Top Covering Done Right

[7acres]

Well I purchased 100' X 10' of black 6 mil plastic to cover my stacks. I cut it down the middle so I had 2 5' wide pieces. I top covered my loooong stack (probably 75' long) and my short stack (~20'). I stack on pallets three splits deep. That makes for pretty much exactly 5' wide front to back. I was doubtful the splits I put on top to act as paperweights would hold it down in high wind.

Well today we got high wind. And my covers blew off. The thought occurred to me last week that a nice solution might be to staple it down to the wood (with a plastic card in between so the wind wouldn't just pop the plastic right through the staple). And have staples every 2' the entire circumference. Is that a good idea? Do you have an even better idea?

 

[velvetfoot]

How about more splits on top?

 

[drz1050]

Big, ugly knotty splits on top along the edges..

 

[7acres]

The thing about the black plastic is that it's slippery. Like it's Teflon coated. Any wind that grab an edge of the plastic will slide the splits around. Eventually I think the splits will slide around in high wind.

 

[jkbemdavis]

Interesting post. I know the plastic sheeting that you speak of because I bought some for my kids to use as a slip and slide this summer... and yes, it is slippery. I myself don't use it as a wood covering. The piles that I have right near my stove are covered by a nice agricultural duty tarp from Harbor Freight. The rest goes on the barn. But for what it's worth... I use nice, heavy, knotty pieces on top of the tarp... and plenty of them. It flaps around plenty, but doesn't come off the pile.

 

[Hickorynut]

Well I purchased 100' X 10' of black 6 mil plastic to cover my stacks. I cut it down the middle so I had 2 5' wide pieces. I top covered my loooong stack (probably 75' long) and my short stack (~20'). I stack on pallets three splits deep. That makes for pretty much exactly 5' wide front to back. I was doubtful the splits I put on top to act as paperweights would hold it down in high wind.

Well today we got high wind. And my covers blew off. The thought occurred to me last week that a nice solution might be to staple it down to the wood (with a plastic card in between so the wind wouldn't just pop the plastic right through the staple). And have staples every 2' the entire circumference. Is that a good idea? Do you have an even better idea?

I do the exact same as you did with the black plastic. Only thing you need to do to make it stay is get you a hammer stapler with I think 3/8 inch staples but not sure offhand(my stapler is a bostich). I start 11/2 ft. down one side up and over and about the same down the other side. What I do to help keep the plastic from ripping off the staples is to fold the ends and double it before you staple. Pull it tight too down the other side before you staple the other side. Tight but not were the rounds on the top might poke through. Doing it this way my 6mil black plastic has held up in the direct hot sun for 5-6 years and still okay with no leaks. Hope this helps.

 

[husky345 vermont resolute]

I like my steel roofing. 4'x 30" sheets. Works out perfectly

 

[Gboutdoors]

I use lumber tarps 20'x4' stack 2 1/2 cords on 20'x4' pallets from plastic trim boards. Staple them down with 5/8" staples. They last all winter then I uncover them for the summer and recover the next fall. These tarps are tough and have not pulled free even in the big wind storms we have been having. Best thing is they are free from my lumber yard.

 

[Firefighter938]

I use lumber tarps 20'x4' stack 2 1/2 cords on 20'x4' pallets from plastic trim boards. Staple them down with 5/8" staples. They last all winter then I uncover them for the summer and recover the next fall. These tarps are tough and have not pulled free even in the big wind storms we have been having. Best thing is they are free from my lumber yard.
View attachment 175676

I like the looks of that. Very nice.

 

[TedyOH]

I'd put the plastic away until the fall then figure something out.....

 

[sportbikerider78]

A guy near me uses old milk gallon jugs with water in them to weight down the tarps. Even if there are no eyelets on the tarp you can just put a string across and connect two together.

It may not win a better homes and gardens front cover, but you may not really care.

 

[7acres]

A guy near me uses old milk gallon jugs with water in them to weight down the tarps. Even if there are no eyelets on the tarp you can just put a string across and connect two together.

It may not win a better homes and gardens front cover, but you may not really care.

Ooh, this concept has potential!

 

[7acres]

I'd put the plastic away until the fall then figure something out.....

I did this last year. But a good portion of the splits from some old partially rotten standing dead oak I dropped just soaked up rain all Spring and Summer. I ended up having to shave it all off when I brought it to the front porch for burning. Big pain. There's always a bit of rotten wood in the stacks somewhere. I try to stack it in the middle row now. Top covered year round should turn that rot into perfectly dry kindling after it's 3-year dry. That's why I prefer my stacks top covered year round.

 

[Flame On]

I noticed you stack on pallets, so my method might work… I was using bricks to weigh down plastic sheets and they were a pain, so I tried the milk and detergent container method, but then one of my kids decided to dump them out and make a mud puddle to play in. Sigh.

So, I had some left over C brackets from another job. I screwed them in to the pallets every few feet with a corresponding one on the other side. I just tie the rope across the top of the pile to hold the plastic on. Over time I’ve added a short bungee cord to the end of each rope to give me some flexibility and make it easier to unhook.

I realize this might sound cumbersome, but I don’t have a wood shed, so I need something to keep snow, rain and leaves off the pile through the fall and winter. In the summer, the pile goes topless

 

[beatlefan]

I do the exact same as you did with the black plastic. Only thing you need to do to make it stay is get you a hammer stapler with I think 3/8 inch staples but not sure offhand(my stapler is a bostich). I start 11/2 ft. down one side up and over and about the same down the other side. What I do to help keep the plastic from ripping off the staples is to fold the ends and double it before you staple. Pull it tight too down the other side before you staple the other side. Tight but not were the rounds on the top might poke through. Doing it this way my 6mil black plastic has held up in the direct hot sun for 5-6 years and still okay with no leaks. Hope this helps.

That is exactly what I do. Works great when you fold the edge a couple of times and staple it.

 

[7acres]

So I liked the concept behind the milk jug idea. I bought a spool of braided nylon mason's line. Then instead of tying on milk jugs on each end I used bowline knots to tie a split on each end. I spaced each one about 6' apart. We still have strong winds today and the plastic sheet is not moving!

Thanks for the idea, sportbikerider.

 

[baseroom]

Rocks and bricks! Scrounged on the side of the road!

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

I understand why you think you need to top cover your wood but that moisture you are talking about is just surface moisture. I get significantly drier wood if I just leave my stacks exposed while seasoning and then move under cover when it's ready to be burnt. Even that wood with rot will dry super fast once there is a sunny day.

 

[bboulier]

I just put splits of wood on top of the tarps. Sometimes redistributing the wood under a tarp helps keep it in place.

 

[BrotherBart]

Too many posts to read, but if you use plastic or tarps put scrap cardboard under it to keep the wind from sandpapering its way through the top cover creating leaks.

 

[weatherguy]

My tarps were a mess this morning after last night's storm. Top priority to finish the wood shed next month.

 

[Vikestand]

You have all spring and summer to ponder your solution. I think most agree that you're not gaining anything by covering during this time?

 

[peakbagger]

I don't believe in top covering that wraps down over the sides. Moisture tends to rise when it leaves the stacks and flows out the top. When I have tried top covering I find ice under the tarp. As long as its open on couple of sides this doesn't happen. I usually compromise by putting pallets on top of my wood pile and covering the top of the pallet with the a tarp and wrapping it down over the stack on the windy side but keeping the other sides of the pallets open. This allows the moisture to escape.

 

[Bad LP]

I built a shed. Problem solved.

 

[mass_burner]

I understand why you think you need to top cover your wood but that moisture you are talking about is just surface moisture. I get significantly drier wood if I just leave my stacks exposed while seasoning and then move under cover when it's ready to be burnt. Even that wood with rot will dry super fast once there is a sunny day.

Oh no you didn't!