Cut, Split, Piled...(cover or no cover???)

Stack it single row, cover top only not the sides.

It will season much better if stacked in sun/wind than just piled up.

I don't bother top covering my wood . . . then again I also stack the wood for maximum air exposure and I also let it season an additional year after moving it under cover in the woodshed to burn in Year 2.

I always cover the top if not in the shed. Wet wood and bark in the house makes a mess not easy to clean up.
Being wet/snow covered in the middle of winter defeats the purpose of seasoning wood.

No Cover but I will let it set in 1/2 cord racks by the furnace for a week before burning.

Most will say that the best is to cover the top only and many do that only late fall to late spring & leave uncovered the rest of the time. Most of mine is uncovered this winter. Knocking the snow off before bringing it in is a bit of a pain, but so are temporary covers.

Jonsered said:

Hi Guys,

I cut and split my wood this fall and piled it neatly to season (it is not stacked).

I plan to put it in a wood shed the fall before burning (next fall) but was going to leave it in a pile this winter/spring/summer and did not know whether to cover the pile or not for that time.

I am wondering if I should season it covered or open in a pile? When I see it getting rained on and snowed on I wonder should that be covered to season or just let it sit there getting sun and wind?

Thanks,

Nate

Click to expand...

Nate, because you have it just piled up rather than stacked, the outside part of the pile will dry but the rest will be a bit wanting. Doing this way you may as well just throw it into the shed right away.

If you want to do what is best for the wood, then stack it off the ground in single rows. It really does not take very long to stack a cord of wood once you get started and the benefits are worth the effort.

To cover or not to cover, that is the question. It has been done both ways. I prefer to leave it uncovered the first spring, summer and fall and then cover the top only. Or in the fall you move it into the shed. You will end up with much better fuel doing it this way although you will have to do a little extra work. I have always found it to be worth the little extra work to get the best fuel. You reap the benefits when you start to burn it. You will find the extra work is well worth it unless you are happy with "almost" good fuel. Why not settle for the best method?

I would not cover the pile. I stack mine in single rows and cover the top only during the rainy season - which is October through June here in Seattle!
But if you are not going to stack it then just leave the pile uncovered. Last winter I wrapped a pile of rounds in tarp and they rotted and became bug infested.

I'd just stack it and leave it uncovered. In a pile a lot more of the wood is in contact with the ground compared to a stack, and a lot less of the wood is exposed to the wind. Ground is bad, wind is good. A shed is nice to keep snow off the wood which makes it easier to bring inside when you want to burn it, but isn't necessary for seasoning wood, in my opinion.

I stack mine on pallets . As soon as a stack is completed the top is cover with metal sheeting from the left overs of buildings I've done
(cover sheets ) . The sheeting is tied down to keep the wind from getting under it . Once seasoned , it goes into My wood shed .
It may seem a lot of work, but old men need something to keep them busy .

Jonsered, lots of suggestions here.
I learned, in my situation, that c/s/not stacked will result in the wood getting moldy and not much fun to deal with.
If you won't take the time to stack it for this summer, don't bother covering. That will just hold in any moisture still in the wood.
When I stack mine, it's in long rows (I have the room), and left uncovered until it's put in the shed. I put it in the shed after we've had at least several days of no rain...late summer-early fall.
YMMV

I never cover mine at any time. Of course, we have little chance of snow here in south central Texas. I do keep several days' worth of splits on the covered front porch to make sure they don't have surface moisture when I bring them in to burn.
I think you should take an hour to stack your pile properly and leave it uncovered until next winter. Even if your shed is ready by the spring, leave the wood outside uncovered all summer, then bring it in. I hope that your shed is mostly just a roof and basically open air so that the wood will continue to season.

I just had a learning lesson about stacked and piled wood. I Stack my wood after I split it and it burns great if only stacked for a few months. I recently bought 2 cord of wood because I was feeling lazy one weekend and I was told it was seasoned for 3 years. It was all oak and it did truly looked season. But this oak burned horribly. Super low temps, hard to get a good fire rolling. Very frustrating. Since this was bought from a business I can almost be sure that this wood is in a massive pile for several years. Even being seasoned for several years in a pile the wood burned very poorly vs. wood that I only had cut down and stacked for lets say 8 months. Big learning lesson for me that I can't rely on other's seasoning methods. As everyone has stated about stacking it, it's definitely worth it. covered or not probably isn't the crucial point. In my situation I probably end up handling every piece of wood close to six times because I don't store the wood at my house, only 2 cord in my shed at a time. So even if you have to move it again, it's worth it. Play some music, have a beverage if you prefer, AND GET IT DONE! lol

I never bothered to cover my stacked wood (what wouldn't fit in the shed). If wood is properly seasoned, it does not absord that much water. That's what I thought until this year. I'll be fair, under normal conditions, it really shouldn't be that much of a problem - but as with anything, there is always that "one" time (or burning season in our case). I have about 3 cords outside uncovered in what was the wettest, warmest winters on record (until recently).
Wood that has been constantly rained on for weeks upon weeks at temperatures floating slightly above freezing, with little to no sun will absord water. Lots of it. And then it will freeze. And then you will grow annoyed as you rummage through the wood and say "why did I not cover it?" Yes, covering is a pain. So is waterlogged, frozen wood. Never again will I not cover my wood stacks.
Seasoned wood can be rendered very difficult to burn under the right circumstances. To simulate my unique situation if you like - get your nicest looking, driest, well seasoned chunk of maple and - place it in a bucket of water for 2 weeks. Remove it on the first damp, misty and cloudy day and place ouside for 24hrs. Throw it back in the bucket of water for another week. Throw it in the freezer for 2 days. Back in the bucket. Back outside on a damp cloudy day, and then in the freezer for a bit. Place in the bucket of water for another week or two. Take it out for a few days. Total time elapsed should be about 5 to 6 weeks. Try and burn it. It sucks, for lack of a better word.