flooring

[archangel_cpj]

OK folks heres the dilema Im putting a 16 x 16 sugar shack in the woods it is off the beaten path and I use the tractor (AC 7040 or farmall H) to get to it I will be making footers for the evaporator once I get one (lloking at a few now.) but I cannot get a cement truck out that far and Im not going to mix 4 yards by hand soooooo do I put in a plank floor or do I use saw dust etc gravel what do you suggest??? Will have a 6000 watt generator for power lights etc.

[maplehound]

If it wher me I think I would put down some sand or small gravel then lay some 6" flat cement blocks on top.

[Fred Henderson]

All that you really need is something solid to sit the evaporator on. Just a pier front and rear is enough or as said some blocks. 16"x16" pavers work real good as they don't sink real fast because of the large surface.

[rschoo]

You could rent a small gasoline powered mixer and mix it yourself back at the sugar house or have the concrete truck dump a little at a time in a small trailer and haul it back to our sugar house. That's what I did.
Nothing beats a concrete floor.

[Jim Brown]

Just another thought, rent a mixer to fit on the tractor you use to get to the shack. Run it off the PTO of the tractor. You may want to run it off the gen. you will be powering the shack with. I agree that concrete is the only way to go .Then there is no danger of burning the pans when the rig is running full blast and you suddenly discover that you are 1 inch out of level.
Just a thought
Jim

[brookledge]

Dig holes down below frost line with a post hole digger then use around 6" sono tube and pour with concrete. It is probably more important to do this for the arch than the building. With your 16X16 building out in the woods come sugaring season you will have alot of frost in the ground inside your building. When you get the evaporator going and the frost comes out your arch could and probably will move or settle causing problems.
I would put in six sonotubes one under each corner of the firebox and one on each corner by the stack.
Six sonotubes 3 to 4' deep will not use or require much concrete. You could even do the cornersof your building.
As for the rest of your floor just put down washed (pea stone) or crushed stone around 1" that way it wont get to muddy and you don't have to worry about putting in a plank floor where water will cause it to warp.
I have been in many sugarhouses that have gravel or stone floors.
Also with a stone floor you don't have to worry about hot embers coming out of the evaporator when feeding the fire.
Keith

[Father & Son]

When I built our 12 x 16 sugar house last year I used a post hole digger with a 9" auger and set the posts (4x4's and 4x6's) with quickcrete-sackcrete whatever it's called, 1 80# bag for each post. Once the posts were set and most of the framing was done I hauled in 20 ton of crushed grey limestone for inside and outside the building. This type of stone works nice because it packs down and stays in place. To set the evaporator I bought some chimney block (the large ones that accept the 8x12 liners) and elevated and leveled the evaporator on them. Checked for level this spring before I put the pans on and everything was still fine. I also check the depth in the pans before every boil. This was the easiest for me because of the area I was working in and the availability of funds. Someday I hope to have a concrete floor but this will keep me out of the mud for now.
Jim

[rschoo]

The only reason ground might heave during a freeze is the moisture in the soil. If there is very little moisture above the frost line, which is never very deep where there is no traffic on it, there will be hardly any heaving. The crushed limestone drains very well and retains little moisture = no heaving.
You can even insulate with rigid foam board, polyisocyanurate or the like, under a few inches of something that drains well and the frost will never get into the ground. Some juristictions, building inspectors, will even allow shallow insulated footings under living areas.

[Pete33Vt]

Also you want to make sure that the ground outside of the building has good pitch away from your building. Wood planks work good around your rig. I have been in many sugarhouses that have them. they are built up so you can comfortably see into your rig. Thr front where you fire is down in a hole. That way its easier for you to fire cause you are looking straight into the fire box. But can be a pain if you have alot of company at your sugarhouse. Esepically small kids trying to get back and forth.
Good luck.
Pete

[hookhill]

Last year we mixed 3.5 yards for our floor with a small electric mixer. It was quite a bit of work but worth it. Seems like you could rent a gas mixer and tow it out to the woods. Some concrete plants will sell you the sand gravel cement all mixed together. Just add water!

[SUGARSMITH]

We put in a wood floor 30+/- years ago. I t has held up ok but it is time for replacement. I am definately going with cement for a few reasons. I burn wood and there were many a night lying awake in bed wondering about the flying spark that lept from the fire and fell between the boards. Also I think if is much more sanitary. A painted floor and mop cleans up mush easier.

The big drawback that I can see will be aching feet so I will get a few antifatigue mats

[Fred Henderson]

I have the rubber mats on both sides and they do help. :D