The old argument about whether to cover stacks or not.

Obviously the veterans on here know the pros and cons to this however I often see questions about whether or not to cover stacks, and if it really does any good (i.e., sideways rain still gets on the stacks).

We have had a lot of rain this month, and it just rained here for the last 12 hours with windy torrential downpours towards the end. When taking the dog out after the rain stopped, once again seeing the difference between covered and uncovered stacks was so obvious.

The covered stacks have old metal roofing material on top and overhang the wood on the sides by maybe two inches. Even with the torrential and long duration rain, there is negligible water on the sides of the stacks. A lot of the water seen on the sides is from where two pieces of roofing are overlapped, allowing water to trickle down from the seam. Conversely, the uncovered stacks are completely soaked on the sides.

I know this has been discussed ad nauseum, however when looking at the stacks this morning, I thought the pictures of the covered stacks versus the uncovered would be a good example of how top covering even with minimal overhang works wonders. Personally, I only cover the stacks year round of the wood that will be going in the firewood shed for the upcoming burning season. The other stacks only get covered just before the snow flies and uncovered after the spring thaw.

 

The majority of my stacks, is covered with roofing rubber. Some water does flow over the faces of the splits. It doesn’t concern me.

I make sure a year early, that the wood I expect to burn coming up, is all covered.

Fresh cut and stacked wood stays uncovered until such time I have something to cover it with. But, no sooner than a full year before covering.

 

Yep, no question that it makes a difference. I cover this season's wood the fall before & let the rest go open till then. The boiler's not as fussy as a stove, but better heat & less smoke is well worth it.

 

If I have a cover available it goes over a stack. Eventually I will master a technique to keep most rainfall off the stacks. I use 6’ wide tarps and slide out pieces on top, or lay long pieces on top to keep the tarp wider than the stacks below, so runoff stays off the sides. It’s easier done if the sides are straight like yours. I’m starting to get more uniformity.

 

I've done it both ways...after going to top covered stacks, I'm sold...and I cover right from the get go...I've found that keeping the leaves and pine needles from falling down into the stacks just helps keep air flowing and doesn't give the mice an "insta-home", if they wanna move in, bring your own dang building materials!

 

I used to not cover at all but after trying it I agree that it makes a big difference. Wood now is under cover 4 years before it is burned. It spends a couple years outside uncovered before that. Covering the wood means it burns hotter, burns cleaner, and I use less of it so it’s win, win, win.

 

Mid August is when I'll be sure this year's wood is top covered. If I know we'll have a long series of days of dry hot weather with no rain, than I'll take the tarp off for that time period. I hope to eventually have every stack top covered at all times, but need more covers. Holding out for some used rubber roofing, but might need to get some more tarps until then.

 

I try to get this winters wood, which has already been loaded in my custom racks back in the spring, into the wood shed sometime in Sept generally...or at least before the typical trend of weeks of dry weather that we usually see in the fall start to change.
Not sure where you are in PA, but if you are toward the west side and want to make a couple hour trip to Ohio, I still have a little extra 0.60" EPDM rubber roof that I bought for $0.10/sq ft a couple years ago, I'd sell it to a fellow FHC member for the same price

 

I was just north of columbus last week. About a 6.5 hour trip. I would of taken you up on that offer.

 

You were fairly close then...yeah I was just in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, get home and I find something I have been looking for quite a while now on FBMP...just north of Pittsburgh...we went within a mile or so of the place on the way home...fortunately the guy was headed to Michigan this week and I was able to meet up with him about 1/2 hour drive from here.

 

Covered or not, your stacks are freakishly neat.

 

My stacks outside are not covered and they will be outside for close to 2 years. Then they get moved into my pole barn for another two to three years before the wood is burned.

 

I like covered but am not extremely religious about covering all the time Looks like your stacks are in enough open area to get ample sun and wind so i wouldnt be as concerned. Unfortunately most of my firewood is in shaded areas so dont have that luxury.

 

I have wood on hand that I regret not top covering. Namely, standing dead ash that has started to get soft. It’s been top covered since spring, but now I have to burn it this upcoming winter before it gets worse. Had I stored it properly the first time around it would’ve kept longer. Eventually a pole barn is in order for me. I have all of my stacks covered this summer, mostly because it’s been exceptionally wet. Last summer when we were in a drought it was ideal for drying wood. Fresh cut oak I’ve never had an issue not top covering, so long as it’s covered the summer prior to burning.

 

Those are some very orderly stacked stacks of wood you got there sir! Hats off to you! I keep the stacks I'm burning in the current winter covered. I'll start covering around Sep or Oct.

 

I generally cover as soon as soon as the wood is stacked. Scrap plywood or luan pieces from the dump, under rubber roofing. I like the flat surface the scrap wood provides for water runoff.

 

I cover only with rubber roofing now and cover as soon as I can. Gosh I'm guessing I've got $600 spent on the rubber from menards over the last 10 years.
Currently I have 14 cords covered all stacked with the bark up. I'm on a 3 year plan and our wood is good and dry having it covered. But, when I first started burning I did not cover and that worked too, I just had to get it in the shed by September ish.

 

Good call with the bark up 74.

 

We use old bunker silo plastic, usually free as farmers have to dispose of it anyway. Uv rated, cut to any size, doesn't tear, snow rain and everything slides right off, light weight, doesn't really burn, I have holes in mine from embers, but none have lit up, ice doesn't get intertwined with the fibers like tarps. Only problem is it stinks until you give it a little wash!