Finally, the stash is dry! Lesson learned.

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Having made the mistake of leaving my well seasoned stacks uncovered here in the Mid-Atlantic until September 2018, we were treated to saturated wood for most of the burning season.

Through much effort moving wood around, covering when precipitation was called for, uncovering when more than two days of dry were forecast, and preheating our "on deck" wood in front of the stove, we limped along, and now the stash is finally dry enough to make burning a pleasure again. For the rest of this season, and we are gonna see the teens again next week.

From here on out, I'm top covering as much as I'm likely to use for the next two years, year round. A large woodshed would be a tremendous help as well.

 

[weatherguy]

A wood shed has been in my plan for years, it would solve a lot of problems and make life easier, let us know when you construct one.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

A wood shed has been in my plan for years, it would solve a lot of problems and make life easier, let us know when you construct one.

My main issue is deciding where to put it.

I bought enough landscape timbers (when on sale) for the frame of an 8x24 shed, and stored them in the barn for probably 3 years. Then about 10 cords of wood became available and I needed as much material as I could find to stack the new wood off the ground, and used all the timbers for base of 16' stacks.

So, it looks like it'll be tarps for the foreseeable future. And rather than one giant shed, I think 2 or three smaller ones will be more practical (and less conspicuous).

 

[spudman99]

I would just keep all your stacks top covered year round. While I am newer at this game, it seems silly not to top cover. Yes, leaving stacks open in the summer might help, but it also rains then and there is morning dew. I cant imagine that the rate of drying drops measurably when not covered.

 

[Woody5506]

I have a couple cords of ash and maple uncovered for almost a year now that has been bugging me. I'm thinking it won't be burned for another couple years but I do need to get it tarped. Personally I don't really mind tarping, and I think most people get fed up with it because they end up not securing them well enough.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I would just keep all your stacks top covered year round. While I am newer at this game, it seems silly not to top cover. Yes, leaving stacks open in the summer might help, but it also rains then and there is morning dew. I cant imagine that the rate of drying drops measurably when not covered.

That's definitely the plan going forward! I might be tempted to remove the tarps during particularly long dry hot spells, if those ever occur again. But that's mainly to feed my neurosis rather than any possible benefit.

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

Ed - I'm with you on this 100%. The Summer of 2018 taught me a huge lesson and that is to cover my wood stacks. I'm using "mini-sheds" for lack of a better term. I built a bunch of covers making a 2x2 frame and then fastening old steel roofing to that. The price is right because I saved the old steel when I had the barn re-roofed several years back. I can't take a picture right now, everything is under a few feet of snow and ice here in Southern WI. Each cover fits over a stack that holds a cord.

We all say that the seasoning of our wood does not start until it's CSS ... I have changed that to CSSC Cut, Split, Stacked, and Covered.

All the same "rules" apply - the stacks need to be out in the open where there is good air flow and where the sun can get on it. Leaving your CSS wood in the woods where it is damp, no sun, and minimal air flow won't cut it whether it's covered or not.

 

[peakbagger]

A few 2x4s some long deck screws and some dented off spec metal roofing is a real nice alterative to tarps. cut three 2x4s the width of the stack plus 6" on either side. That's going to be about 5' long. Now take the remaining 3' lengths and run them vertically up the sides of the stack front and back on the ends and center of the stack. Use long deck screws and screw them right into the logs of the stack making sure you get one or two down low. Make sure they stick out above about 6" above the stack with the front higher than the back with a slight slope or side to side if the roofing you have is has a profile. Now screw the 5 footers front to back to these uprights. If you are using roofing with channels or ridges you can then lay them directly down on the five footers and then run a few short screws through the roofing down into the 5 footers. Make sure you overlap the roofing and you are done. This is one step away from a woodshed for drying. It takes whole lot of wind to disturb the roof especially if there is snow on it. Any moisture coming up out of the stacks gets carried away via the air gap. Unless you get lot of wind driven rain, the overhang keeps the sides from getting wet,

I have some big sheets of PVC foam board used for commercial signage on some of my stacks. Works as well as the metal roofing but I got them by luck for free but the width means I get less overhang Looks like Versatech but the finish is smoother as they apply vinyl signage to it. Kind of pricey compared to roofing. Roofing get shipped with protective sheets on top and bottom that are whatever the mill has sitting around, if you ask at a real lumber yard they may have some set aside and will give you a deal. (Highly unlikely at Lowes or HD) Alternatively the stuff get bent and scratched and they are usually glad to sell at discount to get it out of the yard.

 

[KJamesJR]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SI9O9S/?tag=hearthamazon-20

Im using this to cover this year. I use it in the garden and it is some tough fabric. Comes in a 300’x 3’ roll. You just set it on top of your single row stack and unroll it to the end. Cut and secure with jute twine or rope with a wood split tide to both ends to keep it from blowing away.

It’s breathable, heavy weight, black fabric. Breathable but water shed off the top. You will need to singe the cut ends to keep it from fraying. Worth every penny.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SI9O9S/?tag=hearthamazon-20

Im using this to cover this year. I use it in the garden and it is some tough fabric. Comes in a 300’x 3’ roll. You just set it on top of your single row stack and unroll it to the end. Cut and secure with jute twine or rope with a wood split tide to both ends to keep it from blowing away.

It’s breathable, heavy weight, black fabric. Breathable but water shed off the top. You will need to singe the cut ends to keep it from fraying. Worth every penny.

I like it! But it violates my one qualification for covers- free, or almost free.

 

[HisTreeNut]

I also have a damp wood issue this year along with holey tarps. I am all about free but I have yet to find anything like that <<sigh> >..
That being said, I was going to get some landscape plastic of some sort once I re-do my stacks. Like the fabric idea...

Sent from my Mobile Interwebbery Thingy

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Ed. Glad to hear your woods drying up.. wet wood just plain sucks. Burning should be fun and when the wood doesnt catch fire or smolders its just aggravating. If you are putting a shed together good for you.. they are great and frees you up from babysitting the wood all the time

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Ed. Glad to hear your woods drying up.. wet wood just plain sucks. Burning should be fun and when the wood doesnt catch fire or smolders its just aggravating. If you are putting a shed together good for you.. they are great and frees you up from babysitting the wood all the time

When are you coming over to build my solar kiln?

 

[SpaceBus]

Having made the mistake of leaving my well seasoned stacks uncovered here in the Mid-Atlantic until September 2018, we were treated to saturated wood for most of the burning season.

Through much effort moving wood around, covering when precipitation was called for, uncovering when more than two days of dry were forecast, and preheating our "on deck" wood in front of the stove, we limped along, and now the stash is finally dry enough to make burning a pleasure again. For the rest of this season, and we are gonna see the teens again next week.

From here on out, I'm top covering as much as I'm likely to use for the next two years, year round. A large woodshed would be a tremendous help as well.

This is our first year burning wood after moving here in November. We started our with half a cord to a cord of decently seasoned wood. I can't wait until burning becomes a pleasure again as it's not that fun cutting loads of wood with bio bricks. And drying hundreds of pounds of wood indoors.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

When are you coming over to build my solar kiln?

The drive is a little far.. but I'll walk you through it.

 

[SpaceBus]

The drive is a little far.. but I'll walk you through it.

Do you have a build thread? I'm considering building one for drying lumber, but firewood should dry just as well and I know the bugs will be dead.

 

[Toomb]

This has moved me to the next level. I think i have $300.00 bucks in it

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

This has moved me to the next level. I think i have $300.00 bucks in it

That's a beauty. Next couple levels, I think. And, a real feat to get all that done for $300.

 

[Toomb]

That's a beauty. Next couple levels, I think. And, a real feat to get all that done for $300.

I am a hoarder, and scavenger this the low price. But you can build a shed for as little or as much as you’d like. Once you get away from tarps and wet wood you’ll never look back

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Do you have a build thread? I'm considering building one for drying lumber, but firewood should dry just as well and I know the bugs will be dead.

The link is in my signature

 

[SpaceBus]

The link is in my signature

I'm on mobile and can't see any signatures. Is there an option I can change so that I can? If not, I'll hop on the laptop

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I'm on mobile and can't see any signatures. Is there an option I can change so that I can? If not, I'll hop on the laptop

Turn your phone on its side to make your screan long and you will see all the info.. if that doesn't work let me know and i will copy and paste it