BayAreaBucker
ArboristSite Operative
Uncovered till the rainy season, then tarp it. Like others said, let the sun and wind do it's thing.
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Covering wood piles...
- Thread starter Adam_MA
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KsWoodsMan
Addicted to ArboristSite
I do the first method, maybe not just-as-soon-as it gets stacked. The less rain water that gets on it the less that has to be evaporated. The drier it gets sooner the less I lose to rot and fungus. With a tarp covering just the top of the stacks the sun and wind gets to the sides. I've checked for condensation under the tarp and dont find any. I feel confident that my wood will be ready every Winter. So far it has worked as expected.
wistattman
ArboristSite Lurker
I don't cover my woodpile during the summer months. Labor day weekend, I start moving the wood into woodshed and basement. I really hate digging the wood out of snow or getting rained on when I'm trying to burn it.
It's a lot of work, but I figure its part of my health plan - work up another sweat doing that.
Gary
It's a lot of work, but I figure its part of my health plan - work up another sweat doing that.
Gary
I tested uncovered last year, now I am back to just covering the tops. I found that too much water was retained left uncovered. My seasoning area is not in full sun all day so I have to keep as much water off thepiles as possible. I use 4mil black plastic on the tops.
Bass
ArboristSite Member
i have two stacks that i put up maybe a month ago. each holds maybe three cord
one stack was i covered with rubber roofing and the other i left open.
i was adding more wood yesterday so i uncovered the covered stack and found TONS of ants and eggs but the uncovered stack had none.
game plan now is everything uncovered until the fall
one stack was i covered with rubber roofing and the other i left open.
i was adding more wood yesterday so i uncovered the covered stack and found TONS of ants and eggs but the uncovered stack had none.
game plan now is everything uncovered until the fall
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J.W Younger
ass kissing impaired
I hate tarps.
audible fart
MS390 OAK CZAR
If you're talking about fall i'm with you. If you're talking about summer storms I'd say you're just enjoying killing time; which is fine. Even a forecast of 5 days of rain in summer matters not with an equal dry time span in september.
Idk I like letting the least amount of water in as possible. And i usually have idiots stack it and it doesn't get much air as it could. This year im doing it all myself and will see what im going to do with covering.
Matt
prentice110
SpongeBob Fap Pants
In my experiance when you cover the pile you end up holding the moisture in. I talked with a guy by me once who sells around 6000 face cords a year about this once, and he said he covers his in late fall just so his guys dont have to go digging in the snow for it. I only split about 300 face a year and Ive been diggin in the snow for it since I was little so it dont bother me much. I dont see any reason to cover it at all.
Oregon_Grown
ArboristSite Operative
Oh Well
After reading all the posts, I am wondering if I am working to hard! Building a wood shed for my annual 2 cords. I get mine in mid to early summer, let it air out in the 17% humidity of the summer and will shed it now I have since gone to far on this project to stop. Oh well .. that's a girl for ya
After reading all the posts, I am wondering if I am working to hard! Building a wood shed for my annual 2 cords. I get mine in mid to early summer, let it air out in the 17% humidity of the summer and will shed it now I have since gone to far on this project to stop. Oh well .. that's a girl for ya
thumper144
ArboristSite Lurker
wood shed..or not
My question is will you get more life out of a piece of wood that is covered? My brother claims he has wood that is over 10 yrs old and burns great...not over dry. He attributes this to his woodshed. He tends to exaggerate, so I am asking you. If I build a wood shed will I be able to get the same burn times and btu's approximately out of wood that is 5-6yrs old verses wood that is 2yrs old? Ron
My question is will you get more life out of a piece of wood that is covered? My brother claims he has wood that is over 10 yrs old and burns great...not over dry. He attributes this to his woodshed. He tends to exaggerate, so I am asking you. If I build a wood shed will I be able to get the same burn times and btu's approximately out of wood that is 5-6yrs old verses wood that is 2yrs old? Ron
Oregon_Grown
ArboristSite Operative
Scratching Head!
I have no idea! LOL a woman with no answer! Amazing. Anyway I was told that the dryer the better. Though steam does increase temperature at least it feels that way I think the type of wood is what makes the BTUs higher, like Madrone over Pine. Madrone burns very hot and I get mix of oak and madrone to maintain a fire. I use pine or cedar to start it. Anyway, I was told the dryer it is the less problems you will have with gunk in the pipe. BUT I am a novice not an expert and a shed is going to look a lot better than a pile along my driveway. Also I can put my axe in my shed for convenience.
I have no idea! LOL a woman with no answer! Amazing. Anyway I was told that the dryer the better. Though steam does increase temperature at least it feels that way I think the type of wood is what makes the BTUs higher, like Madrone over Pine. Madrone burns very hot and I get mix of oak and madrone to maintain a fire. I use pine or cedar to start it. Anyway, I was told the dryer it is the less problems you will have with gunk in the pipe. BUT I am a novice not an expert and a shed is going to look a lot better than a pile along my driveway. Also I can put my axe in my shed for convenience.
If its off the ground and dry it will burn the same in 10 years vs 1 year. Think off the wood your house is made of its going to burn the same the day its put in vs 20 years later (sorta...).
I have a cord and a 1/2 in the barn for emergency... if you will. And at least 10 outside stacked and covered. Just got 2 cut stacked and split today and its only June. So i have a total of 5 cords split and stacked and and unlimited amount in the woods.
Nothing like a wood shed move the snow from in front of it and you have dry wood with no frozen ice and snow all over to bring in the house.
Matt
Doesn't relay matter that you a woman? Does it?
#### that's all punked and powder dry is useless (i just leave it in the woods) but that's only cause it rotted out sitting on the wet ground.
Matt
Oregon_Grown
ArboristSite Operative
Wa la
See someone had the answer. And no being a woman makes no difference, I just know you guys know a lot more about this stuff than I and I am all ears if it's going to help me. Got the OSB down for the floor of my shed! Now I know why I am not into construction!
See someone had the answer. And no being a woman makes no difference, I just know you guys know a lot more about this stuff than I and I am all ears if it's going to help me. Got the OSB down for the floor of my shed! Now I know why I am not into construction!
I love Osb its cheap strong easy to nail and screw. Not great when roofing, heavy slippery when wet but I'm a fan. Ok in done ranting about osb a shed is a great thing and is well worth it.
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