Hey all, I’ve got a few cord of hardwood stacked outside for seasoning. It’s mostly seasoned (1-2 years). I plan on burning some of it this winter, starting probably in late October. I have always kept the top of the stack covered with a tarp. I was standing out there the other day with the hot sun absolutely beating down on the stack and thought to myself “why am I keeping this wood in the shade?” So I took the tarps off to let the sun (and more air) get to it. I drive around here and see big piles of wood in peoples yards with no covering all the time. Getting rained on and everything. So my question is, better to keep the tarps on all the time? Or leave them off in the summer to let the sun get to it, and if it gets some rain it should dry out pretty quick once the suns out. What do you all think? Thanks!
To Cover or Not To Cover?
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I uncover my wood in the summer. But we have a climate where it pours rain for half the year and then is dry for the other half. If I was somewhere that had significant summer rain I might cover it at least some of the time.
Or you can have the best of both like with the wood shed I'm building: the roofing will be clear plastic panels so the wood will get sun but not rain.
Or you can have the best of both like with the wood shed I'm building: the roofing will be clear plastic panels so the wood will get sun but not rain.
Thats a pretty good ? For me personally iwith all the stuff i split over summer/fall i usally just toss it all into 1 monster of a pile uncovered until i have a big enough hole in 1 of stacks to start replacing in with what i have from the pile now i also do i have a seperate pile to thats uncovered that pile is just blocks that i cut up
Some years ago I left a pile of split hardwood uncovered for a summer.We got above average rain that year and I regretted it. This year I am happy my wood is under cover, in the wood shed, as we have had rain, rain and more rain. Went to weed the oinions this earlier this week and my heel sunk in several inches. I’d leave the top of the stack covered and forget it until it’ready to burn.
also if you cover it and leave about a foot on each side down you'll notice when it's time to burn the stuff at the top is very dry. the sides with the foot over it i use black plastic and it is very warm around it and when the wind blows the sides tend to fly around so best of both worlds sun and wind
In an ideal world, I would top cover my stacks, but leave a foot or so between the top of the stack and the cover. Ideally, this would take the form of a shed with a solid roof and no sides. In reality, I tarp it when it's raining, and uncover when sunny. I also build roofs for the pile, open on the sides, and slanted metal roof. This is a pretty good compromise, pretty cost effective, re useable, keeps a lot of the rain off, and is pretty much hands off once stacked. The wood does still get a little wet around the edged in the rain, but so be it.
I've had this idea kicking around for a while; Build a roof system supported by 4x4's, open sides. stack wood underneath, and shrink wrap around the posts from about 6" off the ground all the way up. Put solar panels on the roof, and hook them up directly to fans under the roof system hanging above the wood. So, if the sun hit the panels, they'd automatically come on, and stop when the sun went in. I'd imagine the effect would be close to that of a kiln.
I've had this idea kicking around for a while; Build a roof system supported by 4x4's, open sides. stack wood underneath, and shrink wrap around the posts from about 6" off the ground all the way up. Put solar panels on the roof, and hook them up directly to fans under the roof system hanging above the wood. So, if the sun hit the panels, they'd automatically come on, and stop when the sun went in. I'd imagine the effect would be close to that of a kiln.
My wood is only covered during heating season. From may to early October it is uncovered.
Top covering makes a big difference in New England. One year I tried two stacks side by side, one was covered and it was much drier when it came time to burn.
I leave my wood stacked in the open so the hot sun can bake it all summer and west wind can blow thru it. In mid October I'll cover with tarps just prior to the fall rains and winter snow follows. At any one time I'll have enough wood stacked to be 3-4 years ahead. I'll take the tarps off around mid May so the sun and wind can go back to drying out the stacked wood.
Ctwoodtick
Minister of Fire
Top covering is always a good plan. Unless you live in near desert climate, covering helps a lot.
My experience.
I have covered and uncovered wood all css. The covered stuff isn't tarped but is under an open overhang off my shed. The elements get in there but it is covered. After two years my covered wood is extremely dry. 10 -12% on maple, ash and birch and 15% on my oak.
My 5 cords of uncovered css wood was done in October last year. Even though our winter was wet and our spring was even wetter it still went from fresh green wood to under 20% over the winter.
Just make sure you css wood gets a breeze and you'll be fine. Remember: 20% Mc is the goal. After that it's gravy.
I have covered and uncovered wood all css. The covered stuff isn't tarped but is under an open overhang off my shed. The elements get in there but it is covered. After two years my covered wood is extremely dry. 10 -12% on maple, ash and birch and 15% on my oak.
My 5 cords of uncovered css wood was done in October last year. Even though our winter was wet and our spring was even wetter it still went from fresh green wood to under 20% over the winter.
Just make sure you css wood gets a breeze and you'll be fine. Remember: 20% Mc is the goal. After that it's gravy.
Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
I'll leave my stacks uncovered thru the summer, and when a stretch of rain is predicted (more than 2 days), top cover. We've had rain here for almost a week straight, top covered, higher temps and full sun for next 4 days, pulling back the cover till next rainfall.
I keep my piles uncovered all summer to let the hot blazing sun do it's work. I start covering when it's about a month out from using it.
fvhowler
Feeling the Heat
All my wood is top covered for 24 months. Within a month of burning, I put a tarp over the entire stack.
This is what I've done for years, and my tarps go all the way to the ground. Most on here say your wood will get wet under tarps, but it depends on the wood and your climate. Our wood starts out bone dry, 10 to 12%, and it’s so dry here, that it has never collected moisture over the winter. I just need to keep several feet of snow off of it from October to May. The summer bakes it dry, dry, dry.
Im in PA, and its cloudy and rainy a lot. I keep my wood covered with tarps and rocks to hold it down. And an old garbage shed with a tarp. I do keep some under my porch, so its covered. If you have the time, I see no reason to NOT uncover it on some days, but Id keep it covered. Oh, Im using 10 to 12 MC wood, to start, so I keep it dry.
Caw
Minister of Fire
Agreed. I just top cover and leave the sides open to the afternoon sun and prevailing wind. My hardwoods are good after 2 years and great after 3.
Same way here! Cover with tarp when it rains. I only have 5 or so cords at a time can usually cover with two with two tarp take like 5 mins to do. I keep 1 cord or so in an enclosed porch.
Slimy Wood
I was doing some clean up at my wood lot today. I picked up about a bit under a cord of wood from two stacked but uncovered woodpiles. They both face south and in the sun and both were cut last winter. Both piles were definitely a lot wetter and slimier than past years. It has been a wet spring...
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Ashful
Minister of Fire
OP is in NH. In that climate, I'd leave uncovered until September of the year I'll be burning it. That's what I used to do, before building wood sheds, and it worked reasonably well.
If stacked under falling leaves, one could make an argument for covering it every fall, and uncovering it each spring. A mess of decomposing leaves infiltrating your pile is a great way to ensure it will never dry real well.
Of course, if this woodburning thing is a long-term plan for you, and not just a passing fad, you're going to want to build a shed. Only with a roof over the wood, and free air flow between roof and wood, will you be getting clean and dry wood to bring indoors and burn.
If stacked under falling leaves, one could make an argument for covering it every fall, and uncovering it each spring. A mess of decomposing leaves infiltrating your pile is a great way to ensure it will never dry real well.
Of course, if this woodburning thing is a long-term plan for you, and not just a passing fad, you're going to want to build a shed. Only with a roof over the wood, and free air flow between roof and wood, will you be getting clean and dry wood to bring indoors and burn.
I'm in CT - def top cover + elevate the bottom so it doesn't touch the ground.
My top covered wood is uniformly dry + super clean.
My wood that's left in a pile has mushrooms growing out of it, worms and beetles crawling underneath bark (which soaked up rain water), and bottom layer is half rotten and sank half inch into ground and now full of crawlies.
My top covered wood is uniformly dry + super clean.
My wood that's left in a pile has mushrooms growing out of it, worms and beetles crawling underneath bark (which soaked up rain water), and bottom layer is half rotten and sank half inch into ground and now full of crawlies.
Left in a pile only the top of the pile dries. Definitely stack the wood elevated off the ground. The importance of top covering differs with how much rain your area receives. Top covering has pros and cons to it. You have to figure out what works best in your environment. I top cover my wood only during burning season. During summer my wood is left uncovered so it gets the full benefit of the sun and wind.
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