Another wood storage question...

[jadm]

I've read a lot about wood piles and now want to contribute my own questions. I get too scattered reading responses on different threads...

I live in Colorado. The Denver metro area. We are typically dry and sunny here. Very low humidity - almost like a desert...Last winter was an exception. We are technically in a drought. You catch my drift - DRY...

I get wood delivered early June. I stack it loosely but it is in shade part of the day due to trees surrounding my storage area. Part of my stacks are in my sprinkler range. I cover the stacks that are hit by the sprinklers but leave 2-3 feet open at the bottom so there is circulation. The other stacks I leave uncovered.

In the fall I cover things in preparation for snow. I leave 2-3 feet at the bottom open. Once it snows the snow stays on top of the stacks because they don't get the sun they do in summer. As I take wood off of the top my air margins at the bottom decrease as the tarps hang lower. I have been leaving them low to protect the wood from the snow on the ground.

As I move wood up closer to the house - at the back of our garage - where it is easier to get to daily and it is protected a bit more than the other stacks I also cover it with tarps when it snows to keep it dry. Same thing happens with the amount of air space at the bottom as we take wood off of the top.

There is a question in here somewhere...

My wood is generally seasoned pretty well. I have read that people only put tarps on the tops of their stacks leaving the sides completely exposed. How do they keep it dry when it rains or snows?

Am I compromising the seasoning process by letting so much of my stacks end up under my tarps as I use my wood???? If mine doesn't get covered on the sides the snow blows onto and into it and will melt and freeze and if temps don't go up the snow remains. My goal is to keep it as dry as possible.

 

[Martin Strand III]

Perplexed:

Since your area is so dry, why fight Mother Nature by covering your wood pile? Keep it in the sun and where it will catch a breeze away from your sprinkler and M. Nature will do the rest with time.

Loose the cover. You don't need it. It traps more moisture in the wood than it'll get by exposing it to some rain or snow.

Aye,
Marty

 

[jadm]

Marty - Thanks for your reply. Nowhere else to stack wood in my yard due to bushes and even more sprinkler water. Corner it is in is least hit as it has kids play structure in it. Since it is going to get some sprinkler shouldn't I at least cover the top?

In winter should I just cover the top too even when it snows? Some of my stacks would have snow on them all winter because they don't get sun this time of year.

If the wood is already seasoned and then gets wet due to rain or snow a day or two in the house should dry it out shouldn't it?

Reading so much about green wood and it's effects on wood burning, especially in an insert has made me leery of any moisture. I didn't realize that by covering it so much I was adding to the problem...

 

[WarmGuy]

Can you adjust the sprinklers so that they don't get the wood wet? If not, how about a sprinkler shield?

 

[bjorn773]

I cut, split & stack uncovered in the summer at my father-in-law's place. Let it sit until the following spring, then move it to my house where I stack it and cover with folded tarps so only the top is covered. The open sides allow circulation. Yes, it gets rained on from the sides a bit, but it stays relatively dry. One section is in the line of fire from my wife's garden sprinkler. It gets wet, but by the time fall rolls around it's dry again. I bring in about three days worth at a time. I've never had a problem.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

perplexed, why do the tarps lower? Why not just cover the top of the pile. As you take a row of wood from the pile, fold the tarp over the top.

There is no need to cover the sides of the pile. When it rains or snows, what gets wet on the side will dry extremely fast. That moisture will not soak into the wood. The wood would have to stand in water for a while to soak up enough to do harm.

However, if you do use the sprinkler a lot, then covering just in that area might be a good idea while using the sprinkler. Then remove the tarp so the wood can season. But whenever you cover your wood pile other than to protect from the sprinklers, leave the sides and ends open.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I find that the softer woods (red maple, in particular) do start to soak up water from the ends in the fall-winter wet season. The interior is fine, but the ends will bubble if you put them on the fire without them getting a few rain-free weeks to dry back out. Your oaks and locusts and such seem less prone to this. For me this is primarily a problem in a stack on the north side of the house which gets sun in the summer but not later in the year. I'm moving some of that now to a covered stack.

 

[jadm]

Thanks for all of the input. Can't move the sprinklers. This summer I will be more watchful of how much area is being hit by the water. When my wood is delivered it is somewhat seasoned ( Last years batch being an exception....This year 'seller beware' I know more now thanks to all of you guys! I'm going to inspect it on the truck before it even hits the ground


I have already gone out and pulled the tarps up to the tops only - ends are already open. Wish I had more open area to stack but am a city dweller and my space is limited and my husband does not like looking at it! To me it is a sight for cold eyes knowing how warm it is going to keep us come winter..

 

[DiscoInferno]

Wish I had more open area to stack but am a city dweller and my space is limited and my husband does not like looking at it! To me it is a sight for cold eyes knowing how warm it is going to keep us come winter..

A-ha! The true nature of your problem become clear.... :smirk:

 

[kah68]

would it make sense to build a shed, something you could stack up 6' high? therefore taking up less sqare footage and keeping a proper roof over it?

Kirk

 

[bluesisgreat]

Just curious - what kind of wood do you get delivered? Is it pine?

I just moved upstate NY from Colorado not too long ago, and it is the first time that I've seen wood for burning that is not pine. I had a good chuckle when my neighbor pointed out to me that no way I should burn some pine branches that were cut from my yard in the fireplace, because it will cause a lot of problem. All my time in CO I only burned pine . Of course, that was up on the western slope, when I went skiing and rented a condo with a fireplace. So, I'm just curious what kind of wood you get on the Front Range.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Thanks for all of the input. Can't move the sprinklers. This summer I will be more watchful of how much area is being hit by the water. When my wood is delivered it is somewhat seasoned ( Last years batch being an exception....This year 'seller beware' I know more now thanks to all of you guys! I'm going to inspect it on the truck before it even hits the ground


I have already gone out and pulled the tarps up to the tops only - ends are already open. Wish I had more open area to stack but am a city dweller and my space is limited and my husband does not like looking at it! To me it is a sight for cold eyes knowing how warm it is going to keep us come winter..

We have thought for a time about buying one of those little sheds they sell for parking cars in or other things. Not too expensive but with the sides and ends open it should work great for stacking wood. You might also consider one of these and maybe that might keep the husband a little happier. Still, it is difficult to believe that any many would not take some pride in a nice wood pile!! Heck, ours is not far from the house; we can see it all from the house and every time we drive into the driveway it is there for all to see and enjoy. Yes, I'm rather proud of it too.

 

[jadm]

I just moved upstate NY from Colorado not too long ago, and it is the first time that I've seen wood for burning that is not pine. I had a good chuckle when my neighbor pointed out to me that no way I should burn some pine branches that were cut from my yard in the fireplace, because it will cause a lot of problem. All my time in CO I only burned pine . Of course, that was up on the western slope, when I went skiing and rented a condo with a fireplace. So, I'm just curious what kind of wood you get on the Front Range.[/quote

 

[jadm]

I use pine only as kindling to get fire started and then burn mixed hard woods and red oak on really cold days.

Shed won't work. We don't have the space. My stacks are tucked around a play structure for the kids and under the structure. In other words I'm limited to narrow spaces.