Wood storage under the tarp

[Dmitry]

Hi, As a new burner I got 2 cords of seasoned wood just to realize later it's not really dry. It's damped on a pallets and I put tarp over it to protect it from rain/snow. I have no time right now to stack it properly. I need probably another 2-3 month before I get to it. I'm not gonna burn it this year and maybe not even next year since it has lot of 22'' oak splits.
I noticed that some splits that was under the tarp got white puffy growth on it and wood doesn't look dry overall.
Does it make sense to remove the tarp and let it be exposed to elements. I read somewhere that internal moisture going to evaporate even when uncovered.

 

[claydogg84]

I would leave it covered on the top, but it would help if the sides were exposed.

 

[weatherguy]

I top cover before the leaves fall and snow and leave it that way until I burn it, I usually wait 3 years for oak, usually 2 years for other types but sometimes 3 since I'm on a 3 year rotation

 

[Dmitry]

The problem is it's 2 cords damped from the truck , so it's kind of flat with peak in a middle

 

[claydogg84]

The problem is it's 2 cords damped from the truck , so it's kind of flat with peak in a middle

Leave it covered until you can stack and cover it properly. Leaving it uncovered at this point under a bunch of snow isn't going to help dry it much.

 

[Poindexter]

One thing I have to work around in Alaska is freeze up. Sometime on October the temp drops below freezing - and stays below freezing until sometime in March.

The academics claim a tiny bit of moisture comes out of my wood over the winter through some process - transpiration? sublimation? I dunno, they agree it is a tiny amount of water, and I can't measure it with my MM. Basically, my cord wood does not season - but does not rot either - for six months out of the year.

In my experience if your temps are below freezing now you have until your temps go back up above freezing to deal with it. Therefore if you can get it split, stacked off the ground and likely covered on top before whenever your spring thaw is you have done what you can do. Whether you get it stacked tomorrow or the last day of freezing weather before spring melt probably won't make a measurable difference next fall.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Too bad you just couldn't leave it till next year when it will be more ready and give you better results and you wouldn't even have to worry about covering it........I never cover my wood, unless it's needed for burning.....