Sugarhouse design

[forester1]

I've read some plans about sugarhouse design in the past but they seem obsolete or don't cover everything. I'm curious about what anyone would consider including in thier ideal sugarhouse if they could build another one. One change I would make in mine is an overhead track system that could lift the hood or pans and run them outside the sugarhouse for cleaning. That would enable one guy to manipulate the heavy pans on a larger evaporator.

[mapleman3]

Thats a cool idea!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

OK, I am going to have to build a sugarhouse next summer as it looks like my dad is going to sell and move as all my equipment is set up on his property. I have done a lot of thinking and have decided to build a 24' x 48' sugarhouse.

One one end, I will section off a 10' x 24' and divide it into two rooms. Each of these rooms will be 10' x 12' and one will be a kitchen and the other will be a bedroom. The next 20' section or the center section will actually be the sugarhouse. It will be 20' x 24' and will just contain the evaporator, likely a feed tank and maybe some chairs for relaxing.

The other 18' left on the other end will be storage only. I will leave the backside of this 18' x 24' section open to be able to drive a tractor, atv or ect in and out and add shelves to the walls for storage. I may pour a small concrete pad in one corner for sap storage area, but nothing else special.

I am going to build a 10' x 20' wood storage area on the back that will tie into the sugarhouse. I have found about an acre or less of property that I think I can get as my uncle ownes aprox 70 aces and I am hoping to get a small corner lot of it. It is even more centrally located in reference to my three sugarbushes, so it would cut down on the gathering time slightly.

I am planning on pouring a footer and laying up 2 courses of blocks to get 8" above the ground and pouring concrete to the top of the second course of blocks aproximately 5 to 6 inches thick. This will allow me to screed the concrete off of the top of the blocks. I then plan on laying 2 more courses of blocks and this would get me 24" off of the ground so now water would be getting on my wood boards to rot them. I would not pour the concrete in the storage area, but just fill it with some gravel only. Since our frostline is not real deep here, I only have to go 16" for a footer.

The sugarhouse would only be aprox 15' off of the main road which is only a 1 lane paved road, so I would have really easy acess.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kevin,

No inlaws, just a good place to spend Saturdays playing around and a good place to take the kids and maybe wife for a night of camping out! :D :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kevin,

The sugarhouse area would only be 20 x 24 and I explained the other 2 rooms. Never know, one day I may have 2 evaporators in it sitting side by side and I would use the larger for large runs and the smaller for small runs.

Never know, I never met anyone that had too large of a sugarhouse. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mapleman3]

Never know he may need to use the rooms for marathon boiling runs for sure!! and if the Misses kicks him out for boiling so much!! :wink: :wink: 8O

[RUSTYBUCKET]

Jerry,

A lift system is one change I would like to make in our next sugarhouse. This, coupled with a set of handles on the pans, would certainly facilitate the task of cleaning the pans.


Russ

[forester1]

I agree Russ. That would be a nice feature. My sugarbush is so hard to get to I have a problem getting help for that type of chore.

[RUSTYBUCKET]

Last year, my neighbor brought home a stainless steel cabinet that one of the local retail stores was discarding. Looks like it was used as a food packaging table. Its got an electrical outlet on the backsplash and three small doors which open to a lower storage area with one full length shelf. This is one item that will find a spot in our new sugarhouse when it gets built. It'll offer us a nice place to do our finishing and bottling.


Russ

[MaineMapleDave]

You can often pick up used stainless steel sinks, tables, cabinets, worktables, etc. at restaurant supply shops. Check the Yellow Pages--those places often do a bang-up business in used equipment.