Too Soon To Cover?

[soupy1957]

We're not far from daily burning, that's for sure! I've had one burn already. When I watch the weather reports, I see rain coming in batches of "days" in a row, and being this close to the burning season, I'm thinking I might just want to pull down my tarps over my wood.

Last thing I need, is a very wet Autumn, and then have wet wood, entering into burning season.

When would YOU cover your wood? Last year I waited til just before the first snowfall; but then again, "last year" wasn't as "wet" as this year, before winter hit.

-Soupy1957

 

[firefighterjake]

I have a woodshed now . . . but in Year 1 when I had tarps I waited until the first heavy frost/threat of snowfall . . . but I suspect if you're just top covering the stacks now is a good time as any . . .

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

The last 2 years I have covered the woodpile just for the bad weather and removed it when it was sunny and clear. My thoughts are with Soupy, no need to risk a wet fall and be caught behind.

 

[begreen]

Yep, I'd top cover now.

 

[BrowningBAR]

We're not far from daily burning, that's for sure! I've had one burn already. When I watch the weather reports, I see rain coming in batches of "days" in a row, and being this close to the burning season, I'm thinking I might just want to pull down my tarps over my wood.

Last thing I need, is a very wet Autumn, and then have wet wood, entering into burning season.

When would YOU cover your wood? Last year I waited til just before the first snowfall; but then again, "last year" wasn't as "wet" as this year, before winter hit.

-Soupy1957

I'm still a few weeks away from my first burn. I am having 4 more cords delivered for next winter's stack. I'll probably tarp a section off at that point.

 

[48rob]

I put a cord in my garage last weekend...

May have been able to wait another week or two, but with rain every few days, and the rainy season close at hand, I feel a lot better knowing I'm ready.

Rob

 

[thewoodlands]

We're not far from daily burning, that's for sure! I've had one burn already. When I watch the weather reports, I see rain coming in batches of "days" in a row, and being this close to the burning season, I'm thinking I might just want to pull down my tarps over my wood.

Last thing I need, is a very wet Autumn, and then have wet wood, entering into burning season.

When would YOU cover your wood? Last year I waited til just before the first snowfall; but then again, "last year" wasn't as "wet" as this year, before winter hit.

-Soupy1957

Soupy1957; we top covered our kindling and four months worth of wood before the last rain & cold spell. Like you said it looks like we might be looking at another good rain next week.

zap

 

[muncybob]

Top covered on Monday...rain and showers since then and appears the same for the next few days. Hoping to have my woodshed done by beginning of October and do away with the tarps.

 

[thewoodlands]

Top covered on Monday...rain and showers since then and appears the same for the next few days. Hoping to have my woodshed done by beginning of October and do away with the tarps.

muncybob, this is what accuweather is calling for.

zap

 

[Rob From Wisconsin]

Our woodshed is full, and I've got about a cord on wood racks
out in the sun in our sand pit area. I'm going to leave it uncovered
as long as I can - drying very quickly! It'll probably be some of the
first stuff I'll burn.

 

[BrotherBart]

I top covered this year and next year's wood in 2009. Moved it into the shed last May.

 

[f3cbboy]

i don't ever cover.

 

[CTYank]

It's never too soon to top-cover, presuming that you want to be able to burn the wood cleanly & efficiently, near-term.

You don't set up sprinklers on the stacks. What do you think rain provides?

 

[soupy1957]

I "Top Cover" all thru the summer, so that's been the extent of the protection. Think I'll drop the tarps fully, tonight.

-Soupy1957

 

[TreePointer]

I have a couple stacks that are top covered all the time. The rest of this season's wood gets top covered before the first hurricanes/tropical storm remnant blows through--usually late August/early September. The remainder is never covered.

 

[joefrompa]

I find surface moisture only seems to last 4 days max (less if it's in sun and air). This can get alot worse, obviously, in the winter time and freezing temps....but it seems like if I bring the wood inside the garage for ~1 week and the house for 1 day, it's gonna be dry and good.

Is this different from what other people experience? Now I'm starting to consider covering the stacks!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I "Top Cover" all thru the summer, so that's been the extent of the protection. Think I'll drop the tarps fully, tonight.

-Soupy1957

Why on earth would you "drop" the tarps fully? At least is sounds like you will be encasing the entire wood pile. That certainly is not necessary and if you do it that can trap moisture for sure. Better to just top cover. Rain or snow hitting the sides of the wood pile does absolutely no harm.

Is it too early to cover. No. One needs to make that decision as to when to cover dependent upon his area. If we experienced a really wet fall then I might consider covering early too. However, I usually get out there sometime around Thanksgiving or early December, depending upon the weather. I like to cover before the snow flies, but top only.

 

[maplewood]

My wood goes in the basement, so I usually don't have to cover. I still have 3.5 cord to put in, so I'll throw a tarp over the section I want to put in next just to keep the dew, frost and some rain off that wood.

I used to have a shed. I still think that's the best way to go.

But to your question - yes, I'd cover the tops now.

 

[scojen]

It might be different in the northern areas but in my neck of the woods we still got a couple weeks yet.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

My wood goes in the basement, so I usually don't have to cover. I still have 3.5 cord to put in, so I'll throw a tarp over the section I want to put in next just to keep the dew, frost and some rain off that wood.

I used to have a shed. I still think that's the best way to go.

But to your question - yes, I'd cover the tops now.

My wood goes up one flight onto the covered porch, although I like the idea of the wood going down into the basement. I can picture setting up the stairway for the 'tossing' of logs.

 

[iod0816]

Although I am tempted with the rain, we've made it thru a hurricane a minor trop storm so far and the woods dried within a few sunny days after. Might be looking at the next strong batch of sunny days myself though just to be safe to quell my thoughts. Zap's pic and the fact we have seen lots of geese moving in Aug makes me think we're in for it. Did others notice its been a mild bug year, not too many ticks and lots more spiders inside? Always curious if those are also natures indicators...

 

[CTYank]

I find surface moisture only seems to last 4 days max (less if it's in sun and air). This can get alot worse, obviously, in the winter time and freezing temps....but it seems like if I bring the wood inside the garage for ~1 week and the house for 1 day, it's gonna be dry and good.

Is this different from what other people experience? Now I'm starting to consider covering the stacks!

Clearly (to me, anyhow) surface moisture is only a tiny part of the situation.
If moisture can be induced to diffuse outward, what's to say it can't go the other way? (Nothing.)

There's a time when dropping the tarp makes sense- when heavy rain would otherwise splash onto/into the lower part of the stack. Let's not be too rigid, and consider the priorities.

 

[NH_Wood]

I took advantage of a stretch of cool, dry weather last week to get all 5 cord in the barn - done! If I had to work from stacks outside all winter, I'd be covering them now - my wood is 3 year seasoned, so I'd rather have the wood dry and not be worried about a week of rain before I might want to begin to burn (I think that week of rain may begin tomorrow......). Cheers!

 

[Jaugust124]

Rain coming tonight, so I decided to cover about a cord or so of my wood. The wood is in a kind of shady spot, so it takes a fair amount of time to dry out.
I'm going to wait until mid to late October to start moving wood under the deck. I would wait a little longer, but I start to get antsy about getting it moved.

 

[stejus]

I start to cover in September when it rains. When the sun is out, the covers are removed. Once snow starts to fall, top covered for the remainder of the season. Next season's wood stays uncovered until next year.