Covering My Timbers?

[PRC]

Hey guys,

Well, I went and did it.  I've been lurking around here for years, and have built a couple of small projects.  I've had an entire 36x24  barn worth of beams delivered to my property.  I'm in the process of setting up my work area, and will start cutting in the next few days.

Before you get too excited, I'm not doing a true timberframe.  I decided to go with the T-Rex connectors.  It'll give me 90% of the look I want, but it'll save me a considerable amount of time, and since I'm working mostly alone, it won't take me 20 years to finish. 

I've been letting the lumber breathe for the last few days (It came wrapped).   I'm going to get everything stickered this weekend.  I'm looking for a cheap way to cover them.  I know folks have mentioned metal sheets in other posts. 

Any thoughts on those cheap blue tarps that they sell on the big box stores being used to cover the wood?  I was thinking of more or less strapping them down and keeping the "sides" open so air can flow over the wood.

I live in a cold climate, and the snow will be here before we know it, what are your thoughts?

[doc henderson]

at first I thought you meant it was in the barn,   .  has it been dried in some way or green?  any cover to block sun and moisture.  if green will need stacked and ventilated.  if it was air dried to 12%, maybe just wrap it back up so it is accessible.  my first thoughts.  

[Don P]

Brad's pallet covers are the best way to go. Make pallets large enough to cover the piles and put tin, blue tarps, lumberyard bundle wrappers, etc secured to the top of those. Tarps on piles get torn up and end up just trapping moisture.

[PRC]

at first I thought you meant it was in the barn,   .  has it been dried in some way or green?  any cover to block sun and moisture.  if green will need stacked and ventilated.  if it was air dried to 12%, maybe just wrap it back up so it is accessible.  my first thoughts.  

They're green.  Stickered most of them today.  Stickering the rest tomorrow.