Sugar house design ideas, 8-12 trees.

[Vic99]

A few weeks ago finished my second year sugaring in MA. First year made 2/3 of a gallon from 7 trees. This year made one gallon from 8. Have a few others that could be big enough for tapping in a few years. I do not use vacuum tubes. I did a quick build cinderblock evaporator on old hearth pad with two stoneware pots and a 4 ft stovepipe for exhaust. Burned wood. Didn't even go through a face cord of pine. Finish boil on kitchen stove inside.

Now I want to build a sugar house. My carpentry skills are better than a beginner, but that's it. Will probably have help.

My town will let me go 9 x 12 with shed permit, but inspector says I can stretch it a bit. Maybe 10x14ish. I told him I want the evaporator and stove pipe inspected for safety. Plan to do 2x4 evaporator from brick unless I can get something cheap used. 2x4 stainless food grade pan for boiliing and have stove pipe vent out. Will burn wood. May stack wood outside or have one wall be wood.

I plan to pour 5-6 inches of gravel, prop up on cinder blocks, and fill in gaps with field stone to deter large critters from nesting underneath. 2x4 or 2x6 floor frame, 16 inches on center. Tongue and grove plywood floor. 2x4 walls. Maybe reclaimed wide board horizontal flooring to cover walls. Pitched roof, but not sure what kind yet. Cupola or some kind of trap door vent. I plan to reuse a five year old 5x3 window as I overlook a river. Probably simple 2,6 x 6,6 door. Light will be from large window and maybe a few battery powered LEDs so I don't have to deal with electrical.

Sugar house will double as a yard tool shed and maybe one day will add a small room for 4-5 chickens.

At best, I will double number of taps in 10 years, so not worried about building huge for future. I know bigger is better, but don't want to get in over my head, have to pull different kind of permit, or have costs run too high.

Anyone done this and have any advice? Thanks.

[Tim in NY]

Did you start this yet?

I have been thinking of doing something similar, but maybe bigger so I could also store a tractor or two in the building. Was thinking to start with 6x6's on each side, then use 4x6's 2 ft on center for joists. Debating between just putting it on a level spot of the yard vs putting it on concrete pillars. I may start this winter.

Tim

[MT Pockets Producer]

That is similar to what we did. We built a 12 x 16 with the coupalo and used as storage in off season. Just prepare yourself for the common affliction of outgrowing. We moved our 2x4 into the nice new "Plenty of room" shack and it was great,until we bought a 2x6, added a sink and counter, added a little bottling station, went from 10-12 gallons a year to 70 plus and thought vacuum would be a fun experiment. Yeah, we just cut a bunch of lumber to add on. Oh, all that yard stuff we were going to store in there still takes up space in the garage. Good luck.

[ScottyWelden]

a couple of thoughts about the floor: Critters would inevitably get underneath, although they're usually harmless. The safety inspection part might frown on a wooden floor--maybe requiring a heat shield beneath and 2-3 feet all around. You might look into having someone pour a concrete slab (3-4" thick with reinforcing screen would do fine). That's be about 1 cubic yard-- too much to do by hand, probably $300? if delivered by concrete truck (just call and ask). Pretty easy to do, if you check out a couple youtube videos. A maintenance-free, solid floor is nice.

Have fun! I am at your level re: sugaring, and I am obsessed and having a blast.

[BreezyHill]

Did you start this yet?

I have been thinking of doing something similar, but maybe bigger so I could also store a tractor or two in the building. Was thinking to start with 6x6's on each side, then use 4x6's 2 ft on center for joists. Debating between just putting it on a level spot of the yard vs putting it on concrete pillars. I may start this winter.

Tim

The regs that are coming down the pipe will not allow storage of any equipment in a sugar house or petroleum products. We stored the snowmobiles in our sugarhouse for a few years. It was a great spot for them and since the gas was always drained I didn't see the issue.

I have even split tractors in there...not no more.

Ben

[DuncanFTGC/SS]

As with anything that we build, build it bigger than you think that you need it, build it the best that you can as well. You will never regret that! It is much cheaper to build it right the first time than to build it two or three times till you get it right! You also never know where the next set of maple trees will show up. I have not even tapped all 120 maples on my property. I keep finding more as I get better at identifying them! :)
I was in the local feed mill about a month ago talking about making syrup, and a guy that works there offered me a 400 tap sugar bush for 100.00 a year. I am not even set up yet for my ~150 taps, let alone another 400, but in time, who knows!

[n8hutch]

I'm quite sure you can store anything you want in your sugar shack / shed . if you don't intend to sell the syrup. I am guessing with 10-12 Trees total that you are A hobby producer. You can pretty much do whatever you want if you don't intend to sell the syrup .

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Vic99:
Years ago I built a small woodshed and I did it similar to how a pole barn is made. If I build a sugar shack someday I'm going to use the same design but close it in here are some pics. Its 12 feet wide by about 14 long with 7 feet of head room. 6 in 12 roof pitch. The six vertical posts are 4 by 6 pressure treated sunk into the ground 3 feet. The headers are 4 by 4. Rafters and purlins are just 2 by's I used lap joints for most of the framing tying it all with timber locks. Jay

11960119611196211963