When to top cover

[red oak]

I haven't top-covered much before, but after reading a lot on the topic I've become a convert, or at least I'm going to give it a try since I came across some old pieces of metal roofing that were free. Having said that, I was wondering when most of you top-cover. I'm assuming that most leave the stack uncovered for a year? I currently have 4-5 years of wood on hand, and the wood for next year will have been c/s/s for 2.5 years when it gets burned. So should I cover that wood now for next year or wait until closer to the burning season? Thanks!

 

[Paulywalnut]

Mine opinion only red oak but what I have done is leave them open until September or Fall I guess.
I think it lets that dry seasoned wood get one more shot of Summer, and then cover it.

 

[Boil&Toil]

IMHO, the best (if you can swing it) is to build a shed roof (shed walls optional and/or can come later) and stack it under cover (with an airspace on top) and off the ground from when it's cut till when you burn it. Takes a big shed if you burn a lot of wood, but if you burn a lot of wood, a big shed would be suitable. And it keeps you from re-stacking wood if it's done right. Alternate possibility I'm toying with right now is a used hoop/plastic greenhouse as purportedly the cheapest way to cover ground - and if it gets good and hot in the summer, so much the better. My neatly cross-stacked 4x4 piles in the woods from "a while ago" are turning into compost - if they were under a roof, they'd be spiffy firewood; but other projects had (still have, for now) higher priority.

Shed can be narrow, or you can leave gaps between stacks to improve airflow when stacking green. Good airflow from bottom to top should also be included.

 

[BobUrban]

A lot depends on your local climate I believe. If you have limited precipitation in the fall there is little need to cover. Covering after a year in the fall is to keep snow/rain off. If you have wood that is 2-3yrs out I would put a few strategically placed square splits up top and screw that roofing right down onto it leaving some space for air with little chance of the roofing material moving. At least this is my plan when I get around to bringing so deck sheets home from the shop someday.

 

[Fred Wright]

The local climate has a lot to do with when to top cover. Species of wood is a factor as well.

Good hardwoods like oak & hard maple can be left exposed until a month or so before burning. Lesser, softwoods I'd recommend covering a year after stacking to deter rot.

In humid climate like we have here I cover a year after stacking. We've been processing gum, black and sweet; the stuff will mold and sprout toadstools after a few months exposed to the elements.

Agreed, fasten that metal roofing somehow so it won't go flying in a strong wind. A buddy of mine used metal sheeting to cover his stacks but didn't fasten it. When Sandy came through, the sheeting took off in the wind, slammed into his house.

 

[Got Wood]

With all the talk here on top covering or not, I don't recall reading a negative to top covering with something other than a tarp (like the metal roofing you mention). If you have it, I would throw it on top of the stack after a couple dry days. I have some stacks covered with metal from a above ground pool that got taken down (about 4' wide so perfect to fit on top of pallet stacks). I put old pallets on top to hold it down from the wind, or some heavy rocks.

 

[Get Wood]

I covered mine mid September last year and they will stay covered until around August this year when I build a wood shed.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I haven't top-covered much before, but after reading a lot on the topic I've become a convert, or at least I'm going to give it a try since I came across some old pieces of metal roofing that were free. Having said that, I was wondering when most of you top-cover. I'm assuming that most leave the stack uncovered for a year? I currently have 4-5 years of wood on hand, and the wood for next year will have been c/s/s for 2.5 years when it gets burned. So should I cover that wood now for next year or wait until closer to the burning season? Thanks!

We've noticed that the most and fastest drying period is in that first year. If possible, leave it uncovered at least during the summer months to help with evaporation. We top cover in the fall; usually around December 1.

As for those stacks that you have, I'd top cover all of them right away if possible. That way you'll be covered before the spring rains come.

In addition, you may have seen a thread I made about some of the wood we left uncovered. It had been a long time since we had done that but I will say it will be a lot longer before we do it again. The wood was very poor compared to our regular covered wood and we lost a lot of btu's. In addition, we got a lot more ash from that wood. The wood was ash, pin oak and red oak. I was amazed at how light all of the wood was. As stated, it won't happen again that we don't top cover.

I will be curious in a few years though. Last winter we did manage to get some wood cut. Got it split a bit later than normal but only about half of it stacked. The rest is still there in a heap but covered with ice and snow now (physical problems did not allow me to finish the job). So I'll be curious to see what effects this has on the quality of the wood.

 

[red oak]

Thanks to all for responding, as always I appreciate the knowledge.

Dennis I did see the thread you posted earlier on this topic - it was what got me started thinking about it actually. I'll cover my stacks as soon as they dry out from this snow that we just got. I'm thinking in the future I'll leave freshly cut wood uncovered for about a year and then cover until it's time to burn. I'll be very curious to see the difference.

 

[JustWood]

I always top cover in August .
This year I had been working 7 days a week all summer and fall and was behind working on getting my supply moved up to the house not having it tarped until late October. Man am I kickin myself in the azz for not tarping that wood. I can get about 4 weeks supply in my furnace room and the moisture is taking forever to evaporate off. Hard to believe since its almost always 90 degrees plus in there. This is the first and last time I'll not tarp in August or earlier.

 

[tsquini]

We've noticed that the most and fastest drying period is in that first year. If possible, leave it uncovered at least during the summer months to help with evaporation. We top cover in the fall; usually around December 1.

As for those stacks that you have, I'd top cover all of them right away if possible. That way you'll be covered before the spring rains come.

In addition, you may have seen a thread I made about some of the wood we left uncovered. It had been a long time since we had done that but I will say it will be a lot longer before we do it again. The wood was very poor compared to our regular covered wood and we lost a lot of btu's. In addition, we got a lot more ash from that wood. The wood was ash, pin oak and red oak. I was amazed at how light all of the wood was. As stated, it won't happen again that we don't top cover.

I will be curious in a few years though. Last winter we did manage to get some wood cut. Got it split a bit later than normal but only about half of it stacked. The rest is still there in a heap but covered with ice and snow now (physical problems did not allow me to finish the job). So I'll be curious to see what effects this has on the quality of the wood.

When you use the metal sheets how do you keep them from blowing always? Cinder blocks on top or just wood? Metal sounds like it will work better than a tarp. It will sail away in the wind easier.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've not yet had to put any blocks on the metal but just some of the bigger uglies. For sure metal works much better than a tarp and for sure you have to take measures to hold them down. If it takes a couple cement blocks, that should not be a big problem. I have had a few blow off but very few. Whenever I pass one of the wood piles I just automatically look at them. I like the sight and it also tells me if anything has shifted. Had one shift one time that I didn't catch and that caused a lot of water to get down into the wood. That part of the stack really showed the ends of the wood as almost black in color.

 

[Dieselhead]

I top cover as soon as it's stacked. Certainly can't hurt! Think about it, why let extra moisture onto your wood, after all the goal here is to get it dry!

 

[ErikR]

When you use the metal sheets how do you keep them from blowing always? Cinder blocks on top or just wood? Metal sounds like it will work better than a tarp. It will sail away in the wind easier.

I've got 2/3 of a cord under some tin that I found at our local Recycling Center (dump). I used some old bungee cords, also from the dump, and hooked them to the pallets.