Tarp Recommendation

Besides the cheap blue plastic tarps, is there reasonably priced tarp that is durable enough to last several seasons as a wood cover? Seems like the blue type tarps only last a season or two. Thanks

I'm using the brown double lined ones with the silver liner from home depot. After I stack the wood, I take scrap 2x3's and screw them on top of the tarps into the splits. They hold up pretty well. Others use metal and rubber roofing.

Those cheap blue and orange tarps aren't worth the packaging they are wrapped in. They have no UV resistance for outdoor use, that's why they degrade so fast.
Go to a lumber yard and ask about getting some of their used lumber tarps before they throw them in the garbage. The material that the lumber comes wrapped in is far superior material to those cheap blue tarps, it will last for years because it's UV treated and made to stand up to the wind, plus it's free so you won't feel bad cutting it to the exact size you need, nor will you feel bad poking holes through it with screws holding it down to your wood stacks.

We use rubber roofing stuff. It is very tough.

+1

Or if you can find some old galvanized roofing that works super great and will last years and years and years.

Billboard tarps are great. 14'X 48' are $50-65. They have a seam sewn around the outside edge that you can fish a poly rope through. I then tie a loop on each end of the rope and use a ratchet strap to cinch it down. It will hold the tarp on without putting anything on top of it.

gg

I get cheap 6 mil rolls from Wal-Mart, leave the roll folded and top cover in rain or snow...they last...I cover a cord (24'x4'x16") with a piece 25'x10'...sunny in picture but was going to rain later...

What about scrap Tyvek from a building project? Let's air through but not moisture.

conveyor belting if you can find it.
will last forever.
heavy enough you don't even need to tie it down or worry about it blowing away.

Lots of good ideas thanks guys.

I use the black/silver ones for the boat. When they start getting a little thread bare for the boat they go on the wood pile I'm going to use. When they are too old for the wood pile I get rid of them. My latest tarp was just put on the boat for the 2nd year. I expect it to start getting thin in spots and I'll duct tape any small holes it sees. Maybe in 2 years it will graduate to wood piles.

Matt

He's right! these things are great! With a little talking to the lumber Mgr. you can get them whole and they fit right over some nice size stacks. All ya need to do is fasten them in place. Free is best!

Doesn't sound like the same stuff we have on our lumber. I had a load of 2x4s with the tarp on it (about 300ish 2x4s). The tarp barely lasted through this summer before it was coming apart and spreading "threads" of it all over the yard.

The heavy duty silver/black tarps hold up well, but they aren't cheap. Something like a 12x20 will run about $60.

My wood stacks are on a hill and they get a lot of wind. I tried a silver and black tarp. I tied it downd and put oak rounds on it. The wind tossed them off and took the tarp off. I put large rocks, over 30lb, the wind would toss the rocks off. With the the billboard tarps I do not put anything on top, just cinch with the ratchet strap and rope. It stays on and it just billows up in the wind. I think it really helps to keep the condensation off the top of pile because the air can move.

I place the rows about 12" apart and then place a layer of splits accross the top between each row. That way I don't get puddles on the top of the tarp that pull down between the rows. I also mound the rows higher towards the middle.

Gg

Every time I go to Germany I keep seeing the same piles of wood in the same places with nothing more than a piece of galvanized tin on the top held down by some rocks. I swear some of those tin pieces are the same pieces of tin they had there in the late 70's when I first went there and they very well may be. Best of all they get lots of air flow and you can see walking by that the wood is plenty dry and anyone who ever did time over there in the army knows Germany is one rainy place. KISS, keep it simple stupid like the old sarge always said.

Where do you get billboard tarps?

I get billboard tarps or signs from sign shops or craigslist. They are very heavy duty. Call any local sign shops in your area. They are printed on one side and either black or white on the other.

gg

Sure doesn't sound like the same stuff. I've had those used lumber wrap tarps outdoors in the full sun for 5 years continuously, and these were still in not bad shape, although it depends how you hold them down. Any tarp that is able to flap in the wind will not last very long, likely not even one season.
Perhaps they don't bother to UV treat your tarps up there in Alaska, after all you only see the Sun for a few weeks of the year around June and July, right?

Rubber roofing, best stuff since sliced bread, cut it in 2 ft width, roll it out on top, throw splits on it to hold it down, done.

Maybe cut it a bit narrower than 2 ft if your splits are shorter, mine are normally around 22 inches long.

Tried the rest, now have the best!

Thanks, I checked craigslist and didnt find anything in my area, found some online for a good price but Ill check local sign shops so I dont have to pay shipping. Even with shipping I think it would be worth it since they're so tough.

I found a guy selling rubber roofing on craigslist, he's about an hour from me but if its still there this weekend In gonna get it.

My wood is stacked on individual pallets. ... 2 rows about 4' high. I cover with used 4 x 4 3/4" plywood. I put 2 screws in each piece....the screws go through and go into pieces of firewood.
Lots of wind in my area - have never had any of the tops blow off!

I'm a little late on this thread, but I came across this product at the local HD and thought it may work great.

Multy Home Black Vinyl Runner

I'm not sure how it will hold up in the sun, but if it does ok, it's not a terrible price at $2.27 per linear ft. You could cover a cord of wood for a bit over $36 with what may be a durable and easy to manage covering.

This is my first year with wood and I have mine stacked in three sections. Two are top covered with brown tarp, and one with scrap rubber roofing I was able to scrounge from work. We'll see how it goes this winter and what changes I'll make for next year...

I'll be curious how that holds up as it is made for interior use. Hopefully it works out good.