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When to cover wood stack?

Started by bendjoseph, August 07, 2011, 07:58:01 AM

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bendjoseph

Just finished stacking my six cords for this winter.  Normally I cover it in Oct.  We are looking at a week's worth of rain here in CT, I am wondering if I should cover it now?

Al_Smith

Leave it alone for now .If you cover it now all you'll get for your troubles is a nice crop of mushrooms .

doctorb

Agree with Al.  I don't think that wood sucks up a lot of rain water, as long as it's not placed directly on the ground it drys best exposed to the wind and sun without anything hampering air flow around the stack.  I  would cover it after a week or two of dry weather within a month of planning to use it.  I would not cover it completely, leaving the sides open to assist in further dispursement of the moisture.  If you need really dry wood, like for a gasifier OWB, and dependent upon the species, you may be a little late for this winter's fuel.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

SPIKER

it depends on what you mean by covering.   If you are talking a plastic tarp right on top of the wood covering all of the sides then I agree with above comments dont cover it.   If you have a simple roof structure awning or lean too that covers the wood from rain but leaves it exposed to air flow then yea cover it...

mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

beenthere

X4
Cover on top now will help shed water and keep off the snow. Nothing should cover the sides.
Wood stacked now isn't going to give much heat for this winter. But it will burn up just fine.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

fuzzybear

If you have some old roof tin, I would put that on top of the pile now to keep the water from making direct contact. You will always get wet wood but not the whole stack and not down into the core of the pile. Even old junk plywood works.
FB
I never met a tree I didn't like!!

Al_Smith

Well it depends on what it is .Green cut oak of course it won't be dry enough to burn and that being the case I wouldn't cover it all .Oak can take a lot of weather before it degrades .

Standing dead or down it will be dry enough especialy ash which is naturally dry any way . Tarp it about mid Oct first Nov and it will be fine

stumper

Spiker is dead on! 

String a tarp 2 to 3  feet over the pile High side toward the sun.  Keeps the rain off, sun on and the wind blowing through.  I actually stack mine in a wood shed, with no wall work great.

Remember to stack the pile loose enough for a mouse to run through it but not the cat chasing it.

Al_Smith

Grand plan except a big wind come up .Then you get to chase down the tarp over at the neighbors .

doctorb

Agree again.  The ideal cover is not in contact with the stack.  It acts more as a roof, with space between it and the stack. 
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

bendjoseph

I just cover the top.  All four sides are open.  I have it stacked lose enough that the four chipmunks living it are doing great!

Al_Smith

Yes chipmunks seem to like stacks for some reason .Likewise red tailed hawks who land on them come early morning scouting out their breakfast .Run munk run .

Piston

Quote from: stumper on August 07, 2011, 01:45:55 PM
Remember to stack the pile loose enough for a mouse to run through it but not the cat chasing it.

This is good info, I had been wondering about how 'tight' to stack the wood.  Thanks.
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

albirk

just a reminder if you have a large pile cover it with smaller tarps because you won't need to get more wood for the stove till you have one plus feet of snow on top of the pile i like 6x8 tarps they cover 3 rows you can clean the tarp off and put all the wood in the shed along with the tarp for next year

CRThomas

Quote from: Al_Smith on August 07, 2011, 09:44:44 AM
Leave it alone for now .If you cover it now all you'll get for your troubles is a nice crop of mushrooms .
When I was selling in the bulk I stacked in the open after drying. It got percent up on very out side only 1/4 of a inch in at the most and only on the out side of the stack. We had some 4 days of gale force winds the wind side was 3 and the down wind side was 14 percent. Now that I only wrap firewood. I leave my wood  just dumped on plastic pallets up wind side of a hill. I have seen some dry till the split in too. Later.


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