Woods about ready...now about winter cover?

[Sheepdog]

Right then, I just checked the wood (second visit today) and it occurred to me that the wood is about ready. After the flippin' monsoons we have had here for the last month or so, I got tired of watching the wood soak up the rain and built a cover system that keeps the air flowing and let's the sun shine through. The result, I am convinced is it is finally about ready. Lot's of nice deep checks and the bark is loosening up. It passes the clink test and the weasel/ferret test (for you rick ;-) ) and the meter is on it's way from Harbor Freight to confirm my thoughts. Sooooooo.... now I need to think about how I can keep it nice and dry for the winter. I won't cover it yet, not until about thanksgiving I think, but I don't have the time or funds this year for a wood shed. Also, I can't face the thought of stacking this stuff yet again, ten cords this year is quite enough for me! So do any of you have a preferred method of covering? What type of tarp to use? How to secure them? Any ideas would really help, since I'm sure there are many ways to skin this ferret. Oh.. almost forgot, what's the best way to store the ferrets?

Thanks and Happy Burning!

-Sheepdog

 

[billb3]

If you get a video monitor system you can watch it dry 24/7
A DVR system would allow a replay in April when all you've got left is empty pallets.

 

[smokinj]

If you get a video monitor system you can watch it dry 24/7
A DVR system would allow a replay in April when all you've got left is empty pallets.

Thats funny!

 

[smokinj]

I never cover mine,but i have it in full sun i think it does well

 

[fossil]

Oh.. almost forgot, what's the best way to store the ferrets?

Alive.

 

[JustWood]

I cover mine Labor Day weekend every year. Days are getting shorter and rains more frequent. I use rubber roofing and old sections of metal roofing.

 

[RedRanger]

Sheepdog: you will find that moisture meter an invaluable tool. I just did a post for softwood burners. Both my maple and fir have tonnes of check marks, but the moisture content is very different. Don`t think it is quite time to cover just yet, maybe in another 6 weeks.

 

[kalevi]

I was fortunate enough to have some 1/4" plywood used for flooring and lots of left over bricks. Cut the plywood into 2x8 sheets and cover my stacks with it. The bricks hold the plywood down. When it rains hard with wind, the ends of the splits get wet but they dry real fast.

 

[billb3]

If it's staying dry now, it should stay dry in the Winter.
Maybe.

Worst thing happened to me one Winter was wet slushy snow and driving wind Noreaster. Then a cold snap and needing a sledge hammer to retrieve splits. Puddles on the porch.I put plywood sheets on the snow drift side of the working stack for two years and now don't bother.

 

[iceman]

Right then, I just checked the wood (second visit today) and it occurred to me that the wood is about ready. After the flippin' monsoons we have had here for the last month or so, I got tired of watching the wood soak up the rain and built a cover system that keeps the air flowing and let's the sun shine through. The result, I am convinced is it is finally about ready. Lot's of nice deep checks and the bark is loosening up. It passes the clink test and the weasel/ferret test (for you rick ;-) ) and the meter is on it's way from Harbor Freight to confirm my thoughts. Sooooooo.... now I need to think about how I can keep it nice and dry for the winter. I won't cover it yet, not until about thanksgiving I think, but I don't have the time or funds this year for a wood shed. Also, I can't face the thought of stacking this stuff yet again, ten cords this year is quite enough for me! So do any of you have a preferred method of covering? What type of tarp to use? How to secure them? Any ideas would really help, since I'm sure there are many ways to skin this ferret. Oh.. almost forgot, what's the best way to store the ferrets?

Thanks and Happy Burning!

-Sheepdog

what kinda cover do you have?

 

[RedRanger]

I cover mine Labor Day weekend every year. Days are getting shorter and rains more frequent. I use rubber roofing and old sections of metal roofing.

Thanks Lee: that reminds me I forgot to mention my covering for the rows is the vinyl that came off my sundeck when I rebuilt it this past spring. However, Labour Day is a tad early to cover? Unless of course you ain`t stacking bark side up? :lol:

 

[JustWood]

My wood is 2-3 years dry right now so I cover.

 

[BrotherBart]

And as everybody knows, mine has been covered since the day the tree hit the ground. :smirk:

 

[smokinj]

And as everybody knows, mine has been covered since the day the tree hit the ground. :smirk:

Wow you are GOOD!

 

[cmonSTART]

We've actually had several days of dry weather at our place now and the wood is drying up nicely. I'm pleased.

 

[BrotherBart]

And as everybody knows, mine has been covered since the day the tree hit the ground. :smirk:

Wow you are GOOD!

Just anal. Can't stand it once I drop one until it is split and on the pile. I stacked some rounds up at the house for a few days one time and I just kept looking at them. Of course if I got delivered log loads instead of cutting off the property it would be a different story.

PS: Dropped and bucked a couple of red oaks this afternnon and think I am doing pretty well to hold off until tomorrow to haul the rounds up here. :red:

 

[woodconvert]

I use a real heavy black pool liner cut into strips (military surplus stuff). It's limp as a dish rag when it's warm out but when it cools off /when I cover my wood (Novemberish weather pending) it covers the top and 3ft of each side and if "forms" to the pile and gets hard. Works pretty good...but it's heavy.

 

[Girl]

I use tarps.
Because of the rain we have been having I have been playing the, roll up tarp on the sides game when it decides not to poor.
I just finished log cabin style stacking what was left of my rain drenched stuff in a sunny spot in the yard.

 

[ansehnlich1]

Just anal. Can't stand it once I drop one until it is split and on the pile. I stacked some rounds up at the house for a few days one time and I just kept looking at them.
PS: Dropped and bucked a couple of red oaks this afternnon and think I am doing pretty well to hold off until tomorrow to haul the rounds up here. :red:

took me some time to learn this one.....

never, and I mean NEVER do I stack rounds..... I'll just be pullin' 'em down in a day or so to split 'em