Outside storage questions?

[bas157]

My brother is able to borrow a truck from work and pickup 5 tons of pellets for me tomorrow (4 Turmans and 1 AWF softwood). I can fit 2 inside my garage immediately but the other 3 will have to sit outside on the driveway for a good bit of the winter.

Couple questions for you all!

Would it be better to put the pallets on top of an old pallet to allow more air circulation under them? Truck has a crane so placing them on top of another empty pallet isn't a problem.

Would it be good to put a plastic sheet under the pallet, or at least part of it? Thought is it would help water evaporating upward and getting the cardboard (on top of the skid but under the pellets) damp.

They will be stored on a paved driveway which does get a lot of water runoff from the yard. Where they will be does not get any puddling of rain/snow melt, it'll run down the driveway or puddle up in other areas but there will be water running under the pallets.

I will be covering the pallets with a good tarp. The pellets, at least in the past, have always had a big 'bag' over them then stretch wrapping around the bag. I know some stores keep the pellets outside so I don't think it should be a problem. Where I'm getting them from does keep them inside.

Thanks!
Bruce

 

[Mt Bob]

My brother is able to borrow a truck from work and pickup 5 tons of pellets for me tomorrow (4 Turmans and 1 AWF softwood). I can fit 2 inside my garage immediately but the other 3 will have to sit outside on the driveway for a good bit of the winter.

Couple questions for you all!

Would it be better to put the pallets on top of an old pallet to allow more air circulation under them? Truck has a crane so placing them on top of another empty pallet isn't a problem.

Would it be good to put a plastic sheet under the pallet, or at least part of it? Thought is it would help water evaporating upward and getting the cardboard (on top of the skid but under the pellets) damp.

They will be stored on a paved driveway which does get a lot of water runoff from the yard. Where they will be does not get any puddling of rain/snow melt, it'll run down the driveway or puddle up in other areas but there will be water running under the pallets.

I will be covering the pallets with a good tarp. The pellets, at least in the past, have always had a big 'bag' over them then stretch wrapping around the bag. I know some stores keep the pellets outside so I don't think it should be a problem. Where I'm getting them from does keep them inside.

Thanks!
Bruce

"good pellets come double warped,out here,the outside wrapping is white plastic(of some sort),the next "bag is black plastic.The whole pallet is wrapped in stretch plastic.That is what I have been used to,with North Idaho pellets.However,the higher you can keep them off the ground,the longer they will last.Even out here,in MT,putting them 1 pallet higher seems to keep the mice out of them.I have had snow 2 foot high against pellet stacks,then found out just stacking them 1 layer(on top of another pallet),kept the mice away.Yes,you are on the right track,stack them on top of another empty pallet.

 

[bogieb]

Stored several tons of pellets outside for a couple of years. I used the double pallet stack and it worked well, covered by a huge tarp (one tarp covered all 6 tons - top and sides). Keep the cover bags over them then add a GOOD tarp (not one of the cheap ones at the thrift places). Bungee the heck out of the sides so the wind doesn't work the tarp loose. Also, put a ball in the middle before tarping - creates a hump so that water doesn't puddle on top.