Tell me why or why not to put a tarp over my woodpile.

[logbutcher]

With the OCD Woodpiles I have, here's what has worked for us:

Early firewood gets Nude stacked--open racks for mid to later fall burning ( ~1.5 cords). It is said, mythbuster checked, that rains "push out" the sap (local hearsay that does the job, for the past 11 years at least). Early burns often get the softwood blowdown pieces that don't get to the hot tub stove.

The winter firewood gets stacked in the main woodshed ( ~ 5 cords).

Next to the backdoor is an attached woodshed with ~ .5 cord for those heavy snow/rain days when you don't want to run out to the main woodshed or outside racks to fill the stove wood racks for the day. Or, lazy.

No "rules" of drying or seasoning, just what works for the 24/7, 99.99% wood heating we do. Yes, some odd pieces do sizzle some at loading, but most do fine.
No time for moisture meters (the M² only get the wood surface), getting wood 5 years ahead, or storing firewood for much more than a couple of years. Cut in winter for next year's burning. Works and has worked fine. No creosote. No worry about chimney fires. Spring brushing of the flues, good stove maintenance (one cat, one non-cat), and safe burning.

 

[komatsuvarna]

Sounds like alot of work. Tarp,un-tarp. Stack and let it dry,un-stack and carry the whole pile inside and stack again. Im not moving mine around.To much work and i got enough stuff to do with out re-aranging my wood piles. It may not be the right way to do it, But i stack mine it a 10x16 wood shed and thats were it stays till i put a load on the porch ready for the heater.Not had a problem yet.

 

[headleyj]

alot of good information here

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=128354

not all of it pertains to your situation specifically though

 

[Upidstay]

Think I'll try tarpless this year. Had my 5 cord tarped tight last year. We had a ridiculously wet year, thought it was a good idea. Losts of precip, and just generally wet or damp most of the year. Had LOTS of mold on my firewood. Seems the general consensus is to leave it open until fall, so I'll try that.

 

[deerlakejens]

I tarped a pile of maple the first year I got serious about burning for heat and ended up with a heavy mildew coating on all the wood. That wood started getting punky faster than wood just left out in the weather, as it seemed to trap moisture coming out of the ground as well as what was in the wood. Ever since, I have used the metal roofing panels tied down on top and have been very happy with the results. The panels are easy to handle and about indestructible. Found them used for free on CL.

 

[woodguy105]

Untarped till mid summer~ then just covered with a tarp, sides stay open. After last years rain rain and more rain the longer I have a tarp on top the better..JMHO

 

[atlarge54]

I'm solidly in the tarp it camp, but I'm almost always a few years ahead with my supply. The wood I burnt this year had a couple years of seasoning under a tarp piled not stacked. The wood was beautiful---dry and burnt sweet. If I put a piece in that wasn't under the tarp it was obvious when the boiler door opened the damp wood looked like wood the dry wood looked like coals.

The tarps they sell at the box stores are JUNK. The stuff I'm using is what they cover those monster corn piles with at the grain mill. My neighbor gave me some about 4 years ago and it's still in great shape. The junk tarps seem like they let water in but don't let it escape.

 

[Oldtimer]

You want to stack it neatly in rows, and cover it with sheets of steel roofing, allowing it to overlap in the center and leave a good 10" overhanging each side. I'm telling you.

 

[MJR]

Tarp it in the summer and the mice will love ya.

 

[fatjoe]

Uncovered in the sun on pallets or anything to keep it out of the dirt/grass/mud.Put under tarps, roof or cellar before snow/freezing temps.Usually mind November.

 

[mga]

I leave mine uncovered all spring,summer,fall long then cover near winter to keep snow off. I hate hauling in snow covered wood.

:agree2:

i do the same.

 

[ray benson]

I only cover/tarp in the late fall, and remove it after heating season. Which is usually late April.

 

[flewism]

I only cover/tarp in the late fall, and remove it after heating season. Which is usually late April.

:agree2: I do the same, nothing gets covered until the snow is ready to fly.

 

[logbutcher]

Just say no to tarping---waste of material, waste of time, snake breeder.

You heat with wood, it's time for a wood shed. Build it. Easy, cheap, permanent, keeps your hair from getting messed in the snow.

Ours from online plans is a pole shed. Once the spruce poles were ready, it was up in a day. Scrap flitch boards from a friend's mill for the sides, pallets (free) for the floor, FG roof. Choose the size that fits. Simple. No more tarps.

P.S If I wasn't such a luddite, there could be pics.

 

[gallegosmike]

I say tarp it if you live in a area with termites. I place my wood on pallets that have been treated with termite killer. Also I make sure that they are in a location that gets alot of sunshine. I get temps in the mid 90's during the summer time. I use dark colored tarps to maximize long sun days to roast bugs inside the wood.