So... back to tarping the top stack of dried wood

Do you do it? I had plenty of seasoned wood this last year that I couldn't use because it got soggy wet from the rains. I prefer to keep my yearly stash dry with a top tarp. Next year I will be sure. Yeah they are a pain. Yeah the wind kicks up. But yeah dry, dry wood burns easy and the best.

 

I’ve been wondering about what some of you guys think about this topic. I have stacked all indoors previously, and am going to be stacking some outside this year. At what point do you cover your stacks? Immediately, or do you leave them open through the summer? This is new to me and just wanting some opinions. Thanks

 

I top cover anytime rain is forecast. Other than that I leave it uncovered and let the sun and wind work on it. 2nd year it goes to the shed.

 

I try to cover as soon as I get it stacked.

 

I use tarps, sheet plastic and metal. Hate them all. Sharp edges, holes, wind blowing them off. My stack space is very limited and i have nearly 50 cord of wood so its a constant challenge. Most of the stacks are in the shade too.
My best stack has old sheets of OSB sloped with black pool plastic over it. Seems to work the best.
But you are correct in dry is better.

 

dont you have that nice quonset hut for stackingSlocum ?

 

My stacking area is sloped so I use t-posts to stabilize the stacks, put a tennis ball on top of each post, then cover with tarps over the tennis balls and use my empty bar oil gallon jugs 3/4 filled with water to hold the tarps down. I keep 15 cords this way.

 

Here’s a pic.

 

I usually leave a new stack uncovered the first summer and then cover it before the fall rains start... and I am slowly switching over to EPDM rubber for covers...works as well or better than anything else I have tried...I was able to score some 0.060" which is the heavy duty stuff...stays put pretty well.

 

I top tarp my wood as soon as it's stacked. My outside stacks get sun most of the day and the wind blows constantly here. Seems to work.

 

I top cover immediately and I use canvas tarps.

 

Same here, except I switched from tarps to sheets of plywood I get as scrap. I get a bunch of scrap 4" x 4" x 8' beams/posts and lay a couple on each sheet to hold them in place. I find it's much easier to clear the snow off of the plywood when you get feet of snow on top. Some of the stacks have side posts screwed to the pallets and the plywood is screwed to to the top rails on the posts. One of these days I'll have all my stacks like that. I have 15 cords.

 

As some others do, I cover my racks at least one year before I know I'll be burning the wood. Mostly, with salvaged EPDM.

 

I love those plastic pallets. I’m still kicking myself for not getting more when I had a chance

 

Yes but in the process of emptying the Quonset hut. I’m wanting to poor concrete floor in it. I’ve been stacking outside and covering with conveyor belt that I’m getting from work, 42” wide belt covereds 2-16” side by side stacks really well. It’s HEAVY! I’ve only hade it blow off one time. I can’t get it on my stack without using my tractor. I’ll get a pic today

 

I put aside the shrink wrap from my boat the other day. I am going to see if I can cut it to length, then shrink it over the top of one of my stacks. If that works and holds up, I will work on getting most of them done that way.

 

I need to give up this behavior because it’s quite maddening to get tarp covered wood and only get it blown off and wet. I’m leaving my wood uncovered right now as the sun helps get it dry. Washington rain seems to rain in sheets or blown rain. We’re lucky if we remember to get the wood covered sheds on the sides. Leaving those gapped a bit helps with circulation.
Yes it is currently in the rainy season as well. But cover it after August more permanently, woodshed, garage(open ends or door though) I’ve recently bought metal roofing so this stuff will work quite well once it hits July so I may wait for a week of really warm weather in WA and cover it that way if I haven’t put up the woodshed yet or all the wood doesn’t fit in it.

 

Topless here except for what i will need for the winter at hand, so some sets outside for 3 years. The Bur Oak i burnt that was cut green burnt like a dream at 15 to 17 percent.

 

I left white and red oak stacked and uncovered for 3 years. It doesnt get sun in the summer, but it gets some wind. It was still over 20% last summer, and not much better a few weeks ago when I moved it out into the sun and wind, single stacked and covered.

 

After All I hear about oak absorbing water or not letting it go when split green, I decided not to chance my oak so much and cover it. The rain seems to help weather it a bit but overall it’s beating the ocean back with a broom.