Firewood cover

[C & E]

What are you folks covering your woodpiles with? I'm so tired of re-tying
tarps and replacing tarps every couple of years has gotten old. I've read
that a rigid roof keeps the pile better aerated on top whereas the tarp is
laying on and draping over the wood. Well, I can only imagine sheets of
metal roof taking flight during a winter wind storm peaking at 50+ mph! I'm
thinking that there's really no better way but I thought I'd ask.

 

[Ed Pawlowski]

What are you folks covering your woodpiles with? I'm so tired of re-tying
tarps and replacing tarps every couple of years has gotten old. I've read
that a rigid roof keeps the pile better aerated on top whereas the tarp is
laying on and draping over the wood. Well, I can only imagine sheets of
metal roof taking flight during a winter wind storm peaking at 50+ mph!
I'm thinking that there's really no better way but I thought I'd ask.

Nothing. My wood is under the deck and it gets enough protection that way.
I don't worry about rain, just snow as that can be a PITA

 

[aemeijers]

What are you folks covering your woodpiles with? I'm so tired of
re-tying tarps and replacing tarps every couple of years has gotten
old. I've read that a rigid roof keeps the pile better aerated on top
whereas the tarp is laying on and draping over the wood. Well, I can
only imagine sheets of metal roof taking flight during a winter wind
storm peaking at 50+ mph! I'm thinking that there's really no better
way but I thought I'd ask.

If you are really into woodburning, build a long skinny 3-sided shed to
keep the wood in. Think like a trashcan holder, only real long. More
like an above-ground baseball dugout. Treated wood stringers up off the
ground so bottom of pile stays dry, and a sloped roof with a decent
overhang. I'd make it tall enough so you don't bang your face on the
edge of the roof. Face the open side away from the direction driving
rain usually comes from. With open bottom and long side to let air
through, the roof should stay on with no problem, and it will keep the
wood dry enough. Farmers have been using sheds like this for round hay
bales and tractors for years.

 

[harry k]

Nothing.  My wood is  under the deck and it gets enough protection that way.
I don't worry about rain, just snow as that can be a PITA

If you are burning serious amounts of wood, take the time to build a
shelter. It only needs to have a roof, sides are needed. It doesn't
take much time and the expense is not that bad (saves you buying
tarps)

I don't cover mine at all except for the first 5 cords (woodshed and
porch) each season. After that they come off the outside piles where
only the top layer has any significant moisture.

Harry K

 

[C & E]

Nothing. My wood is under the deck and it gets enough protection that way.
I don't worry about rain, just snow as that can be a PITA

------------------------------------------------
If you are burning serious amounts of wood, take the time to build a
shelter. It only needs to have a roof, sides are needed. It doesn't take
much time and the expense is not that bad (saves you buying tarps)

I don't cover mine at all except for the first 5 cords (woodshed and porch)
each season. After that they come off the outside piles where only the top
layer has any significant moisture.

Harry K

YEa, I guess you're right, Harry. I should just sink six or eight posts
along the 28' length of the back of the garage, tie them together and do a
metal roof. I already have 4" of 1" stone on the ground for drainage and
that's covered with landscaping cloth to keep the wood debris from filling
the voids in the stone bed. I run two rows of wood ranked and the ends
cribbed up. AEmeijers has a good, 3-sided wood shed idea but this area is
already under a tree and the sun doesn't touch much of the pile so drying is
very slow. I feel that I need the air circulation to make up for the lack
of radiant drying. Interesting tarp, SteveB. I don't believe I've ever
seen that. and your're right. Sky Mall is for suburbanites who buy but
don't invent. Did I say upper class suburbanites.
Thanks, folks. Except you Ed. Wise acre - LOL!!

 

[Stormin Mormon]

I've seen some folks throw a tarp. Then reach under the
tarp, and pull out several piece of wood. The several pieces
are thrown on top of the tarp. The weight helps keep the
tarp down.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


What are you folks covering your woodpiles with? I'm so
tired of re-tying
tarps and replacing tarps every couple of years has gotten
old. I've read
that a rigid roof keeps the pile better aerated on top
whereas the tarp is
laying on and draping over the wood. Well, I can only
imagine sheets of
metal roof taking flight during a winter wind storm peaking
at 50+ mph! I'm
thinking that there's really no better way but I thought I'd
ask.

 

[harry k]

------------------------------------------------
If you are burning serious amounts of wood, take the time to build a
shelter.  It only needs to have a roof, sides are needed.  It doesn'ttake
much time and the expense is not that bad (saves you buying tarps)

I don't cover mine at all except for the first 5 cords (woodshed and porch)
each season.  After that they come off the outside piles where only thetop
layer has any significant moisture.

Harry K

YEa, I guess you're right, Harry.  I should just sink six or eight posts
along the 28' length of the back of the garage, tie them together and do a
metal roof.  I already have 4" of 1" stone on the ground for drainage and
that's covered with landscaping cloth to keep the wood debris from filling
the voids in the stone bed.  I run two rows of wood ranked and the ends
cribbed up.  AEmeijers has a good, 3-sided wood shed idea but this areais
already under a tree and the sun doesn't touch much of the pile so dryingis
very slow.  I feel that I need the air circulation to make up for the lack
of radiant drying.  Interesting tarp, SteveB.  I don't believe I've ever
seen that.  and your're right.  Sky Mall is for suburbanites who buy but
don't invent.  Did I say upper class suburbanites.
Thanks, folks.  Except you Ed.  Wise acre - LOL!!

Don't worry about the sun not hitting the pile. It has almost zero
effect on drying time. At most it would help the outside pieces dry.
Air circulation is what does the job.

My "woodshed" is small, only aobut 2 1/2 cord with solid walls on
three sides. Were I to do it over it would have no walls.

Harry K

 

[Ed Pawlowski]

Thanks, folks. Except you Ed. Wise acre - LOL!!

You're welcome, of course. I do know what has worked for me for 25+ years.
Simple is good.

 

[jimmyDahGeek]

 I'm so tired of re-tying tarps and replacing
tarps every couple of years has gotten old.  

I just buy the wood pile tarps from Mernards when they put them on
sale.
I cover the pile and then throw a couple of pieces of wood on top.
Never
had a problem and they last for 3-4 years b/4 they need to be
replaced.
Cheaper and easier than building a cover for the wood pile and it's
adjustable.

 

[C & E]

You're welcome, of course. I do know what has worked for me for 25+ years.
Simple is good.

That must be why the wife has kept me around for 35 years, Ed. She says
that I'm simple - :-O

 

[C & E]

I've seen some folks throw a tarp. Then reach under the
tarp, and pull out several piece of wood. The several pieces are thrown on
top of the tarp. The weight helps keep the
tarp down.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

That has been my prior modus operandi but 50 mph winds flipped off the
**many**pieces of wood on top of the pile. The tarp would be in the trees
if I hadn't tied through the corner grommets and tied around some nails at
the bottom of the pile. The principal is sound but we have this happen 2-3
times per winter and also multiple lower force winds.

 

[Phisherman]

What are you folks covering your woodpiles with? I'm so tired of re-tying
tarps and replacing tarps every couple of years has gotten old. I've read
that a rigid roof keeps the pile better aerated on top whereas the tarp is
laying on and draping over the wood. Well, I can only imagine sheets of
metal roof taking flight during a winter wind storm peaking at 50+ mph! I'm
thinking that there's really no better way but I thought I'd ask.

A tarp is the most common method, and probably the least expensive.
Keep the wood up off the ground.

 

[Jim]

A tarp is the most common method, and probably the least expensive. Keep
the wood up off the ground.

My rack was made of 4x4's approximately 16ft long, 4ft wide and 4ft
high. Above that is an open A-frame. Tarps go over and wrap
underneath. Then are held in place by connecting bungee cords. Tension
they provide keeps everything in place.

 

[Smurof Yid]

I mooched free, decent Pallets from the local hardware, then lined them up, bolted them together, fix any broken cross-boards, and set it on some sidewalk slabs. (the soil is dug out, filled with sand and gravel, tamped, leveled then the sidewalk slab one in each corner front and back, and one at each joint front and back. I only need 2-3 cords for my workshop woodstove.
SO 5 pallets give me 20 feet. I save one 4x4 section for kindling, and the rest for split dry wood. I sink posts all around, face the long side west (since I get south winds thru the summer. I cut some 1 x 6 strapping on my mill and nail it to the east and north facing sides. That's where our winter winds come from, the other sides I strap but leave 6" spaces so the warm winds can swirl around inside. The center sector I hinged up a sheet of old plywood, (for a door), so I can get at it. [ I used to just staple a tarp through a long stick. to the pallets then flip it over, but like someone said, a 70 mph wind comes along and tears it all to shreds.] And that's several time a year where I live.
I had the pallets, had the old sidewalk slabs the sand, the gravel, the old plywood, the hinges, made my own posts and 1x6 , Hired a young beast to auger the postholes for me, Took him 4 hours to do 10 of them 3 feet deep., he asked for 80 bucks.
I decided (at a later date) to replace the 1x6 strapped roof, with some leftover metal roofing that I bought from a neighbor for 100 bucks, and made it like a hinged lid. I was thinking," I'd lift it up on hot days and let the air flow". It definitely keeps the rainwater out better But I think I lifted the roof one time in the last 4 years.. it's completley unnecesary.
SO, I should have left it as it was. (It does look nicer than strapping butted together though.Happy wife Happy Life.) Also firewood can be too dry as we all know,.That new roof was overkill. Shunnadunnit.
SO....Aside from adding firewood once a year in April. I haven't had to touch the thing at all. Yjis is like 7 years or so, now. No more tarps no more dirty muddy hands or clothes, no more banging 2 pieces together to get the snow off, and smashing a finger in the process. I vote for a structure over the tarp game. Done both, Like structure better.