sugar house floors

[tbear]

What does everyone have for flooring in their sugar shack? I was planing on a shed on skids with a plywood floor and am now wondering if that's a good idea or not. The plywood floor that is. Thanks, Ted

[mspina14]

I built a sugar shack last summer. Used skids and Hemlock planks for flooring.

I put 1/8" thick diamond metal plate on the section of the floor where the evaporator sits. The metal plate came in 1'X4' pieces and it was easy to screw into the wood planks.

It protects the wood floor from any sparks or hot pieces of wood that happen to find their way out of the firebox and onto the floor :emb:

Haven't had any problems so far.

Mark

[Michael Greer]

I'm on very smooth concrete. I don't worry about water damage, and I don't worry about fire.

[johnallin]

Also smooth concrete, 6" thick, sloped to a drain in the corner for washing down.

[Jolly Acres Farm]

Same here, 6 inches of concrete sloped to a 6 foot roll up door for cleaning/draining.

[wnybassman]

6" of concrete. Noticed my first hairline crack the other day. This is the third winter it has gone through.

[On the ledge]

I used cement board under the evap. and a piece of steel I had in front of the door no issues.

[tbear]

I like the idea of the diamond plate, sounds much safer than a bare wood floor and cheaper/easier than concrete.

[CTsap]

I built a 12x16 shed with a plywood floor. I put a piece of concrete bored down, set the legs of the evaporator on cinder blocks, then slid a narrower piece of concrete bored between the legs (lengthwise) to create 6 inch air space. I can hold my hand in the air space without a problem. I put a few patio blocks infront of the door to catch anything. good luck.

[Vtmbz]

used bricks directly on sand with footing blocks where the arch rests. they can be had cheap if you search.

[calvertbrothers]

I built a sugar shack last summer. Used skids and Hemlock planks for flooring.

I put 1/8" thick diamond metal plate on the section of the floor where the evaporator sits. The metal plate came in 1'X4' pieces and it was easy to screw into the wood planks.

It protects the wood floor from any sparks or hot pieces of wood that happen to find their way out of the firebox and onto the floor :emb:

Haven't had any problems so far.

Mark did you seal the floor with anything? And how did the floor hold up with the moisture?

[mspina14]

did you seal the floor with anything? And how did the floor hold up with the moisture?

So far so good.

The floor planks are 2x8 full dimensional Hemlock. I've read that hemlock is pretty rot resistant. I've not sealed them with anything.

I only have a 2X4 evaporator, so just a hobby operation. The floors do get wet occasionally, but not enough for me to worry about the wood. The area that gets wet the most is covered with the diamond plate.

Mark

[johnpma]

We made a hearth where our 2 X 3 Mason sits. I fastened 1/2" cement board to the plywood floor.Made a frame that surrounded the cement board, and layed brick inside the frame and filled the gaps with sand the we swept. The 10 x 12 shed was free so we put it to good use. And there is a fire extinguisher handy as well.

[tbear]

I like that idea of the hearth Johnpma! Have any trouble with the brick shifting, leveling the evaporator? Ted

[johnpma]

I like that idea of the hearth Johnpma! Have any trouble with the brick shifting, leveling the evaporator? Ted Thanks Ted!! No sir. We fit the bricks together fairly snug and once we broom swept the sand in between the bricks it more or less locked everything together. I did have to use some thin steel shims to level my Mason unit but was really no big deal.

[tbear]

This may be the way I go. I'll give it some more thought and talk it over with my brother, the smart one. Thanks, Ted