I'm stacking rounds that I will split in spring was thinking of top covering them. Think it matters? Or is a good idea?
To cover or not to cover this is the question(rounds cut to size)
- Thread starter Nico1986
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
It might be okay to do but I would much rather split before stacking. That said, I do our cutting during the winter and split it in the spring then stack right after splitting. It works for us. We do not top cover our wood piles that first summer and fall but do top cover before the snow is flying much.
Paulywalnut
Minister of Fire
Since I got my hydraulic I split rounds as I get them and stack them.
I just like to get them into a stack mainly to get them started seasoning.
To answer your question. I personally would not cover them. Especially
with bark on them. Let the sun and wind do a little bit of natural seasoning.
I just like to get them into a stack mainly to get them started seasoning.
To answer your question. I personally would not cover them. Especially
with bark on them. Let the sun and wind do a little bit of natural seasoning.
I think it depends on your location assuming your weather over there is similar to ours you can probably go without the top cover and let more air and sun get to it. Some of these guys live in very wet and rainy areas they have to top cover to prevent rot. I personally don't cover except what is ready to burn and I want to keep snow rain off right before bringing in the house.
Don't make life harder than it already is don't stack till you split it aint going to do much drying till split and stacked.
HDRock
Minister of Fire
Ok , people
I have a pile, not stacked, just piled on, of Hickory on a couple of pallets, size is 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 ", green tree cut this last spring
What's your opinion ? cover it for the winter or not
I have a pile, not stacked, just piled on, of Hickory on a couple of pallets, size is 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 ", green tree cut this last spring
What's your opinion ? cover it for the winter or not
HDRock
Minister of Fire
If your not going to split it, get it off the ground , and leave it uncovered
Oregon aloha
Feeling the Heat
I don't like to split wet wood. If you are planning to split it before the sun can get to it next spring then cover it. The sun will dry out the rain and then split nicely. In rounds it will season the same with or without a cover.
red oak
Minister of Fire
Leave it uncovered until you split. I don't think the unsplit rounds dry much either way.
Was using a chip two-bit axe from harbor freight though and broke a blade. guess that's why its got two...
Hills Hoard
Minister of Fire
im a fan of covering the top row...if you can come up with a system that has good drainage and doesnt retain water in low spots and wont blow away...
ArsenalDon
Minister of Fire
A strip of old roofing tar paper works wonders.
PapaDave
Minister of Fire
Depends on what they are. If Oak, they'll be wet in the spring too.
Do you have enough wood for at least next year, or is this wood for next year?
I don't waste time stacking rounds. I cut the wood into rounds, then split and stack ASAP.
Doesn't dry much until split.
I've left rounds on the ground all winter (an exception to the above statement), then S/S as soon as I could in the spring.
Don't do that anymore.
Do you have enough wood for at least next year, or is this wood for next year?
I don't waste time stacking rounds. I cut the wood into rounds, then split and stack ASAP.
Doesn't dry much until split.
I've left rounds on the ground all winter (an exception to the above statement), then S/S as soon as I could in the spring.
Don't do that anymore.
Insomnivore
Member
Split, stack, cover, forget about it. Everything here gets split even down to the smallest rounds, stacked then covered. Always cover,
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
My short experience indicates to keep it off the ground. That stuff will suck UP water. Since it's so hard to get ahead initially, I decided I wouldn't let anything get wet if I could prevent it. Lowes carries 3'x50 plastic sheets (3 mils?). I roll out the approximate length, take a staple gun out, and shoot a staple every 3' or so, throw a few splits on the top for good measure, and cut when I get to the end. I'll start splitting those as soon as I get a place to stack them. The plastic has stayed there for a few weeks so far, so I'm hopeful.
Hills Hoard
Minister of Fire
i dont think roofing tar is as popular here in oz, but i have plastic that came in a roll that i run across each individual row then weigh down....first time ive done it this season and its working brilliantly...
I'll agree here, I just started splitting some 2 year old rounds I'd forgotten about and the MC is close to 30%. IMO uncovered is better than some types of covered. My neighbor is lazy and doesn't split his own wood even though he has a full acre of trees. He got a big dump truck load of wood delivered this summer and just left it jumbled on the ground where it was dumped, PLUS he threw a tarp over the pile. I'd imagine the bottom pieces are going to be junk by the time he gets to them and the tarp is keeping the rest from drying. Waste of money if you ask me.
Kenster
Minister of Fire
I have never covered my stacks. They stay exposed to the elements until I bring a few days worth up to our covered front porch. Even if they had been rained on, by the time I burn the splits they are dry. However... we recently had our metal roof replaced after a hail storm. I kept a whole bunch of the old metal panels and will use them as roofs of some outbuildings I am planning to build. Just on a whim, I took a few panels a couple weeks ago and covered the stacks I am working off of this year. I was out of town all last week and came home after a cold front dropped three inches of rain and dropped the temps into my burn range. (Anything under 40 degrees.) I sure was glad that I had top covered my stacks and had some nice dry wood!
BIGDADDY
Feeling the Heat
- May 17, 2012
- 416
I stack my rounds before I pull the splitter up to them and split them. I'm guessing that is what you meant by stacked/piled. No real extra work in placing the rounds one on top of the other in preparation of splitting them.
I wouldn't bother covering them until you split them if even then only top cover but I wouldn't bother like Backwoods said until the snow is about to fly.
I wouldn't bother covering them until you split them if even then only top cover but I wouldn't bother like Backwoods said until the snow is about to fly.
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
I don't think it matters. Bark is as waterproof as shrink wrap. You'd be better off splitting it, but maybe you have good reason for waiting.
- Status
