I have seen many sugarhouses that have concrete floors and drains and some that have wooden floors with no drains.
I have seen many sugarhouses that have concrete floors and drains and some that have wooden floors with no drains.
Last edited by OrangeAgain; 03-19-2022 at 07:05 AM.
2023 - 2' X 6' Smoky Lake Products "Silverplate" evaporator + Increase taps up to 500
2022 - 295 Sap Sak taps - Sold sap.
2017-2021 - Didn't tap.
2016 - 150 Sap Sak taps - Sold sap.
https://www.larrybohenwebsolutions.com
Some have self draining gravel floors....
60ish taps on buckets
D&G Sportsman 18x63
Turbo RB15 RO Bucket
Drains are very handy to have especially around the evaporator. We will be doing some drain troughs in the concrete when we build our sugar shack.
305 taps on 2 Shurflo's, 31 taps on 3/16" and 229 taps on gravity. 565 in all
Mountain Maple S3 controller for 145 of the vacuum taps
2x6 Darveau Mystique Oil Fired Evaporator w/ Smoky Lake Simplicity Auto Draw
Wesfab 7” filter press
No, believe it or not… people used to make syrup right out there in the woods. Stood right there on dirty and leaves ahd made syrup. I have heard some of them even did it over an open fire. If it didn’t drain well, probably found a higher spot the next year. Very few things you actually “need” to make syrup. You need time, motivation, the right weather, supportive family, source of fire, access to tree’s, boiling vessel, and most importantly maple sap. Have fun, make syrup
Need? No. But I doubt there are many people who regret including them in their build. I sure wish I had them.
-Ryan
Went off the deep end. Might be in over my head...
What exactly happens in a sugarhouse that requires drains in the floor? I am just a small scale hobbyist....90 taps on a 2x4 Mason. I have never in 20 years wished I had, or needed, drains in my floor.
Just curious. Is it something about larger commercial operations? Post-season power washing? Reassurance against major spills or leaks? Butchering goats between boils?
16x24 Timber Frame Sugar House
Mason 2x4 Evaporator
90 trees on buckets
I built our sugarhouse with a concrete floor and do not regret it. Put a drain in the corner which comes in very handy when it’s time to clean up. Being able to hose the whole floor down at the end of the day keeps everything clean and tidy.
Don’t think it’s really necessary but sure would advise adding it to the plans.
John Allin
14x18 Hemlock Timber Frame Sugar House 2009
Leader 2x6 w/Patriot Raised Flue Pan 2009
Leader Steam Hood 2014 - Clear Filter Press 2015
Leader Revolution Pan and SS Pre-Heater 2016
CDL Hobby RO & Air Tech L25 Hi Vac Pump 2019
06' Gator HPX to collect wood & sap
14' Ski-Doo Tundra for winter work in the woods
Great Family 3 grown kids+spouses and 7 grand kids who like the woods
7th Gen Born in Canada - Raised in Chardon Ohio - Maple Capital of the World..<grin>.
Well, some folks run their RO right into the floor drain after their permeate tanks are full or during a rinse cycle. I can also say that we've probably all spilled syrup, sap, or concentrate and floor drains make any cleanup like that easier. Plus yeah, just washing everything. Anytime you make it easier to keep stuff clean, there's a better chance it'll get cleaned.
-Ryan
Went off the deep end. Might be in over my head...
16x24 Timber Frame Sugar House
Mason 2x4 Evaporator
90 trees on buckets
We have a 1200 tap operation in Vermont a large sugarhouse with a crushed stone floor. Not a season goes by that we don't regret it. keeping the evaporator level year to year is a challenge. Simple things like sitting in a bar stool without tipping over, and rolling a drum of syrup on a syrup dolly would be a lot easier on concrete.
When I built my tiny sugar house off the back of my shed the first thing I did was pour concrete. No drain but if I had one I would run the water coming off the hood into it when the bucket catch was full, that's how I would use it.
19x48 mini pro oil fired, Nano R/O, CDL Vacuum Press,Mountain Maple Vacuum setup
6x12 sugar house off back of shed
2024-103 Taps Mostly Sugars, Dozen Reds
"The days are long, but the years are short"