Building sugar shack buying or making

Ultimately is it cheaper to buy a shed from Home Depot to use as a sugar shack or make my own I currently don't have a enclosed area for me to do my evaporater pan I'm trying to collect my data before making a decision

Thanks sam

Do you have any skill when it comes to building? That would be a huge factor ,and it would be the one to look at as far as how much you want to spend . If you can build then your labor is free only materials , if you cant then you will pay for both. Just remember that what ever you decide it probably wont be big enough in a couple of years,lol .The Maple syrup addiction is to strong and everyone expands.

I would like 2nd Lakeview maple. I'm currently waiting on delivery of my recent expansion evaporator which should arrive next weekend and all I keep thinking " I wonder if It's too late to call and upgrade"

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Hmmm....this brings to mind what my grandfather told me...count all the taps you potentially have...then how much arch you will need for them...now double that and if you are lucky you will only have to expand twice...just remember, Its Better to have too much space now than to have your sugar house be too small when you first move in...

Hi Sam - You don't provide a whole lot of information. Like number of taps, size of evaporator, hobby maker or large producer etc. etc. That said - I do it for a hobby and have approx. 55 taps and no more. So- I thought - I'll build an 8" x 12", Pole barn construction, sand floor for my barrel stove - batch pan and I will be good for my little hobby and out of the snow, wind and rain. All went well - till - One of my Son's and Grandkids started hauling up extra sap for me to boil - I was over-whelmed. So - My Son (The Machinist) and My Grandson (the Welder) build me a 2' x 5' 250 gal. Fuel Oil Tank arch and a continuous flow evaporator to mount on top. ------- Now my Shack is WAY TOO SMALL. We have a 6' X 12" Lean to added and now we have enough room (12' X 14") for now..........You get the idea. Sure - You can build Your own Sugar Shack - Pole Barn construction is fairly easy to do ---------But----How Big is up to You. Good Luck. ---Mike---

And Sam has a new friend from this site who lives around the corner, with tools and know-how.

My advice to him was to go build, but not only for the money part. You want a couple features besides size. A slab of concrete where the fire goes, and some decent venting for steam.