Stacks.....tarps on top or not needed?

[logbutcher]

No I am not that "Shane" from that old Western, LOL!
I am right from Maine just like you too. What part of Maine are you from ?
I am with you on building a woodshed! It is probably a good idea too!

Too bad--we could do the "Shane! Shane!" thing here.

We're in the Deer Isle area.

When it was time to quit the working life, earlier than planned, a woodlot and rural environment was the choice. ( Read The Pee Rule) The woodshed (sorry guys I'm still ignorant of the pic technique ) was a simple pole build from softwood blowdowns. Semi open sides of flitch boards from a mill (scrap cutoffs), free pallets for the floor, and a few bought 2x10's for racking with cement blocks for support, and a corregated fiberglass roof was the simple build. Total cost ~ $200. for 5-6 cords storage plus some tools and the snowblower. The FG roof was a big error; should have used corregated steel since it was the same price but stronger. Directly attached to the house with its own door is a smaller woodshed with maybe 1/2 cord for storm use. The rest of the 1-2 cords of stacks are open-no covers. No central heating BTW; an Empire LP space heater will keep 1/2 of the building up to +/- 50 F when we're gone for more than a day in winter. The other half has no plumbing or water pipes.

There are a few neat simple pole shed designs online.

 

[stihly dan]

I have to say i think I know why the westerners say no cover. With this springs lack of rain, no humidity, and wind, my wood pile that is waiting to be stacked and covered, is seasoning faster than i have ever seen it. It must be nice not to have to worry that the wood won't dry in time. I have never seen such a warm, dry, windy time around here, evan in the summer.

 

[openloop]

Spring and fall, tops covered.... mid summer, nothing on em unless I see rain predicted for several days straight.

Although last spring I cut down a honey locust (leaves were out), split it and stacked it with a tarp on the top only and by winter the wood was at or below 13% in the center of the splits. Even if the rain doesnt soak into the center of the wood, the time it takes to evaporate is adding to the time the stuff in the center doesnt. Common sense would indicate that if the goal is to dry something you shouldnt allow it to get wet in the process. :msp_smile:

 

[logbutcher]

Build It

Spring and fall, tops covered.... mid summer, nothing on em unless I see rain predicted for several days straight.
Although last spring I cut down a honey locust (leaves were out), split it and stacked it with a tarp on the top only and by winter the wood was at or below 13% in the center of the splits. Even if the rain doesnt soak into the center of the wood, the time it takes to evaporate is adding to the time the stuff in the center doesnt. Common sense would indicate that if the goal is to dry something you shouldnt allow it to get wet in the process. :msp_smile:

No science to this "wetness" discussion OL...yet. Many leave open stacks to season; in the years of doing it that way before building the woodsheds, the drying of the open stacks worked out fine for heating. The mm of rain were not affecting the seasoning; may have in fact, from experience, helped the seasoning. Simply another way to look at firewood seasoning. Those so-called moisture meters ( M² ) BTW do nothing for firewood since the pins ( technically used for milling ) read only a couple of mm even in the split center. Here are ~ 2 cords in open stacks dependent on woodshed space, species, convenience, how much was harvested over the winter. Rain wet seasoned splits do fine for the wood stoves here at least where the humidity ( sea ) is high year-round.

Remember that rain water is not the same as wood moisture. Rain wet wood expands and contracts with sun, wind, temperature aiding seasoning IMNSHO.:msp_smile:

So, no tarps ( sauna ) butt solid covers with air space if you need to get fussy. With the 6-8 cords used each year, there's no time for fuss.

Build it Steve :msp_thumbsup:

From my first D.I. Trainer: " 'Common Sense' ain't common."

 

[openloop]

No science to this "wetness" discussion OL...yet. Many leave open stacks to season; in the years of doing it that way before building the woodsheds, the drying of the open stacks worked out fine for heating. The mm of rain were not affecting the seasoning; may have in fact, from experience, helped the seasoning. Simply another way to look at firewood seasoning. Those so-called moisture meters ( M² ) BTW do nothing for firewood since the pins ( technically used for milling ) read only a couple of mm even in the split center. Here are ~ 2 cords in open stacks dependent on woodshed space, species, convenience, how much was harvested over the winter. Rain wet seasoned splits do fine for the wood stoves here at least where the humidity ( sea ) is high year-round.

Remember that rain water is not the same as wood moisture. Rain wet wood expands and contracts with sun, wind, temperature aiding seasoning IMNSHO.:msp_smile:

So, no tarps ( sauna ) butt solid covers with air space if you need to get fussy. With the 6-8 cords used each year, there's no time for fuss.

Build it Steve :msp_thumbsup:

From my first D.I. Trainer: " 'Common Sense' ain't common."

For clarification the way I use a MM is to pull a split off the pile AND SPLIT IT AGAIN then take the reading on the surface that used to be the center of the split.

 

[Streblerm]

For clarification the way I use a MM is to pull a split off the pile AND SPLIT IT AGAIN then take the reading on the surface that used to be the center of the split.

No use arguing with logbutcher about moisture meters. I think one killed his dog or something:msp_wink:

 

[logbutcher]

Testo RIP

No use arguing with logbutcher about moisture meters. I think one killed his dog or something:msp_wink:

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Streb, you nailed me. It was those tiny tiny mm pins on the M² that did Testo ( Ger. Pointer ) in.
How'd the H you know that ?:msp_scared:

Fact check: however you feel about a tool has nothing to do with its utility. Split and split away as often as you want, 1 or 5 mm of insertion doesn't say anything about the rest of that split or the interior of that sample split. It's science. However, if it makes you feel good, feel away. It could help.

LB guidelines for seasoned firewood that are necessary and sufficient (endless repetition ):
1. Heat 24/7 with and cut or scrounge your own for at least 2 winters .
2. Weigh ready-to-burn splits in your hand compared to fresh splits of the same species.
3. End grain checks.
4. Color (CA. - colour)-may be a weathered gray.
5. Baseball bat technique: 2 splits banged together ring, not dull thud.
6. Does the split sizzle in the burner ? Ergo: not seasoned or maybe just superficially wet from rain/snow.
7. Final, the Snort: seasoned splits usually have no or little odor ( except cedars ). e.g. fresh cut Red Oak smells like old cat urine.

For the M² enthusiasts ( Testo not included ): one purchase will pay for a good single malt or a case+ of my fav micro brew. More productive IMNSHO.


Testo is long buried.....RIP.

 

[Fred Wright]

Agreed, ambient climate has much to do with how firewood is stored outdoors.

Here in Lower, Slower Delaware it's very humid and damp all year 'round. Summers are worse than winters for relative humidity. Cover is 6-mil plastic sheeting over the top only with a foot or so of overhang to keep the rain off.

The high humidity causes firewood to mold, mildew and rot prematurely, even when covered. I'd love to have a stash like Spidey's laid in but it ain't practical around here. 2 years in advance is good.

I try to stay 2 years ahead with the wood piles. I haven't covered my recent pile yet, it won't be needed for a couple years anyhow. I'll cover it sometime this summer and be done with it. Right now it ain't gonna matter. The pile for next winter is seasoned and covered.

 

[JimiLL]

Ive found that rain and sunlight can help weather a wood and make it dry faster...it seems as though the rain can help "open up" some of the fibers... which in turn makes it easier for moisture to escape.

I only cover wood when the leaves start to fall and after its been dry for at least a few days. Leaves that fall off trees onto your pile and then get wet can trap moisture and start the rotting process

 

[openloop]

Until I see some science that points to rainfall on the wood helping it to dry, I think Ill stick to the theory that if you want wood to dry...you should keep it.....dry. :dunno:

 

[JimiLL]

Well i may have a hard time finding someone to fund such a scientific project.. or even be interested in it.

Kinda like how wood shrinks when it dries....and expands a little when wet again....then dries out in a couple days so it constricts again... all this is happening at a fiber level. When they grow and contract... it opens up spaces between the fibers which will help moisture escape from further inside the log.

Again, no studies to prove this.. just my 2 cents

 

[JimiLL]

Also when it comes time to cover I like to use mill plastic (painters plastic) to cover the wood. Its dirt cheap, you can cut it to just the right size for the top of the pile, and then I even get the staple gun out and fasten her down right to the firewood. No blow offs, no putting anything over the top of tarps to keep them down.

Then just rip it off as needed and throw away when piles is done

 

[openloop]

Well i may have a hard time finding someone to fund such a scientific project.. or even be interested in it.

Kinda like how wood shrinks when it dries....and expands a little when wet again....then dries out in a couple days so it constricts again... all this is happening at a fiber level. When they grow and contract... it opens up spaces between the fibers which will help moisture escape from further inside the log.

Again, no studies to prove this.. just my 2 cents

I think you're forgetting the reason the wood is expanding is because IT IS ABSORBING WATER. When that water evaporates yeah it shrinks back down... but in the time it took to evaporate from the surface, nothing was evaporating from the center. If the wood sits in the rain for two days then takes 5 days to dry out to the same dryness it was before the rain you just lost a week of drying time. Without the top being covered this happens over and over all year long.

Only on the internet will you find people convinced that getting something wet will cause it to dry out faster. :bang:

 

[J1m]

Only on the internet will you find people convinced that getting something wet will cause it to dry out faster. :bang:

I'm not advocating getting your wood wet...but ever lick your chapped lips?? Just sayin...

 

[openloop]

I'm not advocating getting your wood wet...but ever lick your chapped lips?? Just sayin...

Well lips chap because of a lack of oil due to licking... thats why we put grease on them (chapstick). The reason licking makes them worse is because you are continually removing the needed oils while agitating the already damaged tissue. Nice try tho...

 

[J1m]

Well lips chap because of a lack of oil due to licking...

Actually you made my point perfectly, thanks! What you said in the first post was that getting something wet doesn't dry it out...But getting your lips wet...Well, it dries them out.

 

[Jeremy102579]

Thanks for the input people. With the Heavy Wet snow coming tomorrow and tuesday.....Ive decided to only cover the tops of stacked facecords I will be using next winter......the stacks for the following winter are left uncovered. Being short on tarps as well....that is all i could cover anyways. I will prob leave the tarps on the tops all year.

Let the debate continue........

 

[JimiLL]

Well lips chap because of a lack of oil due to licking... thats why we put grease on them (chapstick). The reason licking makes them worse is because you are continually removing the needed oils while agitating the already damaged tissue. Nice try tho...

Now your a chainsaw guy turned doctor?

The internet is full of people who think they know everything because they know one thing well. Ever see extremely intelligent people tout and profess about how smart they are? Neither have I. They just are smart they dont have to prove it. Like some people with complexes

 

[JimiLL]

Thanks for the input people. With the Heavy Wet snow coming tomorrow and tuesday.....Ive decided to only cover the tops of stacked facecords I will be using next winter......the stacks for the following winter are left uncovered. Being short on tarps as well....that is all i could cover anyways. I will prob leave the tarps on the tops all year.

Let the debate continue........

I would without a doubt cover it if you plan on getting snow. Rain moisture can evaporate in a day or so, snow keeps it wet until it melts, then it can have a chance to dry out after that

 

[openloop]

Actually you made my point perfectly, thanks! What you said in the first post was that getting something wet doesn't dry it out...But getting your lips wet...Well, it dries them out.

No actually removing the oil dries them out....