To cover or not???

[wood4heat]

I have a bit of a problem, it seems I cut more wood than I have room for and about 2 cord will have to spend the winter outside. Oh the horror right? Anyway my questions is should I tarp it? It's not split and I see people around town with stacks of split firewood uncovered so I'm wondering if they know something I don't. Right now I have the rounds stacked on top of pressure treated 4X6's laid vertically on the edge of the driveway in front of my shop. If I don't plan to burn this wood until next winter would it be best to leave it uncovered or should I throw a tarp over it?

 

[greendohn]

I believe the general consensus is to cover only the top on split wood, I don't know what the rule of thumb is on "rounds",,
having it off the ground sounds good, surely couldn't hurt to cover the top.

 

[farmer steve]

if its green i wouldn't bother. dry rounds i would cover the top. and also depends on when you might want to split it. i hate handling wet wood.

 

[greendohn]

^^yep, what he said^^

 

[mainewoods]

I would top cover it myself. It makes me feel better knowing it isn't encased in ice and snow for 6 months. You might decide to go out and split some on a warm winter day, and nothings worse than chiseling frozen rounds apart. JMO

 

[wood4heat]

Thanks for all the advice!

I guess I should have given a little more info. I am in the PNW where we get more rain in the winter than freezing weather. The rounds are dry now. I won't need any of it this year and would like to split it next spring. my fear was encouraging rot, it is about 70% Doug Fir with a little pine, Maple, and Alder mixed in.

 

[1project2many]

We're in a humid area with plenty of precipitation also. For piled outdoor storage I raise the platform up 10" - 15" to get airflow underneath and cover the top to prevent falling precipitation from soaking the pile. I leave the sides open. This allows moisture rising from the soil to blow away or dry out. Wood covered in a tarp doesn't last as long around here.

 

[sunfish]

My wood is split and stacked on pallets uncovered for a 1/2 to 1 year.
Then stacked in the wood shed for 1-2 years before use.

 

[flotek]

Wood doesn't truly season till it's split and cut to length

If it rains a lot in your area cover it

If you do cover it cover it ,cover only the top of the stacks

Once it's dry and seasoned .. In the fall move it to the woodshed or indoors

 

[CRThomas]

I don't cover anyofmy wood hen they bring a semi load its back up wood I have some light poles they stack it across them I have one load been there for a year and a half. Chunks I stack them on plastic pallets some of my chunks are three years old and still good. Some time the large chunks split in too save me trouble. I have a acre covered up I won't get it sold in my life time. That's the reason I bought another building and 6 acres to stock pile on it has a couple acres of timber cut down and pile up for some time Ash is going to get hard to fine and I want all I can get people are starting to love that Ash as firewood. I need to fire up my Processer but it kills me to take good dry wood to town and dump it for $50.00 or $60.00 when that bundled wholesale is $250.00. No I stay with the bundled. (later)

 

[wood4heat]

So I have a few rolls of heavy tar paper left from when I did my roof a few years back and decided to roll one out across the top of the stack and staple it into place. Then came the wind, strongest winds we've had up at our place in several years. I woke up this morning to find branches everywhere and my neatly stacked row spread across the driveway in front to the shop.

 

[zogger]

So I have a few rolls of heavy tar paper left from when I did my roof a few years back and decided to roll one out across the top of the stack and staple it into place. Then came the wind, strongest winds we've had up at our place in several years. I woke up this morning to find branches everywhere and my neatly stacked row spread across the driveway in front to the shop.

I cover the tops of my this years burning wood with old plastic broiler house wall plastic. You REALLY have to throw a whole bunch of heavy uglies up there to keep it in place. Not enough, the wind will just blow it off. I never considered staples..and I still won't.

I guess you could also say every 4 feet or so take two cinder blocks on the ground, opposite each other on the stack, rope them together so they are connected and holding the tarp/whatever down.

 

[CRThomas]

I never cover my wood and have no problem like say the bark up like a rain suit.

 

[JeffHK454]

I cover up the wood for that season right when I start burning for the year, I usually have 6 cord set aside each year and they all get covered sometime mid October. I don't like messin with wet, snowy firewood when I'm bringing in my weeks supply to the garage. When I bring a split in my house it's going directly into the furnace ..I don't pile wood around in my basement , I don't care what anybody says I want the bugs outside as much as possible.

To the OP, I never cover anything any other time.

 

[Whitespider]

 

[CRThomas]

That's all right lost in the 50's

 

[066blaster]

Covering the top won't hurt it. If it keeps the rain off go for it. In wi I consider winter a neutral time. Don't really think it's dries at all, most of the time it's froze solid if still green. I just let it sit in the snow.

 

[Ambull01]

View attachment 379122 View attachment 379123 View attachment 379124

Now that is a professional looking supply of firewood.

 

[CRThomas]

The reason I use a Kiln to dry wood I if its frozen no problem

 

[066blaster]

The reason I use a Kiln to dry wood I if its frozen no problem

How much was your kiln?How big is it? Give us some insight. Please. And a photo. Can it be done for under a grand? What kind of temp does it have to maintain?