i grew up in northern california(mendocino county) house was heated solely on wood heat. dad never tarped it or had it covered in any way. never had a problem. i just moved to oregon(eugene) and keep getting told its just about mandatory to tarp or store under cover. trees came down last year and its mainly oak and cedar. so whats the consenus on tarping wood???
To Tarp Or Not To Tarp That Is The Question
- Thread starter ironpig70
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
OilHead
ArboristSite Guru
Yeah maybe 50 years ago you could get away with it. Get real smokin up the whole canyon is stupid as hell unnessary. Its bad for people with breatin problems , soots up stove & stove pipe does nothin but produce loads of carbon. If everyone does like your suggesting it will only lead to a complete ban on burnin wood. In some places even EPA approved stoves are not allowed in any new construction. Ever been on the road behind someone whose vehicle is bilchin out black carbon & unburnt fuel & said what a piece of ????. Well same thing .
LarryTheCableGuy
Addicted to ArboristSite
I only tarp mine in the winter to keep the snow off of it as well as the drippy, melting snow from the trees above my woodpiles.
.
.
If tarps are used, just on the top, leave the sides open.
Wood soaks up moisture from the ends. Very little from the sides so a stack untarped after a rain will have a layer of damp (surface only) wood on top with everything below dry. Of course that is in reasonable conditions. In a very high rainfall area, I would tarp it.
Harry K
Wood soaks up moisture from the ends. Very little from the sides so a stack untarped after a rain will have a layer of damp (surface only) wood on top with everything below dry. Of course that is in reasonable conditions. In a very high rainfall area, I would tarp it.
Harry K
Same here, tarp in late fall after a few dry, windy days.
OilHead
ArboristSite Guru
There is a saying that comes from people who make BBQ with smokers. It goes like this - If the smoke is white the fire is right. No pun intended. Hi
Tarp the top and let the tarp hang over the edges about 6 or 8 inches. This will keep stuff from falling out of the trees above (I stack my wood in a small forest), keep the rain off the wood but still allow most of the sides of the woodpile to be exposed to the wind to assist in drying. This also keeps most of the snow off your wood.
Also, I stack my wood in three rows of 16 inch logs. I make the middle row the tallest so that when I throw the tarp over it, there's a bit of a slope to either side so the rain tends to run right off the sides of the tarp. Works a bit with snow as well, but depends on how heavy the snow is.
Also, I stack my wood in three rows of 16 inch logs. I make the middle row the tallest so that when I throw the tarp over it, there's a bit of a slope to either side so the rain tends to run right off the sides of the tarp. Works a bit with snow as well, but depends on how heavy the snow is.
Last edited:
Shespen
ArboristSite Member
Welcome to the Blue tarp state.
Since I live across the highway from you in "springtucky" and have lived in the area for 30 years I highly recommend that you tarp it down... tight! You moved up to the rainforest. The university mascot is a duck fer crissakes. You are surronded by "wetlands". Rivers everywhere. The Pacific is an hour away just on the other side of the coast hills that only an easterner would call mountains. Not big enough to sheild the valley from the gale force winds. Back east they call them hurricanes. Here they call them gusts.
Split the oak small and it will dry out faster. The cedar is good for kindling but it burns too fast to be used as firewood.
Since I live across the highway from you in "springtucky" and have lived in the area for 30 years I highly recommend that you tarp it down... tight! You moved up to the rainforest. The university mascot is a duck fer crissakes. You are surronded by "wetlands". Rivers everywhere. The Pacific is an hour away just on the other side of the coast hills that only an easterner would call mountains. Not big enough to sheild the valley from the gale force winds. Back east they call them hurricanes. Here they call them gusts.
Split the oak small and it will dry out faster. The cedar is good for kindling but it burns too fast to be used as firewood.
Highclimber OR
ArboristSite Operative
I live In Portland and I am saying tarp it. It's all about the "Liquid Sunshine" up here. Wait for the rainy season if you don't believe me, we get pounded with rain.:hmm3grin2orange:
