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

[Jeremy102579]

I know this has probably been asked before but oh well.

What is everyones opinion on placing tarps on top of single stacked rows. I know not over the sides, I mean just on top with some weight on to keep from blowing away?

All of my stacks have the bark facing upward on the top row so that should help deflect some rain.......but what are the advantages and disadvantages of placing a tarp on top of them?

 

[Steve2910]

This has been discussed MANY times here... You're going to wind up w/ an "opinions vary" conclusion.

 

[Jeremy102579]

ok,i willsearch then......please delete this post.

 

[zogger]

It rains a lot here, so I like a top cover. When I lived up north, it snowed and iced a lot, so I liked a top cover there as well.

I imagine if you live in a real dry area, or some place that just gets real light snow, and hardly ever any ice build up, well, skip it. Short of that, why not? It will shed rain, keep you from having to knock ice layers off the wood, and not interfere that much with drying.

I guess if you are real slick with stacking the top layers all bark up, so it really does run off good, you could get away with out any additional covering.

How has it worked out for you, just doing bark up and no top layer of tarp/plastic? Everyone's situation is different, if it has been working for you, then stick with it. If your wood gets and stays wet all the time, then cover it.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Cover in late fall to make it less unpleasant to haul in, instead of knocking snow off every piece.

My opinion, as noted above, others may disagree, is that external moisture (rain, snow, etc.) will dry off in a couple days of good weather. It's the internal moisture that takes time to get rid of.

 

[bobt]

I would cover as you describe if I had the tarps. Actually I would prefer corregated metal. Having said that, we have never had the cover material on hand, and never bought any.

The wood that my Dad burns gets piled up off the ground on small diameter poles in the wind and sun. We also try to pile it bark side up as much as possible. It gets covered by about two feet of snow in the winter and is a real pain to deal with if the wood is needed for the furnace at that time. Never have seen a problem with drying though.

We are fortunate to have an underground garage on the basement, and can just back a pickup load through the door, and stack it all over the pretty spacious basement. We can get about 4 full cords stored that way, so we usually can avoid trying to fool with the snow covered pile.

You might ask well, what about insects? Again we are fortunate, as they are not a problem once the wood is dryed outside. One type of insect can be found on the concrete floor under the wood, and that insect is called a "Pillbug". They look like tiny armadillos about a half inch long with a million little legs on the underside. They cause no problems though.

 

[logbutcher]

1. NO tarps: butt yes to a solid cover with an air space. Think 'sauna' for the splits. Read the "pros" ( the real ones ) comments on drying with wind, sun.
Better---if you really heat with wood, build it.

2. "BARK UP " ?? You're not serious ? :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

JMNSHO

 

[Whitespider]

Like Steve NW WI, I only cover in late fall, and then only some of it, just what I think I might be needing that heating season. And that ain’t much because it’s more like “back-up” wood; I can put several cord in the basement just prior to heating season… easily 5-6 cord, more if I stack some outside the old coal storage room. I wouldn’t even call it “covering”, more like I lay something on top (even old boards work)… just to keep the ice and snow from piling up on top of the actual firewood.

Bark-side up? Naw, I don’t worry about that… Most of the rain water runs off the ends of the wood, even the split side; and rarely do I find “rain wet” wood any deeper than two, maybe three rows deep at the most, in a stack anyway. “Rain wet” wood ain’t all that “wet”… just a fraction of an inch deep on the up-side and will dry with just a couple hours of sunshine. Heck, it rained all day yesterday, and I just went out and grabbed an armload for the furnace because it’s a bit chilly in here this morning; that “rain wet” stuff lit right off… Not sayin’ that’s ideal, but…

I suppose, if ya’ lived in a cool, damp coastal area, and your wood was stored in a predominantly shady area, tarps or covers might be an advantage… but I’m not even sure about that.

 

[flyboy553]

I Agree with Steve and Whitespider on this. Exterior moisture on the stack is not your enemy, only the interior moisture is. After a good rain, take a look at your woodpile and look at how shallow the rain wet wood is.

I don't like a tarp either. Trying to dig the wood out from under a snow and ice laden tarp is PITA!! Only the top row or at most two rows get snow and ice on them. If you take a broom and push the snow off there is very little of it left to worry about. I spose if you had the stuff laying around you could cover the row with corrugated tin or 2 x 12's but I don't so it stays in the open.

I sell all my wood that is stacked in rows so it doesn't get much snow on it while it is here at my place.

Ted

 

[ShaneLogs]

I cover when ever I hear of a big rain storm going to come in and I also cover in the fall right before winter sets in. I like to have out door fires in the winter to and taking the tarp off every time I want to have a fire beats knocking snow off every piece of firewood. I also cover the wood that I use inside to burn too.

Just what helps me,


Shane

 

[akitasan]

I cover the top before the winter, so I don't have to knock the snow off the wood before bringing it into my garage . I keep 1/2 cord in there

 

[ShaneLogs]

I cover the top before the winter, so I don't have to knock the snow off the wood before bringing it into my garage . I keep 1/2 cord in there

I'm with you! Knocking off snow every time you want to have a fire sucks!



Shane

 

[logbutcher]

I'm with you! Knocking off snow every time you want to have a fire sucks!
Shane

You're not the same "Shane" from that old Western are you ? :hmm3grin2orange:

Hey, for all you "tarps on/tarps off" or "corregation" on the piles, or roofing over the stacks, it is time. You burn wood, build a wood shed, make space in your garage, do a lean-too; but please, none of this "brushing snow to build a fire" whine. It's not a choice IF you do the WoodPiles.:bang::bang:

If you're a Mainer, and if you use wood for most of your heating, and if you are not just using wood for entertainment on weekends or a romantic interlude, then build it. An order.

 

[Steve NW WI]

You're not the same "Shane" from that old Western are you ? :hmm3grin2orange:

Hey, for all you "tarps on/tarps off" or "corregation" on the piles, or roofing over the stacks, it is time. You burn wood, build a wood shed, make space in your garage, do a lean-too; but please, none of this "brushing snow to build a fire" whine. It's not a choice IF you do the WoodPiles.:bang::bang:

If you're a Mainer, and if you use wood for most of your heating, and if you are not just using wood for entertainment on weekends or a romantic interlude, then build it. An order.

Feel free to do all the ordering you want, but I'll listen only if I feel like it. Me and my dog think alike in that regard. Plus, I'm not one of those Mainers with the silly accent...:hmm3grin2orange: Sheesh, it's not like you've got your own "TV" channel or anything

Seriously, my stacks migrate under a 10x20 canopy (with some additions to make it a little more sturdy and more suited to firewood storage) after they've been sun and air dried.

I didn't expect it to last this long, and figured I'd be replacing it with a permanent one by now (2 years of use now), but I think I've got one more year at least left in it.

 

[cat-face timber]

To me, it matters what kind of wood you have.
Some wood is more of a sponge than others.
Pinyon will not soak up water, but Pine sure will.
Cedar is good, and only soaks up a little.

I try to keep the pine covered.

 

[Whitespider]

Seriously, my stacks migrate under a 10x20 canopy after they've been sun and air dried.

Evidently us northern mid-westerners are the only enlightened ones Steve :hmm3grin2orange:
Prior to joining AS I’d never heard of anyone putting firewood under any sort of roof before it was fully seasoned in the open air and sun. Fact is, ‘round here, if someone saw me stacking green firewood under a roof they’d think I’d had too much whiskey for breakfast… or been smokin’ whacky-tobaccy.

A wood shed is where you store seasoned firewood… Green firewood gets stacked outside in the open…

 

[wdchuck]

The boat storage places are disposing of the blue and white plastic from winter so it's a great time to get free, waterproof, 'you don't feel bad about cutting it to size', material for covering the top of wood stacks just in time for the rainy spring season.

My wood is on pallets, two rows, with just enough cover to keep the rain from getting into the stack, and it keeps the ground underneath drier as well. The only trouble is late in the summer when folks start calling for the season and there are wasp nests to deal with. A length of conduit to fluff the top off works well since the venom from a sting does nasty things to this body.

If you have the space, leave some wood covered and some not, then see what works better for you.

 

[logbutcher]

From Away

Feel free to do all the ordering you want, but I'll listen only if I feel like it. Me and my dog think alike in that regard. Plus, I'm not one of those Mainers with the silly accent...:hmm3grin2orange: Sheesh, it's not like you've got your own "TV" channel or anything
Seriously, my stacks migrate under a 10x20 canopy (with some additions to make it a little more sturdy and more suited to firewood storage) after they've been sun and air dried.
I didn't expect it to last this long, and figured I'd be replacing it with a permanent one by now (2 years of use now), but I think I've got one more year at least left in it.

Dear Stevie:
With all due respect to that patriotic bra in your avatar , the ordering is exactly what we do. 'Feel' the burn ? :hmm3grin2orange:

By any other name that "canopy" (sic) IS a woodshed unlike those leaving their firewood for heating from their thermostats ( central heat that is ) UP TO a comfortable room temperature, in the open. We also have some--repeat: "some"--open stacks for shoulder heating and for storage of firewood that doesn't fit into our two (count 'em: 2) wood sheds.

After years of removing covers, brushing snow, hearing sizzling splits in the stoves, handling wet armfuls of wood, pi$$ing and moaning to SWMBO about getting in the wood for the day, it was time for pro-hood in wood heating. ( Kinda like those self-promoting pros with the tin hats, no PPE, skip teeth, and 48" bars :hmm3grin2orange. Time for a real shelter for heating fuel. There's too much else in our lives that's more vital than fighting firewood stacks. Besides, I have the WoodPiles: the woodsheds allow the sniffing, snorting, gazing, and side glancing at ease with all the effort put into harvesting and processing and burning our winter heat.

So, Steve, the order of the day stands: build it. You did.

P.S. We have no "silly accent". We are From Away who chose to retire here.

 

[ShaneLogs]

You're not the same "Shane" from that old Western are you ? :hmm3grin2orange:

Hey, for all you "tarps on/tarps off" or "corregation" on the piles, or roofing over the stacks, it is time. You burn wood, build a wood shed, make space in your garage, do a lean-too; but please, none of this "brushing snow to build a fire" whine. It's not a choice IF you do the WoodPiles.:bang::bang:

If you're a Mainer, and if you use wood for most of your heating, and if you are not just using wood for entertainment on weekends or a romantic interlude, then build it. An order.

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!

 

[ShaneLogs]

Feel free to do all the ordering you want, but I'll listen only if I feel like it. Me and my dog think alike in that regard. Plus, I'm not one of those Mainers with the silly accent...:hmm3grin2orange: Sheesh, it's not like you've got your own "TV" channel or anything

Seriously, my stacks migrate under a 10x20 canopy (with some additions to make it a little more sturdy and more suited to firewood storage) after they've been sun and air dried.

I didn't expect it to last this long, and figured I'd be replacing it with a permanent one by now (2 years of use now), but I think I've got one more year at least left in it.

Hey now, Don't go all East Coast vs. West Coast on us now

We know what were doing up here in Maine when it comes to fire wood, LOL!