Tarp vs Plastic ona top of wood.

Skip the tarp and find some used rubber roofing, also called epdm. It won't fall apart over time and is less likely to be blown off by the wind. Try craigslist, or a local commercial roofing company. Alternatively you can buy a used billboard to use as a tarp... also much more heavy duty than the el-cheapo tarps. Again, craigslist, or ebay, or billboardtarps.com

Anything that allows the air to blow through your wood and keeps the rain from getting on it is just fine. If you tarp, do not cover the entire pile, make sure you allow air to get in & out.

I prefer to keep mine covered year round due to the rains during the spring, summer, and fall, with a tarp over the top, but I went further this year. Before the last batch of rains, 3 inches in two days, then a one day break and 7 more inches in 3 days, I decided to cut a piece of plastic long enough to cover the wood piles I'll be using this season before the rains began. I did leave both ends open, just covered both sides and the top in order to have a little air flow but to also keep the ground moisture from being pulled inside the pile. Then to help keep the plastic on the pile I used an old climbing rope around the piles perimeter. Once the rains stop, I'll find a better way to secure the plastic, but for now it is working.

As for a preference to the tarp or the plastic, I'm leaning more and more towards the plastic. The tarps break down too quickly here so I have to end up replacing them yearly. It doesn't matter how expensive or cheap they are. I have used the clear plastic for other applications, and it seems to hold up for better than a year, and generally is a lot cheaper than those tarps.

I'm also going to try the kiln drying method basically wrapping the entire pile in somewhat clear plastic including the underside. Plus cutting some weep holes for moisture to escape on the bottom.

I got my hands on some of that white PVC commercial roofing. Seems way better than epdm black rubber roofing. The PVC stuff is fabric reinforced and was a lot more tear-resistant than even the rubber. I can see it lasting many many years and re-uses.

We used an old 24' round pool wall. Cut it down in 6' lengths, so it covers 3 rows deep. I've used tarps, but got sick of them caving in with water. Anything rigid will be your friend.

I use whatever is on hand. Plywood scraps or beaver board or even an old pallet on top of the pile with tarp or plastic over the board - keeps weather off and no sag. The birds love the old tattered tarps (they pull the shreds apart for nests - watched them for an hour one day) - they don't last long in the sun and / or rough weather. Edit - the tarps, that is, not the birds ...

I use white tarps, plywood and 6 mil plastic. 2nd year on this round of tarps folded over several times to top cover my double rows of 18"s

using old billboard signs as tarps, Would like to get used edpm roofing seems like they think it is gold here. note even the litest weight billboard signs are 2-3 times heaver then even what is sold as commercial tarps.

I top covered last year with the brown tarps from Home Depot and used bungees to hold them in place. They are covering my stacks of this year's wood as well. They held up pretty well, but are 8x10 ft and were doubled over. My 16/17 wood and 17/18 wood is being covered by 6 mil black plastic that is 10 ft wide. I've got 8 single rows that are 8 feet long, so it covers them in a 15' run. My other wood stacked on pallets is covered by a run of the 6 mil plastic, but folded in half. I used short splits and uglies to hold it down. 100 ft of the stuff is roughly $60 bucks and it holds up well.

I used 20x 16 tarps and cut them into strips to match the width of the stack + 6"/side. I used a torch to singe the edges to keep it from coming apart.

A friend of mine gets the heavy plastic wrap around bunks of lumber free from lumberyards. It seems to hold up well.

Where do you guys get old billboard signs?

Dmitry said:

It's time for me to cover my precious wood before rain and snow gonna be here. This is my first year.

I know that a lot of people using tarps , some using clear plastic. I like the idea of clear heavy duty plastic more . I think it is more manageable and easier on a eyes.

Any input?

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What ever you do don't buy anything. There is too much free stuff out there to bother paying for something you'll just be using to keep the water off the top of your wood stack.
Go to the lumber store and ask for the used lumber wrap material. They generally just throw it in the garbage after they sell the lifts of lumber. There are different grades, but most of that lumber wrap material is actually better quality then those cheap tarps you buy in the stores. http://www.interwrap.com/Protective-Packaging/
Used rubber roofing and (epdm), billboard sign material, and metal roofing all work too, but they can often be harder to find then used lumber wrap material, besides the lumber wrap material is the only material designed specifically for the purpose you intent to use it for,,,, covering wood!

We've been using 6-mil black poly for several years with good results. Some small holes, a few tears here and there but it's certainly held up well. Weigh it down with oddball pieces, shorts and the like.

The inexpensive fiberglass weave tarps are a waste of money. They only last a year or so before they fall apart.

ya got to put enough on top to hold it down, I was out this morning as it started raining adding hold down chunks due to the wind. Yep put the same tarp on 4 times this morning couldn't beat the gusts, I got it done but was a bit damp 5' x 50 foot long tarp that's why I was having a time beating the gusts.

Montana and LumberJack have a good idea - the stock wrap from lumberyard is pretty tough stuff (if you ever had to peel off a fresh lift of 2x and no knife you know you really have to wrestle with it). I have also used the wrap from building materials (eg half dozen insulation bundles wrapped together on skids) delivered to my place. Funny the cheap tarps always go on sale for a couple $ this time of year - but they do shred like crazy - probably a few grey / blue birds nests around my area, and my brush saw will usually find some strands in the spring.

Scavenging free stuff is always good....

Might I suggest putting all this great ingenuity and energy into getting a simple shed built? I think mine cost about $250 in materials. Put your this year wood in it, and leave the rest uncovered till its their turn.

We leave roughly 12 to 18 inches hang over the sides. Yup, a good wind will flip the side flaps up and over sometimes. Just add a little more weight where it's needed.

I picked up some clear corrugated roofing panels that were chipped/cracked at Home Depot (see link below). Because they were damaged, I convinced the cashier to give me a hefty discount (I think 1/2 off). But they still do a good job of keeping out water and letting in air and sunlight. Just throw a few uglies on top and they aren't going anywhere in the wind.

I plan to use these same panels when I build my shed in the spring, assuming they hold up over the winter.

You could probably find similar materials for free by keeping an eye on the craigslist free stuff page. Or go to the dump and see if you can pick up some old corrugated metal roofing for cheap.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntuf-26-in-x-6-ft-Polycarbonate-Roof-Panel-in-Clear-155030/206166246