When the local greenhouses here in central Pennsylvania replaces the plastic covering on their houses, they give the used plastic away or throw it out. It makes great cover for firewood stacks. It lets light through adding to solar drying, is durable, lasting for years, and FREE. I get it in huge sheets, but cut into strips about 4" wider than my wood length for a drip edge on single row stacks. Works great, keeps wood dry! Thought this might be help full to someone. JU
I thought clear heavy plastic caused condensation--it doesn't breathe --I got lucky (not the way you think) and found a neighbor tossing a camper canvas cover out--8 x 19'--that will cover part of my stacks but dream of the day when I can construct another "crib" made simply out of pallets I bring home from the lumber yard-still in the planning stage
Looking at those single row stacks, I can't see how condensation would be much of a problem; the moist air should be able to escape before condensing on the underside as the plastic does not go down the sides of the stack. JDU , welcome! Feel free to post more pictures of your hoard and what you burn it in.
Scavenger - I have not had an issue with condensation with single or even double wide stacks. Might be a problem with a huge square pile though? Thanks for the comment.
I get reclaimed rubber roofing (EDPM) from a local salvage company, best firewood covering I've ever used. It's black and soaks up the heat from the sun, it's really strong and resilient, and it's inexpensive and lasts many years!
Covering down the sides traps moisture. Leaving the sides open allows airflow, and if it gets rained/ snowed on, the sides (end of splits) dry quickly. There are ways to completely cover and make it act as a solar kiln. Some here have done that and say it works quite well. I keep thinking I'd like to put little painted plywood roofs over my stacks, but it hasn't happened yet.......not a huge priority.
There is a guy on my daily drive route that covers his stack completely on all sides on rainy and wet days, and removes the sides on sunny sides. He uses a standard green tarp. Sent from my iPhone so pardon any autocorrect bollocks
my neighbor put a new steel roof on and I coerced the builder to bring me the left over steel--I've cut it into squares--how's that laying on top of the stacks?
good use for covering... I am using swimming pool liners.. split at seams they are right size.. because of where I live they have short life spans and are delivered... or get paid to take them... I mean if they are strong enough to hold water in they should be OK for keeping it mostly dry.... yeah I do top only cause the wise men here said too... As for uncovering the storms off the lake do that but then I realized cover before the next one does that count
I used to have a connection that could get me that rubber roofing cheap, but lost that when company went out of business. I still have some big sheets of the rubber that are 20 years old and still in use today covering firewood. It is the ticket if you can get it.
Works great! Most of ours is old galvanized but we also have some steel the guys left when we put up a steel barn. That is lighter but it makes no difference. It works better than anything we've tried. We usually stack wood in the spring and leave it uncovered until late fall or early winter then just top cover it. Not a worry at all about rain and snow hitting the sides or ends. Wood is not a sponge and the ends of the splits won't take much water at all and usually are dry within 24 hours after a big rain or a wet snow. But, one does not want to let snow pile up on an uncovered pile else there is just too much water going into the stacks and contrary to what some claim, that does have an effect on the quality of the firewood. Still best to keep it dry on top.
Dennis, keep learnin' the younguns. Good to see you are still passing on all those years of knowledge. I've been off the board for a while and it's good to see so many familiar faces. I've missed you all.
The wood I harvest for the most part is standing dead and will be used the same year I drop them. Once split and stacked double row on pallets I will top cover only and let the sides get rained on which will dry as others have said. Sometimes I will drop the tarps down in winter and nail them through the grommets to the pallet if there is a big whopper of a storm coming or if we have a rain to snow event. Usually thats when we get a pineapple express come through with lots of rain and then an arctic front moves in and freezes everything. Once things clear up I put them back up again as I dont want to trap moisture under tarps. Normal snow fall through the winter doesnt bother me to much just the blizzards that drives snow into the deepest cracks in my stacks.
Yup! Good stuff there! Been using some free stuff since 1999! Holding up great and have yet to notice any type of wear and tear on or in it!
