i have owned for 10 years. all these years i just used it as a straightedge and squaring tool ... now i know what all the hyroglifics mean stamped on the square .

[rookie]

LOL...:lol: ok yeah, they're great when you figure out how to use them. good luck more pictures as you get them please

[maple flats]

For overhang amount I have 3'. That gives good protection for wood stacked against that wall outside.

[WoodButcher]

Well with my 8 / 12 pitch roof and my windows at 1 foot from the top plate, 3 feet wouldn't really work for me. Besides I have the shed roof on the left for wood storage. I think I will leave it at 1 foot overhang

[WoodButcher]

today i worked a bit after dusk and finished up the back and front walls and made the french door opening in the front . the door rough openings are 2.5" larger than the actual door. dont forget , thats 2.5" wider from jack stud to jack stud , but 2.5" taller from the FLOOR to the header. dont forget you will cut out the bottom plate in the doorway once the walls are all square.

ill square them up thursday or friday , screw em down to the floor and to each other.
my board and batten siding are ready to be picked up from the amish sawmill a couple towns over. ill put those on once everything is plumb and square.

then ill install the 2 king posts to mount the 2x8-18' center ridge board i have coming in.
ok , thats enough for now ...

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-11_20-04-15_460Medium.jpg

[WoodButcher]

couple more . the last one is a piece of a red maple i fell the other day ... looks like a 4 leaf clover or something ... guess ill have to wait a couple years for it to dry out before putting polyurethane on it .
i kinda like this piece .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-12_08-45-45_84Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-06_17-35-06_654Medium.jpg

[rookie]

that will make a sweet coffee table!

[WoodButcher]

got the blocking done to hang the board and batten .
left the amish sawmill and picked up the boards ...

while all the other walls will be easy to figure out the layout of the siding (start with a full board and move onward ,

the front wall might be a bit more difficult. if i start with a full board at 9.5" on the left , there would be 4 inches left before the left king stud of the doorway. as you can see in the pic , i tried reversing it and starting with full boards covering up the rough opening jack studs and working my way out to the corners. this way will and will match up to the other right jack stud with a full board, but obviously i will have 4" left on the right corner too .

ill decide by the morning as thats when ill start .

ive got a 40lb box of 2 3/8" mechanically galvanized smooth nails i picked up for 20$ , but am afraid to use them on this pine as i heard if theyre not hot dipped galvanized or aluminum/stainless dont use them because they will streak black .. :o


UPDATE : i did a bunch of research on the nail issue ... apparently cedar and redwood with streak within a couple/few years since the galvanized coating reacts poorly to those species of woods . hot dipped will work the best of galvanized , but will rust over time .i wouldnt worry about rusting too much with hot dipped, people seem to use them with good results. .
mine are mechanically dipped , which is the cheapest of the ways to coat the nail, and are prone to rusting on the head due the hammer chipping the nail heads coating .

stainless is the way to go , and you can get them for about 10-12$ a pound. thats what im gonna do . not worth it to me .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-14_14-51-21_729Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-15_18-12-04_838Medium.jpg

you can see the 4" strip on left. i guess trim would cover it up anyways ...

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-15_19-01-24_318Medium.jpg

[WoodButcher]

the weather was too good to pass up so i went and got 2.5" hot dipped galvanized spiral shank small head siding nails . they did great for the 1x10 boards , love the smaller head ... but the length was too short for the battens to reach the wall blocking so i went back up and got 3.5" finishers for the battens . now each board has 1.5" of nail sunk into the studs .

for the front wall i started in the dead center above the door opening ... and with a 1/8" gap or so in between boards i was able to get a perfect full board on both corners . worked out great . i put the battens up on the front just to cover up the gaps. i will butt up the boards elsewhere and wait a month or so to install their battens .

got a decent amount done . its supposed to rain all this week but ill get as much done as i can .

went to pick up the special order 18' ridge board from home depot.. they left it out in the rain (untreated) and it was all junked up and had cracks in it. i told em to send it back and they are getting me another one . that will put me back a few days .


http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-16_19-21-13_201Medium.jpg

[driske]

New Sugar House is going up at one of my neighbors. This fellow has done well growing ginseng. (And he's earned every nickel along the way).
So in typical fashion this project is first class. In floor heat. New Steel Shed about 36x80. The doors aren't on yet so the gleaming 4x14 oil fired Lapierre rig could be seen already situated in it's rightful place.
My guess, he'll have roughly a quarter million into it before he fires up next spring. But knowing Skippy, he's done the math and expects to see this new business venture turn a profit before too long.
It does my heart good to see the younger generation catch that Maple Fever.!!

[WoodButcher]

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-179515_58_13__1Medium.jpg

[WoodButcher]

ridge board is locked and loaded and dead center. .

ill pop the rafters in soon . .. if it stops raining .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-18_18-12-15_365%20(Medium)_zps575b1e31.jpg

[WoodButcher]

did some research on ceiling joists / rafter ties and how high they can be raised from the top plate safely without allowing the rafters to splay out.... it looks like as long as they are in the lower 1/3 of the total ceiling height your ok .

so for me with a 4' ceiling height i would want to stay under 16" from the top plate .
with a 7' 10 1/2" ceiling height to the top plate ... i dont even think its necessary to have more headroom . its not like im going to store anything up on the joists ... maybe i will above the door away from the arch(ill have a hood so no stickiness everywhere). it would be nice to raise them up 1' from the top top just in case i do upgrade to a steamaway , etc .
i know that headroom in the shack would be more important than rafter/storage room up above.

[rookie]

looking good !

[lakeview maple]

Looks really good,keep the pictures coming,Al

[WoodButcher]

put in the rafter ties today , decided to beef them up using 2x6's .

i only raised them off the top plates 6.5" to give me a bit more headroom and also keep them as strong as possible.
it will help me out when raising my preheater/hood to clean the pans .

it has been raining buckets this weekend. . . even had hail . i will get the roof sheathing done this week so then i dont have to keep covering up my tools.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-09-23_16-07-24_440Medium_zpsde343c9f.jpg

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[western mainer]

Looking good there!
Brian

[Paddymountain]

Looks great!!! I was in your shoes 2 yrs ago. Have a good time making syrup next spring.

[WoodButcher]

thanks guys .

installed the bird blocks today and finished the overhangs .i might add 1" holes in each 14.5" x 5.5" bird block for added ventilation , and then finish them off with some screen mesh to keep critters out . i went with lookout overhang rafters for added sturdiness .

i measures the steam hood and there are 2 10" pipes coming out the top . i will vent those in the cupola, but of course , one of the pipes will be inline with a rafter tie . ill just have to get a galvanized or stainless 45 elbow to get around the tie .

[maple flats]

I just ordered an offset section on one of my 15" hood stacks. Mine will come in 6" offset to pass thru the trusses without interference. The offset will be in a 4' length of SS stack that will go on top of my front steam hood., to go between the trusses on the way up to the cupola. I will then have 13" pipe suspended from in the cupola, then I can raise the hood without removing any pipe, it just telescopes.

[rookie]

.i might add 1" holes in each 14.5" x 5.5" bird block for added ventilation , and then finish them off with some screen mesh to keep critters out . .

my advice to you is go to you local lumber yard and ask them if they have the round retro fit type soffit vents. they're about 2" round and install in seconds they're aluminum with louvers, and look a lot cleaner than screen in a hole. get the right size hole saw and your all set

[WoodButcher]

thanks . ill check with the local yard .

i will probably leave the bird blocks as is and was thinking of putting a 18x24 gable vent on the back wall .

[WoodButcher]

rain rain....

[WoodButcher]

im just gonna board the whole shed, wait a month , then stain it if its dry... THEN apply stain to the already dry battens(in the garage) on the sawhorse and then nail them up .

that way theres some stain on the boards where the battens go andf that will prevent seeing untreated wood when the boards expand and contract.

im assuming thats what most people do on here. . . or am i just complicating things .. :)

[WoodButcher]

cupola is 6.5' long x 2.5' wide with 18" doors. big enough for me with room for growth. made 6" overhangs on the cupola and will make the metal roofing hang over it 2" more to keep the rain/snow out when boiling and the doors are open. I am putting some metal roof down tomorrow since the plywood has finally dried from all the rain we have had .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-10-08_17-39-07_134Large.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-10-08_17-38-42_171Large.jpg

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Looks great!

We just did one last year and one concern I have is that the door wants to drop too fast and we have to hold the rope tight to try to buffer it so it doesn't dent the metal roof. Anybody have the same issue and a good solution?

[WoodButcher]

the problem i see is you have little 'mechanical advantage' over the weight of your door.

1. adjust your pulley angle (change position) for better leverage or mechanical advantage, or buy 2 per door.
2. add a spring and attach to the rafters to aide in lowering the door.

but im sure youll be fine with a couple pulleys put in the right place. thats what im gonna do .

[derekp]

i have been thinking about the same thing with my doors...i havent installed them yet but i was worried about the doors opening and slamming the metal roofing and also was worried about breaking the glass thats in them. I was planning on connecting a small chain to each side of the door to the inside of the door framing so that it will not fold all of the way down to the roof. the chain will stop it just short

[maple flats]

My doors are on a rope. The both ropes join into one and thru pulleys go down a sidewall. There I have a tie off point. I put a knot at the right point on the rope to tie it off. I just loosen the rope, which was tying the doors shut and re tie at the knot. Then I usually need to pull on a second rope the operates push poles to actually open the doors. Then to close up I pull the rope holding the doors and they close. Then I tie it again to hold them closed. My tie point is a cleat like is used on a boat or flag pole to tie to. My open tie point on the rope leaves the doors off the roof about 6" or so.

[WoodButcher]

Then I tie it again to hold them closed. My tie point is a cleat like is used on a boat or flag pole to tie to.

like the cleat idea... i may steal that :)

[WoodButcher]

finished the main roofing. i will finish all metal trim (ridge cap, mini gable trim, etc) once i stain . its been a month with the boards up so im thinking next week if the rain holds...

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-10-15_09-44-34_451Large.jpg

[WoodButcher]

finally had a couple dry warmer days to put on the stain. i wanted to stain the whole thing before nailing the battens and window and door trim down.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-10-25_17-29-22_309Large.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-10-25_17-29-39_104Large.jpg

[noreast maple]

Looking good , Keep pics. coming:)

[325abn]

Looks great!!

I just happen to also be building a 12 x 16 using full dimensional lumber.

Can you please post a few detail pics of your cuppolla framing? I am trying to figure out how I will do it.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Excellent job --- looks like you're having a lot of fun!

Will the stack go through the roof also?

[WoodButcher]

Looks great!!

I just happen to also be building a 12 x 16 using full dimensional lumber.

Can you please post a few detail pics of your cuppolla framing? I am trying to figure out how I will do it.

thanks .
for the cupola, i dont have any other pics of it, but my framing was simple . i made each 2x4 stake about 30" long and nailed them to the rafters. i made sure they were all plumb and the tops were level. i then took 4 pieces of 2x4s and wedged them between the 4 corner stakes so i could tie them together and also so i had board to nail the batten to. after that i took 2 long 2x4s the length of the cupola and laid them on top of each row of stakes and nailed them in , makinf sure they were level and diagonally square with eachother. i had a leftover 2x6 available for the king posts and notched them to hold the 2x4 ridge board in the center. then just your standard 2x4 rafters with birdsmouths, but made sure the overhang was 8" so that even in the wind there wont be much rain getting in when the doors are open. the reason i picked 30" for the 2x4 stakes (stud walls essentially) was so that i could make an 18" high cupola door with trim below and above the door and it would still swing and not hit the eves.

hope this helps ...


as for the stack, yes , it will go right through the center ridge board and out a center-mounted roof jack that i have. i need to box in the rafters to let the pipe up through.

[WoodButcher]

i was out in the rain/sleet/snow on the ladder this morning, and luckily i remembered to snap some photos for you guys of the cupola framing i came up with before boarding it up with the doors, hinges etc.

it might not be the best way, but it aint going anywhere. i pretty much replicated my sugar house framing, except as i mentioned before i made the vertical stakes extra tall to accommodate 18" tall doors without hitting the fascia board on the eves.
i also made barge rafters('ladder' overhangs) on the cupola's gable ends, unlike the main sugar house where i made lookout rafters for added strength.


enjoy the pics... i remember researching cupola designs on here and there wasnt much to go off of for reference. i had decent success using google's image search.


http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-11-03_09-54-12_961Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-11-03_09-54-18_139Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-11-03_10-45-10_772Medium.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-11-03_10-45-42_253Medium.jpg

[325abn]

Great shots , thank for posting them! Very helpfull for sure.

[WoodButcher]

Trenched yesterday ... went well except its mostly clay and some of it fell back into the trench ... need to dig that out today .....
something tells me i should have just ran a 12gauge extension cord out there just for this winter, and dug in the summer :emb: . . .

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-11-24_08-41-22_957Medium.jpg

[madmapler]

Thats a pretty rugged build on your sugar house. Not a bad idea for any building built among the trees. That trencher looks like a robot with a whompin chainsaw dont it?:lol:

[WoodButcher]

i was burning some midnight oil two nights ago and finished the lean to roof ... just in time for the 6-10" of snow we got yesterday. i built the lean to with a 4/12 pitch with 7' of headroom at the lower lip of the metal roof overhang. i could have made it with less of a pitch for more headroom, but wanted the added snow-shedding capabilities of keeping it 4/12 or more. we get about 120" of snow here on a good year.

just got done painting the french doors in the house last night, so ill be done on the exterior by this week.

Yes.... thats a gigantic pasta pot on top of the roof jack. works great until i slide the pipe up there.


http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/2012-12-18_19-31-54_259Medium.jpg

[christopherh]

Wow! you really did a great job!

[WoodButcher]

thanks Chris ... not done yet though :) ... i didnt think is was gonna take me 4 months, come to think of it i only had about 10 weekends to do it and a bit of daylight here and there during the week after work .
just glad to have a roof-not a tarp- over my head this season.

[Sugarmaker]

Woodbutcher,
Nice job on the new sugarhouse build. Wood shed looks good too! Looks like you will be ready for the sap to flow.
We are about 60 miles east of you!
Regards,
Chris

[Marc Duclos]

This slaped up shack has heat and electric. I slaped this up during the 2011 run in Deerfield NH. I stayed with it for 2012. Good thing too it was over after 40 gals was made. My gole was 100 gals. Today is -2 with an 8 in snow pack. Last year we had zip for snow. I am on my fourth yesr with last years count of 650 taps. I am dead set on getting up to the 1000 count. My name is Marc ,this is my story and I am sticken to it.

[dtorrey13]

I am building my first sugarhouse and I your pictures helped a lot. Thanks for sharing.

What did you do about flashing around your cupola?

[WoodButcher]

I am building my first sugarhouse and I your pictures helped a lot. Thanks for sharing.

What did you do about flashing around your cupola?

thanks . glad i could help. thats why i posted them .
as for the flashing, i installed gable trim , or what they call "mini corners" in the roofing industry. its just 90 degree trim to cover up the lip of the roof metal . no fancy trim on the eve sides . i just let the roof metal overhang by 2" .

post some pics if you can . we love pics !

[WoodButcher]

I forgot to give you guys an update . i am ready to go for the season. . . i finished up the sap feed tank platform last week.
i had a blast building this thing, and now i am glad to take a break.

just in time for the fun to begin :mrgreen:

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/SugarHouse%202012/IMG_0168Large_zps86ea6577.jpg

[Ohio Maple Blaster]

Wow, that really is a beautiful picture! I'd love to see it sometime. Well done

[christopherh]

Beautiful! Now you can help me build a real cupola for mine!

[bigschuss]

Great job! A very classy looking sugar house.

[Run Forest Run!]

WoodButcher, that is GORGEOUS! I'd kill to have that in my backyard.

[WoodButcher]

thanks for the compliments guys .

it was going to be a simple shack ... no windows, sliding barn door, t1-11 siding, asphalt shingles, etc. But then i found a couple used pella windows and the interior french doors for a deal. Plus, the siding and metal roof were about the same price from the Amish as the original ideas!

and now i feel it was worth it. i dont even need to flick the lights on until dark. ...lots of natural light

[Spartazoo]

Superb! Great Job.

[Starting Small]

thanks Chris ... not done yet though :) ... i didnt think is was gonna take me 4 months, come to think of it i only had about 10 weekends to do it and a bit of daylight here and there during the week after work .
just glad to have a roof-not a tarp- over my head this season.

Did you do it all yourself or did you have friends/family helping out too? I am amazed that you built that in only 10 weekends. It probably would have taken me ten years...
-Dave

[WoodButcher]

Just me. Thats the joy of stick building ... you really can do it all by yourself, you just have to get a little creative with ratchet straps and bracing though, when another human would have really helped.

I did scour old posts on here for design ideas-what are the must have's , etc- and got tips from the local Amish where i bought my rough sawn board siding from as well as the metal roof.

I wanted to see if i could do this on my own, and it has given me the confidence to do other projects as well in the future. unfortunately my better half has seen this as well, and now my itinerary is full :lol:

[Starting Small]

Really is amazing. I am very jealous! Do you mind if I ask how much money you have in the project. My brother and I want to build one this Summer and yours really is theepitomy of what we are striving for. Thankfully my brother has great carpentry skills so he will be the brains behind the operation.
-Dave

[MapleLady]

Beautiful building! Love those french doors!

[WoodButcher]

Thanks a lot .
well, just looked at my home depot receipts... $3600 from them and thats not including the windows and doors($100 total used) and roof and siding from the Amish... so i would say $4500-4700 total. only thing i rented was a groundhog auger ($100) and a ditch witch ($110)

The way i see it, build it the way you want, but make it appealing so the next home buying can use it as a workshop, storage shed , etc.... just in case they arent sugar makers. Since this is my first home, i plan on moving in lets say 10 years, so i can easily pop the roof jack off, get 2 new metal roof panels (~$20 each) and be done with it. Then again , if i had a workshop i would love to have a wood burner in it!

[Starting Small]

Do you have any blueprints or plans that you could send me or post here? I am also building a 12X16 and the building dept is looking for details. If no blueprints, any additional info that could help me file the permit that might not have been included in the thread? Thanks!

-Dave

[WoodButcher]

Hey there Dave. the season is just a few months away. . i hope its as good as the past season.

anyways , no i didnt go off of any blueprints at all. i just went to the library and picked up a few books on building sheds and barns. i compared their different methods of constructing walls, foundations, etc and took the best of both worlds. honestly, the only part i didnt seem to find any info or good pics on was the cupola, which is why i took so many photos of it and put them all here. the rest is straight forward stuff. just take an afternoon and scrounge the MT , you will find what you need.

you can always buy blueprint plans- and i was thinking about it too when i started- but in the end i am glad i did. folling a plan would have been tedious work like building a TV stand. i wanted this to be enjoyable and purely my creation. i use it year round now since i brew beer in it too!
good luck!

[Starting Small]

That is what I thought but figured I would ask anyway. You did a great job on it. I notice that you have a 2X6, this is what I would like to be at next year. How satisfied are you with the size? 12X16 is about as big as my land will allow, in my mind it is big enough but wondering if you wish it was bigger or if the size works well for you. Thanks,
-Dave

[Dennis H.]

Just looked back thru this thread and I have to say great job. It turned out really nice.

Anyone could use this as a reference to build not just a sugar house but a nice look outbuilding.

[WoodButcher]

thanks for the kind words guys. we have really enjoyed it so far.
the 2x6 is a great size for me. i have 163 taps with room to go up and it works out perfect for me. this year i made 74 gallons on it, which is the equivalent to an average season for someone with 250 taps or so (1/3-1/4 gallon of syrup a tap on average) . that told me if i do increase my taps i would be comfortable.

as for the size of the 12x16 sugarhouse... it was a good size for my area. i didnt want anything too big for the size of my property. i wont be here forever though so i needed to consider the next homeowner .
of course you can always use more space but this is enough for me. all you really need to do is walk around it, check temps and levels, and load wood. about it!
logistics of where the man door is placed, front door design, wall height, roof sheathing a must if no steam hood, roof material, sap tank platform placement, cupola design(arch expandability considered), roof jack placement, and so on .... those are the most important things.
but its fun to think these up!

[WoodButcher]

Hope you guys are enjoying the weather as much as i am.... its a winter wonderland

[RC Maple]

Although not on this site - most of what you hear when snow and winter weather is in the forecast is grumbling and talking about warmer climates. You are right... it is a winter wonderland. I hope everyone can manage to appreciate it while it's here. It is wonderful to walk through the woods after a fresh snow.

[unc23win]

Heck yea you might as well make the most of it most grumblers will be grumbling 6 months from now they are too hot (and most likely every day in between about something else). I was just thinking about that yesterday when I was plowing snow with the tractor that bales hay in the summer time. Both are challenging in their own way. But I did have to go to the sugarhouse to get a snow shovel and I took pictures of it while I was there it is a winter wonderland.