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Thread: Is a bare metal roof a giant mistake?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Location
    Parry Sound Area, Ontario
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    1,347

    Default Is a bare metal roof a giant mistake?

    The picture shows the general shed style of the sugar shed I will be reassembling in February. There will be openings at the top of each side wall and at the top of the stove pipe end and at the front of the structure.

    I will be putting on more supports on the roof to hold the metal roof.

    My question is, even with the openings to let the steam out, will having a bare metal roof as a roof, be a giant mistake and will I have tons of water dripping down on my pans and me?

    If I have house wrap in front of the metal roof will that help any?

    Thanks.

    Gary

    (The leaves on the left are no longer there partially because it is winter, but mostly the beavers wiped out many of the saplings around the evaporator.)

    https://share.icloud.com/photos/08dQ...X4NM5TAujj1-8w
    2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
    930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
    DYI Vacuum Filter
    2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
    2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Wardensville, Wv
    Posts
    326

    Default

    Our shack is similar, we built the slope of the shed roof to have the high side opposite the prevailing wind, so as long as the wind cooperates it steams out no problem, but when the wind blows the other direction the steam does a barrel roll over the pan and there is 0 visibility, but we just open the doors and then it clears out. Our roof is recycled corrugated barn roofing, it does drip some, but only where there were old penetrations, the majority of the condensation runs down the underside to the low point and drips off into a rain gutter and then into a barrel. You can kinda see in this picture when the wind doesn't cooperate https://photos.app.goo.gl/D3hUhAFpxAwgA97i6


    2024 - 57 Gallons - Short season, many and varied problems remedied in short order! - No buckets!
    2023 - 38 Gallons - RO broke, Buckets didn't run, rebuilt vacuum pump mid-season, still made good syrup!
    2022 - 52 Gallons - DIY RO, 50% less fuel, no late nights in the shack!
    2021 - 48 Gallons - new pans, new arch, lots of new taps and tubing
    2020 - 32 Gallons
    2019 - 27 Gallons

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    Corbeil, ON
    Posts
    174

    Default

    I built myself a shack similar to what you want to do this fall. I used a free 9'x7' one-piece overhead door as a roof. I have windows on the side and back to let air flow and a gap at the top along low side and high side.

    I will be testing the boil with water to see if I get a condensation problem and can adjust with something in case it rains inside from steam.
    2021 - Year one. 15 taps using 5/16" and drop tube into buckets. Homemade barrel evaporator with 2 steam trays. 4.7L syrup.
    2022. 32 taps. Added AUF.
    2023. 51 taps. Ditched the steam pans for an 18x22 flat pan.
    2024. 56 taps. Built a proper evaporator to fit the 18x22 flat pan and 1 steam pan.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Nashville, MI
    Posts
    942

    Default

    You may get some moisture Gary, but with the amount of open air area probably not a lot.
    2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
    2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
    2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
    2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
    made 17 gal. syrup
    2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
    2021 - Didn't work out
    2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Location
    Parry Sound Area, Ontario
    Posts
    1,347

    Default

    Thanks for the advice. It is good to know that most of the steam should escape and most of drips should run down to the low point of the roof.

    I have already purchased real metal roofing. I will have lots of openings at the sides and ends. After I attach the half wall sides and the end, I am going to figure out a way to close or open the open areas. The end wall I will also figure out, once the rest is built around the evaporator.
    2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
    930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
    DYI Vacuum Filter
    2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
    2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    Comments - You should provide some sill plate to top plate longitudinal and transverse diagonal bracing in your walls for structural stability. The posts should also have some tie-down capacity. You should be able to find standard practice guidelines online including fastener requirements for all structural components.

    Ken
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Wakefield,New Hampshire
    Posts
    505

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by TapTapTap View Post
    Comments - You should provide some sill plate to top plate longitudinal and transverse diagonal bracing in your walls for structural stability. The posts should also have some tie-down capacity. You should be able to find standard practice guidelines online including fastener requirements for all structural components.

    Ken
    I agree, i would hate to see you get your pans all leveled and ready to go. Then a big gust of wind huffs and puffs and blows the whole place down. Running your siding diagonally would give you some wind bracing strength and also makes for a nice finished look.
    6th season solo sugar maker in a young sugar bush of mostly red maples
    320 taps
    2x6 self built arch, Flat pans w/ dividers
    New 12x16 sugar house
    CDL hobby 250 RO

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Location
    Parry Sound Area, Ontario
    Posts
    1,347

    Default

    Thanks for the advice.

    There are more structural supports that will be added and there will be plywood walls. The picture was taken after I had partially built it, then my wife was not pleased with another structure being built within eye sight of the house. After a rare argument, we agreed on it going up a couple weeks before sap season and coming down a few weeks after sap season. I stopped building it, but measured and cut the additional supports for reassembly in February.

    I hope to build a permanent one behind the garage this summer. Built to last. It will not be a fancy one and will be 9x12 in size and will be the same style.

    It is a good point of being blown up in the air with a good gust of wind. Although I will have many more structural supports, it is only the weight of the building keeping it down. I will add some tie downs to make sure that does not happen. Thank you.
    Last edited by Swingpure; 12-17-2021 at 03:39 PM.
    2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
    930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
    DYI Vacuum Filter
    2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
    2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    974

    Default

    you mean like this?



    I get some condensation when the sides are rolled down but that's rare.
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
    Location
    Parry Sound Area, Ontario
    Posts
    1,347

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by eustis22 View Post
    you mean like this?



    I get some condensation when the sides are rolled down but that's rare.
    Unfortunately the picture did not show,
    2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
    930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
    DYI Vacuum Filter
    2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
    2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.

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