Covering the wood .........what’s the worst case?

[soupy1957]

We're getting into a string of rainy days now..........typical for this time of year. I pulled the tarps down over the wood which is on pallets, figuring, "ok, it's alright to let wood get wet and then dry out, but this 'rain every day' stuff is another matter."

What's worse case for my wood, with the tarps over it for days? Mold? Critters? I don't have the tarps tied around the wood. it's loosely laying there, with some old rotten wood holding it down, at ground level. If nothing else, it's keeping the leaves off the wood, which are dropping profusely right now.

-Soupy1957

 

[Ratman]

My main pile has metal shelving for tops and stays that way.
With the other 2 tarped piles, known as the green and gray monsters respectfully, I believe I'm doing about the same.
If it's not winter I don't cover unless I'm having 3 consecutive wet days or more.
In winter I cover except for 3 consecutive dry days or more.
I follow the same with my shed door for my 4th pile

 

[raiderfan]

I have tarps folded up so that they are just about the width of my wood pile, and then draped over the top of the wood. Sides, front and back are open. This stays this way from the time I get the wood. I have never seen issues with it that way.

Before comiing to this site, however, I used to cover the entire pile with a tarp and weigh down the bottom to the ground. That caused some serios mold and rot over the course of a couple of years doing it that way.

 

[wood spliter]

I cover mine when it rains. No problems as of yet.

 

[Hanko]

Soupy, I allways covered my wood this time of year with a tarp. I left it un covered all summer and when it was time for heat in the falls the tarps came out. Never had any issues, except the as the snow began to increase it would turn to big ice blocks that if you werent carfull would fall off on your feet. Just wear steel toed shoes and all will be good. I did get smart and add a 30X8 shed roof off my garage, no more sore toes

 

[ClydesdaleBurner]

Just thought I'd throw this out there. If anyone is ever looking for an alternative to using tarps to cover your wood, try using the green fiberglass corrugated stuff that people use for roofs on green houses. Its easy to put on and take off and the best part you can leave it on all summer and the sun beating through it creates a green house effect with really warm air and dries out the wood quicker than not having it covers. Also seeing that it is just covering the tops it doesn't restict airflow.


They're a great option. I just bought 5 more to cover all my wood piles.

 

[soupy1957]

Raiderfan: I do exactly the same as you............but since I was faced with a series of days of rain, I figured better to drop the sides for a while. Just wondering what "harm" I'm doing to the wood, is all. (perhaps none really).

-Soupy1957

 

[Got Wood]

Raiderfan: I do exactly the same as you............but since I was faced with a series of days of rain, I figured better to drop the sides for a while. Just wondering what "harm" I'm doing to the wood, is all. (perhaps none really).

-Soupy1957

You could do most anything to the wood for a couple days and have no long term effect. Certainly, side covering during a rainy period wont hurt anything... just pull up those sides when the rain pulls out (looks like tomorrow in the NE)

 

[Jags]

A couple of days will not make your firewood fuzzy. Just remember to get air back to it when the rain stops.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The worst is those folks who cover their entire pile and leave it covered. I've seen one that when the fellow uncovered it he found a pastel of mold. Covered also seems to invite more rodents.

It does always amaze me watching some folks cover and uncover their wood. Do one or the other. Also, why worry about the sides? Rain might hit the sides, but gravity draws it down. I other words, the rain will run off. Covering the tops is fine and we do that too. The first summer after splitting we do not cover until late fall or early winter but if a really wet fall we might cover the top earlier.

I've noticed different times over the years when we've got some heavy rains. The wood get awfully wet but it really does not take long for it to dry after the rain stops. One year in particular we received 20" of rain in 2 days. Our wood was not even covered on top at that time. We had no problems with the wood that year as it was nice and dry.

 

[Battenkiller]

If you are willing to take the time to cover and uncover any time it rains/stops, your wood will be better for it. I couldn't be bothered, but I can't see how it would do any harm. If the wood is not fully seasoned and the temps are up there you could get some mold, so you need to get those tarps off right after the rain stops, but below 40ºF most molds can't grow. Even with outside temps in the 50s, mold will grow very slowly if at all.

 

[ansehnlich1]

I say score some rubber roofing material, cover the top of the pile only, and fuhgeddaboutit.

 

[cptoneleg]

We use clear plastic shrinkwrap at work comes in 2' wide rolls was thinking about rolling over tops and stapling down, but havent tried it yet. It is clear, think I will give it a try.

 

[velvetfoot]

But if you're burning that pile of wood this season it's a whole different story. If you don't cover the sides the snow and rain will make it a mess.

 

[Wood Duck]

Worst case? You cover it in tarps but start thinking it is another broken-down camaro, and you have to look for other firewood this winter.

 

[Battenkiller]

Worst case? You cover it in tarps but start thinking it is another broken-down camaro, and you have to look for other firewood this winter.

:lol:

That's the real reason I've never covered my wood. Now that the boys have moved out I'm finally down to one junker, and that one may be sold soon. Maybe my friends will stop calling me a redneck. :roll:

 

[velvetfoot]

I think as long as the car is right side up you're okay.

 

[firefighterjake]

I wouldn't worry too much about putting a tarp over a woodpile for a few days . . . I doubt your wood will rot away and mold up in just a few days of rain . . . in fact I have a tarp covering my pile of chunks, punks and uglies since we've had a couple days of rain here.

That said . . . I also wouldn't worry too much about the rain soaking into a pile of wood either since truly seasoned wood should dry up pretty quickly once brought inside or placed next to a stove . . . to me it's a personal preference.

I should add incidentally, that tonight or tomorrow the tarp will come back off as we have several windy days forecasted . . . .


Now as for long term wood storage . . . the first year I tarped the tops of my piles . . . which I would still do today if I didn't have a woodshed which is truly the cat's meow when it comes to wood storage as there is no fighting tarps, snow and ice on top of the tarps and no standing out in the rain or snow gathering up wood and knocking snow and ice off the splits.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

But if you're burning that pile of wood this season it's a whole different story. If you don't cover the sides the snow and rain will make it a mess.

Covering the sides of the piles is a pure waste of time and snow or rain will not make a mess. Never cover the sides; only the top.

 

[velvetfoot]

Maybe you don't get any snow in MI, but when it gets piled up on your wood and you have to dig out the frozen splits to bring them inside, it's a cold mess.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Maybe you don't get any snow in MI, but when it gets piled up on your wood and you have to dig out the frozen splits to bring them inside, it's a cold mess.

No, we don't get much. Notice just how much snow is on the sides of that stack of wood. Also notice there is a log splitter under the tarp. Once again I'll state that covering the sides of the stacks is a total waste of time and effort.

 

[velvetfoot]

So, you trudge out there, dig out the splits, and bring them back in the house?
Sounds cold and messy.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not at all. We keep a good amount on the porch during the winter months. I only go to the wood pile perhaps every 10 days to 2 weeks.

 

[firefighterjake]

Gotta agree with Dennis . . . the first year I had outside stacks I only top covered and snow and ice wasn't a real problem . . . well maybe when I moved the tarp and had a bunch come down on me a few times . . . worse part was standing there in the snow and rain picking up the splits . . . which is why I have a nice woodshed.

Most of the time snow and rain doesn't come up very high or percolate into the stack very far . . . I just would take off the tarp (after brushing the snow off) and if any were frozen together knock them a bit and then I would haul them to the porch where I kept my week's supply of wood . . . and then from there I would bring the wood inside to my woodbox . . . which had a nice plastic tub inside a wooden box to keep things nice and neat . . . and in case there was still any snow or ice melting off the splits.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Jake, I use a 2-wheeled cart for hauling the wood to the porch. Even when the snow gets deep I don't get snow in the cart of if so, it is so little it isn't worth mentioning. I agree that the worst is if you cover the wood with a tarp. That can be a bit interesting. With the old roofing we use, I just slide the roofing a bit, get the wood and slide the roofing back in place. But this year I won't because I've put 3 cord inside our new barn.

I guess my point was all about that covering of the SIDES of the wood pile. Rain nor snow just will not hurt that wood in the least.