Looking for opinions and advice for new sugar shack

I’ve attached a rough rough draft of the sugar shack I’d like to build. It is 16’ x 16’ with a 4’ x 16’ wood storage on the side. 6:12 roof slope. Housing a 2’x4’ evaporator. The cupola footprint is represented by the dashed line (not shown on the front view though). I’m planning on pouring a slab for the floor in the main sugar house only.

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My questions are:

What’s the general opinion on floor drain type (trench vs circular) and placement or should I not bother with a floor drain?
What are your comments/suggestions on spacing and placement of things?
Other comments/suggestions?

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Originally Posted by SanfordSyrup

I’ve attached a rough rough draft of the sugar shack I’d like to build. It is 16’ x 16’ with a 4’ x 16’ wood storage on the side. 6:12 roof slope. Housing a 2’x4’ evaporator. The cupola footprint is represented by the dashed line (not shown on the front view though). I’m planning on pouring a slab for the floor in the main sugar house only.

Attachment 21135

My questions are:

What’s the general opinion on floor drain type (trench vs circular) and placement or should I not bother with a floor drain?
What are your comments/suggestions on spacing and placement of things?
Other comments/suggestions?

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We didn't put drains in when we built ours 4 years ago. Would have been really nice. i would go with the trench ones. We get by with a good mop. We also put our evaporator on the center line of the building and i think if we had to do it again it would be offset. It gives more working space to one side for canning and such. 6ft walls? 8ft walls?

I was thinking 8’ walls.
So if you offset the evaporator how well does the cupola work for ventilation? Will it be an issue with steam rising up, hitting the inside of the roof, and then rolling up toward the opening causing condensation? Or does it not really matter the position of the pan relative to the cupola opening?

I think you should move the stack closer (and whole arch) to the end wall to allow for a future arch upgrade. Also assuming wood fire you'll need lots of room at the fire end. I agree with other's comments about offset and floor drain.

Thanks, I think I have it 4’ from the back wall. How close do other people have their stack and evaporator to the walls? Or what would you recommend as a good distance? I’m assuming there is no need to walk around behind the evaporator.

Another question regarding what might be in your future in 5 or 10 years relating to tap count and evaporator size? If a 2x4 or 2x6 will be all you see, that 16x16 should be good.
Back in 2003 when I built my 16x24 for a 2x6 wood fired I thought it was a little over kill, now with a 3x8, a 5' wide wood rack that is carried by my tractor on forks, a small RO room, a filter press, a water jacketed bottler, a 2x6 finisher, some solar equipment, a sink, a tankless water heater, some shelves for display and 2 small freezers it is little no longer a little overkill. I planned several times to add an addition, but life got in the way. I wish I had built it 20x30 or even 24x36.

I built a 12'x20' with an 8'x12' root cellar under it. The root keeps the sap nice and cool no matter the temp outside. I put fresh water tanks down there to hold the sap in. I use a battery and a diaphragm pump to pump into my pans. I also have a big window one one long wall and a sliding glass door for the other side in case it gets too hot.
I run two evaporators side by side. One's a 2x4 and the other is a 2x6. Both made from fuel oil drums. They're double insulated so walking between them isn't bad at all.
I left the eaves open for better circulation when evaporating. The picture when cooking was taken last season before I finished the shack. The sugar shack picture was taken in the summer when it was almost finished. It'll be nice making syrup this year where it's warm.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by SanfordSyrup

Thanks, I think I have it 4’ from the back wall. How close do other people have their stack and evaporator to the walls? Or what would you recommend as a good distance? I’m assuming there is no need to walk around behind the evaporator.

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It would depend upon the type of protection on the wall. And, it's controlled by your rafter spacing unless you plan ahead and adjust them during framing. Typical rafter spacing is 24 in and it makes sense to locate the stack in center between two. So that makes for about 3 ft from outside of outer wall for a default reasonable distance, or something close depending on actual spacing and where your end rafter sits on the wall. Then you protect adjacent materials.

if you keep the evaporator in the center put trench floor drains on either side. I would also pour concrete in the entire sugar house. go big than you think you need, much easier then adding on later.

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Originally Posted by ADK-Dan

if you keep the evaporator in the center put trench floor drains on either side. I would also pour concrete in the entire sugar house. go big than you think you need, much easier then adding on later.

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I agree with multiple floor drains but i like the center offset concept. Concrete floor makes total sense too. Then you can use prefab plastic floor trench sections. I bought some 3ft lengths for about $60 each a couple of years ago. Then pitch concrete slightly towards the trench.

Don't do smooth trowel finish like i did on my slab. It's too slippery when cold and walking on with snowy boots. Do light broom finish after smooth trowel.

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I did a 12 X 16 offset. The steam goes directly up to the Cupola. Yes on trench drain. I have stovepipe 30" from back wall but it is triple walled other than the bottom 4 feet.. The only probably that I never considered, is with the arch insulated so well, it never gets above 50 degrees in there. I thought I would of had to leave the door and windows open at all times.

Looks like you have a good start on your design.
Cement floor to drains at or under the arch work great.
I go around the back of my arch many times a day. Cuts my number of foot steps in half and is just more convenient.
Where is your head tank? In the back upper corner?
Everything in the room is going to be wet from steam/ condensate unless your doing hoods to move the steam out?
I would make the door to the wood shed larger.
We have been in our sugarhouse to almost 20 years and it has worked out nice. You will love it.
The area in front of you evaporator is going to be very busy. Think about people entering/ exiting.
Regards,
Chris

My walls are 10' high and even without a steam away or piggy back I use all of it. About the heat, in mine that all depends on the outside temp. Along with a 3x6 cupola, I also left 1" vents all around the entire roof, from the top plate and gable end tops to the steel roofing. If it is 30F outside and the fire is roaring hot when boiling, it seldom gets above 45-50 in there. Last week I was boiling when it go to 72F outside, it was over 100 in front of the arch. I was glad to be done and let the fire burn out when the sap was gone. My arch is well insulated, except the front. That may happen this summer unless I convert to propane tube burners, which I've been considering.
Then I'd sell some firewood to buy the propane.

[QUOTE=SanfordSyrup;381146]I’ve attached a rough rough draft of the sugar shack I’d like to build. It is 16’ x 16’ with a 4’ x 16’ wood storage on the side. 6:12 roof slope. Housing a 2’x4’ evaporator. The cupola footprint is represented by the dashed line (not shown on the front view though). I’m planning on pouring a slab for the floor in the main sugar house only.

Attachment 21135

This was our first year in our sugarhouse. We have a 3x10 evaporator and had it made so that it was all left hand draw off and float boxes so that we could push it off to the right side of the sugarhouse, for the custom work it was totally worth it. Its 24” off the wall on right side which gives us about 8’ of canning room on the other side. We also put a 10 foot trench drain 16” from the left side (drawoff side) of evaporator, probably the best feature cause everything goes right into drain at end of night (except syrup).
Sugarhouse is 16x28 total and has more than enough room for drums, canning, and an audience. We dont need a wood storage area, our firewood tank sits outside and is a phone call away 😁
Best of luck
Kevin

Make it at least 25% bigger than your planning- trust me!!

More firewood storage. My evaporator room is 14x16, and the firewood room is 14x12. I have a breezeway between and we've had to stack wood there too.

I would recommend pouring the wood shed floor too. I did not for the first few years but was glad when I did later. Easier to clean up the wood mess too.
Regards,
Chris

when you come up with the final dimensions, double it. Then you'll only need to add on once later.