Stacks on top of plastic sheeting?

[nhburnguy]

Question for you guys:

I have a really awkward part of my yard on a hill that I am stacking green wood for next year. It's too uneven for pallets or 2x4's so I'm think of laying down a sheet of plastic and stacking directly on the ground, but on top of the plastic.
Good or bad idea?

 

[bmblank]

I wouldn't. Use some bricks or something to level out the pallets and make a sort of stepped stack.

 

[BobUrban]

issue would be moisture. Get it off the ground by using something to level out your pallets like mentioned above.

 

[nhburnguy]

Well I guess what I was thinking, was that the sheeting would block the moisture. I mean, I know there wouldn't be any air moving underneath the bottom, like on a pallet. But it still will serve as a moisture barrier. Correct? The rest of my wood is stacked on pallets, but sadly, I don't have a truck which makes getting pallets tough, which is why I'm looking for another solution. Thanks for the replys!

 

[midwestcoast]

I'd bet the plastic would be worse than stacking directly on the ground. Water will pool in any little depressions. The wood touching the plastic will rot.

Landscape timbers and concrete blocks can make quick & cheap level terraces for stacking. I really only use pallets because they're free.

 

[Brewmonster]

I'd bet the plastic would be worse than stacking directly on the ground. Water will pool in any little depressions. The wood touching the plastic will rot.

That's right. And then there's the matter of stacking on sloping ground. Stacks can settle, shift, and tumble even on level ground. And wet plastic can be slippery. Sounds problematic.

 

[Poindexter]

I would be worried about puddles on top of the plastic in long term contact with the wood. This late in the season can you just pile splits on there and have a place for them off the ground right before spring melt?

 

[Wood Duck]

The plastic will help block moisture from the ground in dry weather, but in rain it will create puddles. Overall I think plastic would be worse than no plastic. Can you stack in rows that run horizontal along the hillslope? Maybe a few logs or saplings could be lain down under each row as a foundation.

 

[bigbarf48]

Like others have said, the plastic will trap moisture when it rains. If you HAVE to stack directly on the ground, lay down some rock or gravel at least. But, I have some stacks in some pretty hilly/dippy areas and with a little bit of shimming and leveling, stacking on runners or pallets is no issue

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Landscape timbers Supported in the middle. I have a 100ft stack going up hill. Blocks or scrap at 1 end but you need to support the middle too. Landscape timbers are cheap 3X5. Al;so put the plastic down as well. No ground moisture and some nice high stacks for great air flow.