Do Sugarhouses Need Concrete Floors & Drains?

[TapTapTap]

I spill a drop and suddenly the entire floor is sticky as it gets tracked everywhere.. I couldn't live without a floor drain. And of course the other name for sugaring season is Mud Season so it's not all about cleaning up spilled syrup. Plus, I'm wood fired so there's a lot of wood debris to clean.

Not only do I have 3 drains in my modest 16x34 sugar house, I also have concrete frost walls extending 12" above the slab which makes it even easier to clean.

The only regret is that I should have built our residence the same way. Ha ha.


Ken

[TrentonMaple]

12x16 Sugarhouse. Built on concrete pier footers with wood frame on top.

If I had to do it again, without a doubt...poured concrete slab and frost wall. I would love to have a floor I could hose off and a drain in it.

[DMF]

We live on a steep slope so we built our sugar shack on piers but we poured a cement floor as well. I framed the floor 12' OC, used 3/4" T&G PT plywood, plastic sheeting over that and 3" of reinforced concrete. 5 years and no cracks in the floor (sound of me knocking on wood over here). I wish I have added floor drains on either side of the evaporator. I suppose I could add them now, and I'll probably talk to my concrete guy about it, but I'm afraid it will cause the rest of the floor to crack. We plan to add an addition for a kitchen/work area. That floor will have the drains in it for sure.