16x16 Sugar House Build. Here we go again! Post pics as I go...

[WoodButcher]

Hey everyone.

Well, this post is a long time coming... If you haven't checked out my last sugar house build look at the link in my signature below. Quick background story. I built a 12x16 shack in 2012 and had a blast. All the time in the world with no kids :)
We moved 5 years ago since the family grew so we had to leave the shack behind.. I still kept making sugar, but only tapped 14 trees and I've been using my electric beer brewing pot to do so. Fun, but not the same...
So, finally, 2 kids and 5 years later (and with lumber prices finally down) I'm ready to build another one! And of course I have to go bigger and better now since I have a family!
I dug the 21 12"x48" footings last fall to save some time. I'll post pics of the progress as I go!

Specs:
- 16x16 sugar house
- Rough sawn Hemlock siding (pine last time)
- 8x21 deck on the left
- 16x5 deck in the front
- 6' deep timber-framed overhang in the front as well
- 8x16 lean-to on the right for wood
- 3x6 cupola

Unfortunately uploading images still don't work so check out the link below!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[christopherh]

Great to hear! Looking forward to progress updates!

[WoodButcher]

Still getting the error on upload. I think its just an old site format that doesnt work anymore.


For now, check out my link below. ill add pictures as I go!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[DrTimPerkins]

Pictures coming soon once I figure out why I keep getting an error on uploads.

Same for a lot of people (including me). I can't fix the problem. My "moderation" duties are simply to pass on user messages to the site owner. Best approach until it is fixed (if ever) is to use a photo sharing site and put in a link.

[maple flats]

Nice, keep us posted. Looks like a nice plan.
Getting kids interested in maple is a huge plus.

[NhShaun]

It's coming along nicely so far and looks like you have some help from a kiddo, or at least some company. I would have had a really hard time leaving that other beautiful sugarhouse behind when i moved. I will be following along to see the progress.

[BAP]

Looks great. Those will be memories that you and your children will never forget. Both building the sugarhouse and using it.

[WoodButcher]

Thanks guys. This time around it's a lot more meaningful with my kids being involved. More photos uploaded. Took some good cupola framing shots since I know several people found those helpful the last go round. All wrapped and ready for roofing. I also used hot dipped nails in the gun for the cupola since last time I did not and the nails bled black down the 2x4s from the steam. All cosmetic but something to note. In fact, everything from the top plate up is all galvanized. They were much more. I love this Milwaukee M18 battery powered framing nailer. No more hose to trip on or loop through rafters, blowback and incorrect depth nails are non-existent, etc. Pricey but I chock it off as a trip/safety hazard must need :lol:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[darkmachine]

What's your plan for your interior walls? I have been trying to decide what to do for my own shack. My current shack has no vapor barrier and you just see the back of the siding. I would like to do something that would be presentable if i volunteered my shack for the local maple days tours. I'm super jealous about your head start building, I still have to pour concrete for mine before i can get started framing. Love the pictures, keep'em coming!

[WoodButcher]

Well my original plan was eastern red cedar, but unfortunately that is about $24 a 1x6 board! I just love the smell....
My last shack had no interior, just raw studs and it looked fine. I liked the shelf space from the nailer boards too. you can see that in my signature link.

With the new shack you'll be able to see the house wrap from the inside but im ok with that. for me to put hemlock in the interior as well would cost me about $600 so maybe thats a thought....

[johnallin]

Nice job Jeremy! that's going to be a great sugar house.

Is there a reason you want to use a moisture barrier? Thinking it may trap moisture on the inside of the shack

I also used hemlock I had milled with a ship lap edge by Mervin over at Marsh Valley Wood in Middlefield.
Rough-sawn on one side and smooth on the other, installed with the smooth on the inside and it looks great.

[WoodButcher]

Hey John. With my old shack I used no moisture barriers on the walls and, while it was fine, it got pretty cold in there when I wasn't actually boiling at 1000 degrees... Figure this would cut out some heat loss and draft. Besides I never get any moisture on the inside since I use a steam hood and big pipes that carry the steam all the way to the cupola.

I'm not building a residential home, so there are always tons of places for the building to breathe regardless, since it's not air-tight by design...(bird blocks above the top plate, and the cupola as well).

[WoodButcher]

In regards to the hemlock. I've built a couple other buildings in the past with rough sawn pine from Noah at River Valley Pine, but he was backed up for 5 months and I wasn't about to put up siding in November...
So while picking up other things in Middlefield I poked around and found out that Noah's nephew, Chester, was opening up his own mill, Grand River Hemlock. Hemlock is obviously similar to pine but a little bit stronger and it needs to be hung up wet or it'll split easier. It's also a little pricier. The hemlock quote was only 15 - 20% more than pine so not that bad considering. Chester was very easy to deal with and only took 5 weeks to turn around my 115 board and battens. Really nice family guy and a better experience all around. I'll be using him again for future projects.

[darkmachine]

My current sugar house stayed plenty warm when we were boiling with a masonry arch on a flat pan, even in the wind. When we went to an air tight 2x6 then people started to get cold. I can appreciate the thought of prevent the cold air from whipping through, especially if I want to keep any company in the sugar house once the sun goes down. I purchased some 12x16timber frame plans from a website and hope to get it up before the 2023 season, I'll likely frame in some walls with moisture barrier and possible foam insulation with some company in mind. For some reason I never get cold, maybe I'm just too busy to think about it while I'm boiling, lol.

[WoodButcher]

Roofing is done. Went with a burgundy this time. Matches our house shutters.
metal gable trim and other trim piece around the cupola will be the last thing to go since I need to stain the fascia boards before putting them on

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[christopherh]

Looking good! Decent weather this summer to! What evaporator are you putting in it?

[WoodButcher]

Looking good! Decent weather this summer to! What evaporator are you putting in it?
I was half tempted to get a new one, but metal is too expensive right now and I still saved my old one, D&G 2x6 raised flue. My old setup consistently produced 30 - 38 GPH with no blower or anything making noise. I'm all about efficiency so if I would spend any money it would be on an airtight arch with air over fire and keep my pans. Would love to load every 15 or 20 minutes instead of every 8 minutes!

[darkmachine]

I'm boiling on a 2x6 air tight with AUF, if i don't feed every 5 minutes by the clock my fire is out, does Air over Fire make that much difference in fuel consumption?

I have a dayton blower, it's pretty quiet on an 'air tight' arch we built. I didn't buy any of the metal new, i just kept my eye out for angle and plate for sale on facebook marketplace. it works well enough we plan on just upgrading the pans and keeping the arch until we need something with more GPH. I'll add a hood/preheater or piggyback before i increase the footprint. The 2x6 with a good RO goes a long way!

[WoodButcher]

I'm boiling on a 2x6 air tight with AUF, if i don't feed every 5 minutes by the clock my fire is out, does Air over Fire make that much difference in fuel consumption?

In theory, yes. Search the trader there are lots of posts on it. Under fire basically increases your wood consumption by 50%+ and increases boil rate less than that, so not worth it to me, unless you have tons of free wood.
AOF or air over fire focuses on complete combustion in the firebox and under the pans(turbulence). That way you can load and the fuel will be used to boil sap instead of wasted up the chimney. I've been out of the loop for a few years on all the latest greatest, but that was what manufacturers claimed.
Pop in a loud high pressure blower (not a squirrel cage.. think bounce house blower) and you load less and have higher GPH.. they just put a manifold around the doors and firebox, mix 75% air over fire, and 25% under and youre good to go.

[WoodButcher]

Main panels on the roof are done and siding is up and ready to dry for a month or so. Windows in as well.
Once the siding is dry I'll stain everything and then install the battens and then restain with the battens on so I don't see any unstained wood underneath the battens.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[WoodButcher]

Deck is done
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[Pdiamond]

Now when you get done there you can come up here and do that for me. That is beautiful. I really like your little helpers.

[WoodButcher]

Now when you get done there you can come up here and do that for me. That is beautiful. I really like your little helpers.


Thanks! Yeah as much as they get in the way it's better than not getting anything done at all...
I finished the timber framing in the front. Those were heavy beams. 6x6 for the main beams and 4x6 for the majority of the rafters. I'm using 1X6 purlins to cover up the underside of the metal roof.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[johnallin]

Looks great Jeremy...
You'll really like that covered entrance at the front. Keeps the rain out and is a handy place for wood storage.

[bigschuss]

Looks great!

[WoodButcher]

Looks great!thanks guys!

[WoodButcher]

Outside is almost completely done. Still need some battens here and there and need to build the 2 sap decks off the back. Love the way the doors turned out. Just sprayed them yesterday.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[Pdiamond]

That is turning into a beautiful building. I really like the doors. I love the kids helping out. Those are the best times, treasure those moments.

[MajorWoodchuck]

Looks like a great building. I am building a similar 12x16 with a front porch and side wood storage lean to. I am just hoping to get the main building done this year and the front and side roofed add ons done next year. Can breathe a sigh of relief now that the roof steel is on. I didn't see a chimney. Are you going out the back or through the top? As I was putting my steel on I remembered to make a cutout for it in the peak at the last minute. Still have to put the pipes through and close up the large hole. My wife loves your front beams and her first words were " can you make ours like that".

[bigschuss]

Looks great. Classy looking building.

[WoodButcher]

Thanks guys! The timber framed porch cost as much in lumber as all the other hemlock did on the rest of the building! the porch was a lot of work (heavy and tedious joints) but I do love having a porch to work on things and be dry...

woodchuck:
Sorry if I made your project more complicated (re: wife). If you look at the vertical photo of the back of the cupola, you can see some galvanized sheet metal. thats my 14" roof jack. its only about 6" beyond the cupola gable overhang in the back.
Double wall 10"/13" pipe will extend past the cupola and then exit into a single wall with rain cap.

[MajorWoodchuck]

I see that pipe now Jeremy. Same place mine is/will be. Your construction quality is on a whole level above mine. I can use the excuse of building mainly from free scrap wood from crates and pallets. I can use that line on my wife so my front does not have to be as impressive as yours ;)

[bigschuss]

Thanks guys! The timber framed porch cost as much in lumber as all the other hemlock did on the rest of the building! the porch was a lot of work (heavy and tedious joints) but I do love having a porch to work on things and be dry...



Looks great. Just curious, is the porch a true timber frame with mortise and tenon joinery? I was checking out your pics but I don't see any pegs. Can't quite tell if your braces are mortised in or lagged in.

[WoodButcher]

Looks great. Just curious, is the porch a true timber frame with mortise and tenon joinery? I was checking out your pics but I don't see any pegs. Can't quite tell if your braces are mortised in or lagged in.

I definitely didn't use mortise and tenon joinery. Just timberlok screws. If I did mortise and tenon I wouldn't have finished it in under 5 months while maintaining a full-time job :lol: .
By timber framing I meant it in the literal sense: framing with large timbers and not dimensional lumber....

[bigschuss]

I definitely didn't use mortise and tenon joinery. Just timberlok screws. If I did mortise and tenon I wouldn't have finished it in under 5 months while maintaining a full-time job :lol: .
By timber framing I meant it in the literal sense: framing with large timbers and not dimensional lumber....

Got it. I was just curious. I teach a timber frame class and we build 2 or 3 frames a year...and then sell them of Facebook Marketplace. I always enjoy seeing other timber frame builds.

[WoodButcher]

Added sap decks and some lighting to the outside. Time to work on flooring and moving in the arch!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[Paul01036]

Awesome looking sugar house, I think you will have years of enjoyment and production from that quality build. Congrats!

[DrTimPerkins]

Added sap decks and some lighting to the outside. Time to work on flooring and moving in the arch!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

Looking real nice.

[bigschuss]

Classy and timeless sugar house! Very nice.

[Pdiamond]

Jeremy you really do nice work. I am telling you, you really need to come up to Michigan and build me one of those. ( hee hee hee )

[christopherh]

Wow! Looks Great!

[TapTapTap]

Very nice!

You'll need some exterior lighting to highlight the steam discharging from the cupola during those night boils.

Ken

[WoodButcher]

Hey thanks guys! Ya its been fun with the kids. Learning about respect for nature, wood and tools! They were helping stack while I split which was very helpful! Added some string lights over the deck as well. When wives get involved.... :)

[WoodButcher]

Finished the flooring and moved in the arch. I went with vinyl plank flooring for easy cleanup. Just like my last shack build I raised the arch 3 fire bricks high off the floor with cement backer board sandwiching fire blanket in the ash box area.

Walls will be next after I put some refractory cement over the old firebricks and bring the pans in!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[NhShaun]

Looks like its coming together nicely. The flooring looks great too. I have been tossing around the idea of using Vinyl plank flooring like this. You may have just pushed me to actually do it.

[toquin]

Looks like my living room!

[Pdiamond]

I really like the vinyl flooring, that has given me ideas for mine. That sugar house is absolutely beautiful.

[WoodButcher]

The last sugar house I built 10 years ago I just put 1/2" hardibacker board over 3/4" exterior plywood. Worked fine and was super easy to put down and held up to the abuse and heat. However I wanted something that would clean up a lot better since the cement board would stain from the syrup and whatnot, and it wasn't the best for sweeping. I figured for $2.89 a square foot with a 12mil wear layer I'd give it a shot!
I really wanted to try some thick tongue and groove oak flooring since about the same price, but was worried about the water resistance and the seams not being watertight... Plus flying embers would not be a good thing with a wood floor...

[Z/MAN]

I want to move in. I could live in there! Absolutely beautiful.

[WoodButcher]

Hey guys just wanted to give you an update with a pic...

The shack is ready to go and fully functional.
I plumbed all my poly tanks, one on the upper Deck for concentrate from the RO, two more tanks below for
the permeate/sinkwater and the other for raw sap.

I love camlock connections so that's what I used to connect the sink, sink pump and water heater so I can drain it at the end of each night to prevent freezing pipes.

I'll be doing a test run and flushing out my RO membrane in the next week or so!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[Swingpure]

Your whole build start to finish looks amazing. Very professional.

It will be something to proud of for years to come.

[VTnewguy]

Looks great!

[Pdiamond]

Jeremy, I am envious. That is so well set-up and organized. It's as if one could just walk in and push a button and everything would magically work. A job well done.

[bigschuss]

Looks great!!!!

[darkmachine]

I see you decided to put some t-111 on the inside, I think it looks really good, it's not cheap either! I think I may do the same for mine. When do you think you'll have our first boil?

[WoodButcher]

Thanks everyone!
I owe it to this site since I used it a ton to do research on my first shack 10 years ago. The great thing was I didnt need to change much. I went 4ft wider, added a deck, overhang... thats about it. I really wanted to focus on plumbing it properly since freezing was an issue before. Now i can drain everything at the end of the night by the sink, poly tanks, etc.

Darkmachine: T1-11 comment: I tossed up wall paneling ideas for a long time. I wasn't going to do it but it really cleans the building up. I looked up just using the rough sawn hemlock for the interior walls but that wasn't much cheaper than the $40 4x8 sheet of T1-11 so i went that route. I 18ga brad nailed them in with 1.5" brads. not going anywhere and hardly noticeable heads.
First boil? this is a late winter for us here in NE Ohio. I think probably only gotten 15-20" or so? Never seen less than 60" and our typical is 120-130"... I would think Late February but i haven't been checking the weather. I always tap when we have 3-4 days in a row with 35+ daytime highs and no 3-5 day runs of below freezing highs in the 10 day forecast...

[christopherh]

Looks great!! And just in time!

[WoodButcher]

Thanks Chris.
All tapped in and ready to go! I did a test boil last week and it went fine. Pulled out the RO and only a couple small drips to fix...so here we go!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[red dorakeen]

Great sugar house. Nice job.

[NhShaun]

This whole thing has come a long way since the first series of pictures you shared. Great work, now it's time to enjoy it, good timing on wrapping things up by the way.

Do you have any photos of your head tank mounted outside on that platform by any chance?

[WoodButcher]

This whole thing has come a long way since the first series of pictures you shared. Great work, now it's time to enjoy it, good timing on wrapping things up by the way.

Do you have any photos of your head tank mounted outside on that platform by any chance?

Thanks everyone! Just collected 300 gallons on 150 of my taps last night!

Hey Shaun, I dont but I can take a few when im back there and I'll post them on the link. My head tank up top is my concentrate tank. It goes from 2" camlock to 1" pvc into the shack. I then have a 1" pvc tee just inside the wall with a clear 3/4" acrylic sight glass going up 5ft. that way I can tell how much is in the head tank. I made the deck platform about 24" higher than the preheater inlet so that gives me plenty of head pressure for my 2x6 pan setup.
The bottom deck is used for my raw sap and permeate tanks. my RO inlet is 1.25" so i have a couple camlocks outside converting pipe to 1.25" pvc before entering the shack below the sink. I put my RO in the shack by the sink, and feed it raw sap and the small 1/2" hoses leave the RO and both go outside to either the concentrate tank (up top) or the permeate tank, which I use to clean the RO every night, as well as water for the sink. There is a small demand pump hidden below the sink which gives me 50-60psi of pressure for the sink to wash orlon filters or just my hands...
Hope that helps!

[WoodButcher]

Pictures of the sap deck have been uploaded. Hope they help!
Happy boiling guys...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rF2ZGBWqNGRnoX4o9

[johnallin]

That's really a nice setup Jeremy!
Especially like the demand pump at your sink...

[WoodButcher]

Thanks!! Happy tappin!

[KV Sappers]

Hat’s off to you young man. That is one beautiful sugarhouse.

[WoodButcher]

Thank you sir. And welcome back!