Best looking material for top covering

[Butfumbl3]

So the boss has informed me, that she doesn’t want me to use tarps or the clear greenhouse plastic that I’ve been using to cover this pile. It’s right at the top of the driveway, so she doesn’t think that those options are pleasing to look at. I was thinking maybe metal roofing if I can find some free or cheap, but I’m not looking to spend a whole lot of money if possible. Preferably we are looking for a ridged material that won’t degrade or move around in the wind (save for potential tropical storms/blizzards), but also looks presentable. Anyone have any suggestions? The long row is about 27’ just to give a size reference.

 

[EbS-P]

You can buy old vinyl billboard signs. Sometimes it’s the luck of the draw. My friend ended up with a free STD testing ad

I’m in the same boat. Everything that looks good it more than I want to spend. I’m saving $$ and time to build a woodshed.

 

[Butfumbl3]

You can buy old vinyl billboard signs. Sometimes it’s the luck of the draw. My friend ended up with a free STD testing ad

I’m in the same boat. Everything that looks good it more than I want to spend. I’m saving $$ and time to build a woodshed.

Never thought about the old signs. Maybe I can scavenge some political signs

 

[stoveliker]

Some rubber roofing stuff I've heard about. Pre-used.

Home Depot sells corrugated metal that's not to expensive. You still have to fix these things or put weight on top for them not to blow away.

 

[kennyp2339]

If you live near a quarry the rubber conveyor belts work great, the quarry by me was giving them away a few years back, got a bunch of 3ft wide rolls for the firehouse so when we chain up the truck tires we dont scuff the bay floors, a few other people use them as wood pile covers, there heavy so no worry about wind affecting them, you may have to cut them to 15ft lengths just to lift up to the top of the pile.

 

[Ashful]

Why not a roof? I build these 4-cord units in maybe 15 hours each. I presently have four this size, plus another smaller one, trying to cut back on my wood usage (I used to keep 30 cords CSS'd).





My process is a little unconventional, in that I build the unit in the driveway in front of my barn, so I'm close to my saws, compressors, and tool chests. Then I throw an old boat axle under the thing, pick up one end on the 3-point of my tractor, and drive it to the installed location. Then I lift it with forks, and set it upon a block base I've already leveled.



If I didn't have the tractor, I'd just build it on the base, in its final resting place. This would mean carting tools to and from my shop each morning and evening, and probably 100 time-wasting trips back and forth in-between, but not a huge deal.

I will admit it probably takes me 6 hours to set up a level block base, since my final location has at least 16 inches of slope across the 6 foot depth of each rack. So, maybe over 20 hours for an installed unit.

The units are accessible from both sides. Two bays on the front, two bays on the back, four bays of exactly 1 cord each. I can split and stack right into them, two rows deep from each side, so I'm never walking into a shed to stack or retrieve wood:



I simply drive my wagon up to them and load into it, before parking the wagon on a covered patio outside my door. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a photo of me loading the wagon from one of these units, just the old plastic-covered pallets I used before building these:



While you're at it, build a small one to go on high ground near the house, in case you need wood during a muddy season, and can't get to the main stash without making a mess:

 

[Butfumbl3]

Why not a roof? I build these 4-cord units in maybe 15 hours each. I presently have four this size, plus another smaller one, trying to cut back on my wood usage (I used to keep 30 cords CSS'd).

View attachment 299261 View attachment 299259

View attachment 299260

My process is a little unconventional, in that I build the unit in the driveway in front of my barn, so I'm close to my saws, compressors, and tool chests. Then I throw an old boat axle under the thing, pick up one end on the 3-point of my tractor, and drive it to the installed location. Then I lift it with forks, and set it upon a block base I've already leveled.

View attachment 299257 View attachment 299258 View attachment 299265

If I didn't have the tractor, I'd just build it on the base, in its final resting place. This would mean carting tools to and from my shop each morning and evening, and probably 100 time-wasting trips back and forth in-between, but not a huge deal.

I will admit it probably takes me 6 hours to set up a level block base, since my final location has at least 16 inches of slope across the 6 foot depth of each rack. So, maybe over 20 hours for an installed unit.

The units are accessible from both sides. Two bays on the front, two bays on the back, four bays of exactly 1 cord each. I can split and stack right into them, two rows deep from each side, so I'm never walking into a shed to stack or retrieve wood:

View attachment 299263

I simply drive my wagon up to them and load into it, before parking the wagon on a covered patio outside my door. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a photo of me loading the wagon from one of these units, just the old plastic-covered pallets I used before building these:

View attachment 299264 View attachment 299262

While you're at it, build a small one to go on high ground near the house, in case you need wood during a muddy season, and can't get to the main stash without making a mess:

View attachment 299266

Ideally, a wood shed (or several) would be great. Unfortunately it’s not in the budget currently. I do have plans to build one in the future, but in a different location on my property. The sheds look great by the way!

 

[Ashful]

In that case, black plastic sheeting was my go-to. I found the black much less visually offensive, and that it blended in much better with the background, versus clear or white. I would look for at least 4 mil (6 mil is better) with a width 3-4 feet greater than the width of your stacks. This gives you enough to cover the top and run it up to 2 feet down each side, to effectively shed most of the rain and snow. Roll it out atop the stack, start unfolding, and stapling to log splits with staple gun or hammer tacker.

Although black seemed more durable than clear, you will still want to peel this off any wood still covered at the end of the season, as it will fail due to UV embrittlement early into the next season, if not replaced each year. It's a wasteful process, generating a ton of plastic trash that your recycling company won't accept, but it can work as a temporary measure, only until you can get a more sustainable shed or covered rack built.

If your wife is unhappy with the looks, it'll only help you justify the expense of that eventual wood shed. Do remember what you're saving in fuel costs, with this woodburning endeavor, when figuring your financial justification for the shed.

Others use remnants left over from flat rubber roofs. You could call local roofing companies who do commercial (not just residential) work, to see if they're willing to let you scavenge from them, I've never tried it myself.

 

[gzecc]

corrugated metal panels. Last forever

 

[fvhowler]

I use vinyl siding panels that I scrounged from an old house. I cut to length, clip two sections together like they're designed when installed and weight down with bricks. Two panels are just enough to overhang 16-17 inch logs. Not as pretty as the photos above but effective and didn't cost me anything.

 

[mrc]

I have two years supply of firewood and none of it is covered until the fall of the year it is going to be used. Then it is moved under cover. All of it is in wire parts baskets I move with a tractor. Never had a problem with the wood being exposed. Just wait until we have 4 or 5 sunny dry days before moving it. Used to cover it with corrugated sheets of fiberglass but a lot of work to keep it on. I know now I don’t have to.

 

[DonTee]

Last year I used roofing felt to cover single rows of firewood I had stacked between some trees. The black doesn’t look bad, and you can fold the paper over the edges of the stack some. You obviously have to weight it down though.

I built a woodshed last winter. And now I wish I had 3 more like Ashful does. Lol.
I have about 4 cords in the shed, and another 12 cords stacked uncovered. I leave the wood uncovered for a year, and then move it into the shed for another year before using it.

 

[Ashful]

I built a woodshed last winter. And now I wish I had 3 more like Ashful does. Lol.

Uh oh... gotta stay one step ahead of Don! So I built and loaded a fourth this weekend:

 

[DonTee]

That’s right! Haha. You probably still have more firewood than me though. I’m working on cord number 17 right now. More ash.

I have 12 cords of firewood stacked between a bunch of trees. I call it my firewood wall. We have a Great Pyrenees puppy, and it’s the only fence that can contain her. Lol.

Nice wood trailer btw

 

[Ashful]

That’s right! Haha. You probably still have more firewood than me though. I’m working on cord number 17 right now. More ash.

I have 12 cords of firewood stacked between a bunch of trees. I call it my firewood wall. We have a Great Pyrenees puppy, and it’s the only fence that can contain her. Lol.

Nice wood trailer btw

17 cords is right where I stand, as well. Just worked my way down from 30 cords stowed on ugly shipping pallets, and enjoying a nice long break from splitting and stacking, in the process of it. I had a plan to reduce my wood usage, based on being away from home too much to keep up with two stoves, and just getting tired of the process. But the recent spike in energy prices and a change in my career that now has me working from home, both have me reconsidering this plan.

Isn't life fun?

Thanks on the trailer. I can't recommend it enough. It has hydraulic dump function, which is great for moving topsoil or mulch, is rated 2 tons, and is great for holding firewood. In fact, I just park it on my patio, and use the wood straight from the wagon, saving me a re-stacking step when moving wood from these sheds to the house. It sits just outside my basement door, near the kindling rack and ash can.

 

[DonTee]

That’s pretty sweet that the trailer fits right on the porch. What brand is it?

 

[Ashful]

Country Mfg. 2-ton utility wagon model 8300. Comes without dump cylinder, so I just arranged my own cylinder, lines, and valve from a log splitter. Set up valve so it auto-stops on way down.

Utility Dump wagons | trailers for utility tractors and ATVs by Country MFG.