to cover or not to cover ?

[pmfiore]

i have been talking to people about covering wood piles with tarps some people say yes some people say no whats the answer?if i cover it am i doing the wrong thing.does it mean that my wood will not season?if i leave it uncovered does it not season because of the moisture?can somebody give me the right answer please.i just want to do the right thing i had put in a stove in a year ago and bought wood .this is the first year that i had cut and split and stacked and hauled so i want the most for all my effort.

 

[mga]

i don't cover mine after i split it and stack it.

but, i keep the wood like 300 feet away from the house until the fall, then i bring it up near the house and re-stack it. it's then that i cover it to keep the snow and ice off of it.

moving it again is alot of work, but it keeps the mice and bugs away from the house.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

i have been talking to people about covering wood piles with tarps some people say yes some people say no whats the answer?if i cover it am i doing the wrong thing.does it mean that my wood will not season?if i leave it uncovered does it not season because of the moisture?can somebody give me the right answer please.i just want to do the right thing i had put in a stove in a year ago and bought wood .this is the first year that i had cut and split and stacked and hauled so i want the most for all my effort.

Stack your wood in nice, neat rows in the sun and wind and cover the tops of them with black plastic, pieces of metal, pieces of wood-anything that will keep rain from dripping down into the pile. Leave the sides open and exposed to the elements to allow airflow. Check out the thread "firewood tarps" that is going on now-it's related to this question. You'll be fine-just don't "seal" the whole pile with a tarp, as this locks in moisture like a ziploc bag. Just cover the TOP! Good luck!

 

[wobdee]

I think it depends on different situations. If you live in a wetter humid climate and cut, split and stack in the spring, then want to burn it that fall, you have to cover it. If your in a dryer climate, no need to cover except in the fall/winter to keep the snow off.

The best thing to do is get at least 1 year ahead on your firewood supply. Then you really don't have to cover it unless it's stacked in a wet, shady place with lack of good air circulation.

If you do cover it, just cover the top, and if you can, keep an air space between the cover and the tarp. Also try to find a place where the wood will be exposed to the most sun and wind.

 

[alderman]

Cover and sun

Out here in Oregon we get so much rain that it requires some type of cover to keep it somewhat dry. I mostly use plastic but cut it just wide enough to cover the pile with a couple inches of overhang on each side. The stuff on the bottom never gets dry until I put it into the wood shed.
One thing I've noticed is it makes a big difference if you can place your stack where it will get direct sunlight. Out here it can cut drying time in 1/2.
I'm usually two years ahead on my cutting so it gets at least two summers to cure.

 

[Wismer]

We get a fair amount of rain here in Ontario and I don't cover my firewood. It can hinder evaporation. Contrary to popular belief rain actually speeds up drying time because as the rain evaporates off the wood, it takes some interior moisture with it.

 

[City Slicker]

Well how about

I stack mine three or four rows wide and cover with scrap 4'X12' pieces of steel siding - air gets in the side, but sheds water off of top.

 

[andysheffield]

Personally I use corrugated metal "lids" tied through drilled holes with bailing twine secured under the pallets. Certainly some form of protection is required here, this year at least as it hasn't stopped raining for about 4 months and this is supposed to be summer!

 

[aokpops]

split an stack it then cover the top .let the pile sit for about a year this will take care of about 99 percent oh the bugs the wood will make great heat an easy to start

 

[beelsr]

I just designed the covers for my wood piles. I leave wood uncovered during the summer and early fall but cover it up when it starts raining late fall and then snowing. I was using some old tyvek-type sheets that lumber is wrapped in when shipped but they were getting ratty.

I scored a couple huge pieces of rolled roofing, fairly thick stuff. I'm going to cut them to fit the top with some overhang. I'll get some golf balls from the driving range and drill a hole in the middle. I'll fill up milk/detergent/distilled h2o bottles partway with water and thread some 1/8" nylon through the handle and through the golf ball. Then, I'll wrap the golf ball with the tarp at the attachment point and tie it off with some nylon tiewraps.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Contrary to popular belief rain actually speeds up drying time because as the rain evaporates off the wood, it takes some interior moisture with it.

I would like to hear more about this theory; please tell us about it! I've never heard this.

 

[wobdee]

We get a fair amount of rain here in Ontario and I don't cover my firewood. It can hinder evaporation. Contrary to popular belief rain actually speeds up drying time because as the rain evaporates off the wood, it takes some interior moisture with it.

This is an old wives tale. If it were true people would be hosing down their firewood every other day.

Best to be 1 year ahead and you shouldn't have to worry about it.