Covering Wood - Timeline

[sledge&wedge]

Good afternoon, fellas - I've looked through several existing threads and can't quite find what I am looking for. I've got just over 5 cords of red oak, cherry, rock maple, locust, and pin oak cut, split, and stacked outside and UNCOVERED on pallets. Everything has been c/s/s since October. I plan to start burning these stacks next fall/winter (while trying to avoid the red oak mixed in the stack as much as possible to allow it the longest possible drying time). I like leaving stacks exposed to the elements, seems to dry better that way. However, I want to move a winter's worth of wood into my barn/garage just before season to keep it out of the rain and snow and make it easier to bring into the house each day. I figure I will need to cover it for a bit (this bit is what I am going to ask you firewood gurus about) just before moving it inside to keep rain out.

After a long-winded intro... How long does it take external moisture (i.e. rain, snow, etc., NOT moisture already inside the splits) to evaporate out of the wood? I want to know how far ahead of moving them into the barn I should cover the stacks to avoid excess external moisture. Let's say I want to move the stacks into the barn on October 1st (which is a lie because I will absolutely be in a treestand with my bow, not stacking wood), when should I throw a tarp over them? Let's hear it.

Cheers.

 

[svk]

How long does it take external moisture (i.e. rain, snow, etc., NOT moisture already inside the splits) to evaporate out of the wood? I want to know how far ahead of moving them into the barn I should cover the stacks to avoid excess external moisture.

A day, maybe too. I'd refrain from bringing in wet as you could get mold/mildew/mushrooms if it sits in a cool damp location.

To simplify you could just tarp it off during a nice day in Mid September and have nothing to worry about.

 

[midwest_170]

Just bring it in any anytime after a week of nice weather. I don't see the need to tarp it. If a stack of wood gets rained on, it should be dry in a few days depending on weather conditions.

 

[zogger]

I throw a top cover on the stack I am going to be burning the last week in september when it has had good sun and dry for around at least a week. If that isn't possible, closest to it in october. A few days is OK, I just chose a full week. This is around when we start burning usually, little fires in the morning mostly.

The stack I am pulling from now is top covered, and I rotate three days worth inside near the stove, and yep, that in itself makes a difference.

 

[Cheesecutter]

As a general rule the 3rd week of Sept is the rainy week in this area.

 

[cus_deluxe]

its been said but, i agree that a few days of not being rained on is enough. and even if its a little damp a box fan can do wonders, all you need is just a little air movement. That said, my brother lives in bloomington and i know it to be a seriously muggy place....

 

[SteveSS]

I'm in the top cover crowd. Cover the top and leave the sides open so the wind can circulate. Even during the rainy season your wood will stay mainly dry with the exception of the wet ends, which won't hinder them burning in the least as long as you toss them onto an established fire or bed of coals.

 

[Mad Professor]

I stack my spilt piles head high and cover the top with black lumber covers I get for free. Put the longer splits on top a little off center to get some overhang by the cover.

IMHO letting the stack get rained/snowed on is just stupid and slows down the drying process.

 

[Johnny Yooper]

Good afternoon, fellas - I've looked through several existing threads and can't quite find what I am looking for. I've got just over 5 cords of red oak, cherry, rock maple, locust, and pin oak cut, split, and stacked outside and UNCOVERED on pallets. Everything has been c/s/s since October. I plan to start burning these stacks next fall/winter (while trying to avoid the red oak mixed in the stack as much as possible to allow it the longest possible drying time). I like leaving stacks exposed to the elements, seems to dry better that way. However, I want to move a winter's worth of wood into my barn/garage just before season to keep it out of the rain and snow and make it easier to bring into the house each day. I figure I will need to cover it for a bit (this bit is what I am going to ask you firewood gurus about) just before moving it inside to keep rain out.

After a long-winded intro... How long does it take external moisture (i.e. rain, snow, etc., NOT moisture already inside the splits) to evaporate out of the wood? I want to know how far ahead of moving them into the barn I should cover the stacks to avoid excess external moisture. Let's say I want to move the stacks into the barn on October 1st (which is a lie because I will absolutely be in a treestand with my bow, not stacking wood), when should I throw a tarp over them? Let's hear it.

Cheers.

I was piling wood long before I was old enough to handle a splitting maul and dad always covered the woodpiles with heavy gauge tin sheets (must have been torn off some very old buildings decades ago, we salvaged everything); he'd only cover the top of the rows. Over the years I've also heard the old timers around here say to cover with metal and refrain from plastic materials....this way the wood can "breathe" they'd say. Even today, if my dad were to visit and saw I had an uncovered woodpile, I'd likely get a talkin'-to, and I'm almost 54 One thing about covering the piles is that if you get a spur of the moment idea to move some wood inside, you never have to worry about it being wet.

Lastly, you mention you'll be in a treestand with the bow in October and not stacking wood....well....I'd like to say your priorities are all messed up.....but I can't.

 

[Wisneaky]

I leave mine outside until September than I move some into the basement and rest into the shed. I always leave mine uncovered.

 

[sledge&wedge]

Sounds like the general opinion is that a pile soaked with rain will only take a few days to dry out, with a few "cover it all year or you're stupid" or "never cover it" votes as well (I expected to hear both sides of that coin, not saying anyone is right or wrong, but I tend to be somewhere near the middle of those two). I'll probably shoot for throwing a cover of some kind on top cover on after a week or so of good weather in September. Thanks for the input and the info, guys.

svk - The moldy mushroom situation is exactly what I'm trying to avoid by making sure I'm not bringing rain-wet wood into the barn -- good call. I keep it stacked on rails/pallets in the barn and keep it about 6" away from the wall as well so I've got a little bit of airflow insurance if that makes sense.

Zogger - Sounds like you and I have identical mindsets. I hope we're both geniuses instead of the other way around...

cus_deluxe - Yup, Bloomington is about an hour and a half North of me, and the humidity is even worse here than it is there. The Ohio River Valley is awful for weather, bugs, allergies, dust, and on and on and on. The good news is I'm sitting on somewhat of a high spot, so the wind helps out with both the moisture in the air and the bugs.

SteveSS - I played around with having a top cover on all year before and it worked out okay for me, but I came up with a new idea that seems to help with red oak's ridiculous dry time. If I've got a lot of red oak in a stack (which I usually do), I will leave it uncovered, and periodically pull the top row of splits off and start a new stack with them. This way each layer of splits is exposed to full sun and air for at least a week or two of the summer. Who knows if it actually helps, but I'm convinced that it does...

Yoop - My 88 year old grandpa still covers the tops with old barn tin, and I can't say I see anything wrong with that strategy. He has it all cut to 16" x 8' sheets so he has a perfect stencil of a 1/3 cord stack to build off of. Lays one on the ground to start and one on top to finish. Works just fine. As for hunting instead of stacking wood... I've got a security light above my stacks that allows me to split or stack no matter what time of night it is, but I can't say the same about my favorite treestand.

EDIT: Thought I was giving Yoop a "thumbs up" smiley... Turns out that was a middle finger! My bad, buddy.

 

[Del_]

3.5 cords per bay X 5

 

[sledge&wedge]

View attachment 399092

3.5 cords per bay X 5

Well... that's an option

 

[Del_]

Well... that's an option

It's made of all recycled materials except for the 12 4x4 post.

 

[slowp]

It totally depends on your local climate. I keep my "seasoning" wood covered for 10 months out of the year. That's all the dry weather we usually get, except for
.right now I could probably get away with no cover as we are in a mini-drought. But then it is supposed to rain this weekend. See what I mean about LOCAL?

Don't move here.

 

[midwest_170]

I prefer not to cover my wood. My wife also prefers that I don't cover my wood. If I cover my wood she just doesn't think the burn time is as good.

 

[MarylandGuy]

Hmm, I suppose there are a couple ways to read into that. : )

 

[Csailors]

I stack outside on pallets. Never cover any of it. It dries within a year and if it rains or snows that's just part of it.

I bring in 1/2 cord at a time and my wood racks are next to the stove. Rain/snow whatever else is on them is gone within a few hours. Never hurt anything and its a lot less hassle than covering them.

What little mess it does make moving it in isn't any worse than carrying in 1/2 cord of dry wood. If I was worried about a little mess I would have not put in a wood stove.


Your plan will work just fine. A tip though is never let your rack run empty. Always leave a couple days worth to dry out whatever else you bring in next round.

 

[Johnny Yooper]

Yoop - My 88 year old grandpa still covers the tops with old barn tin, and I can't say I see anything wrong with that strategy. He has it all cut to 16" x 8' sheets so he has a perfect stencil of a 1/3 cord stack to build off of. Lays one on the ground to start and one on top to finish. Works just fine. As for hunting instead of stacking wood... I've got a security light above my stacks that allows me to split or stack no matter what time of night it is, but I can't say the same about my favorite treestand.

pretty hard to argue with grandpa

 

[sledge&wedge]

I stack outside on pallets. Never cover any of it. It dries within a year and if it rains or snows that's just part of it.

I bring in 1/2 cord at a time and my wood racks are next to the stove. Rain/snow whatever else is on them is gone within a few hours. Never hurt anything and its a lot less hassle than covering them.

What little mess it does make moving it in isn't any worse than carrying in 1/2 cord of dry wood. If I was worried about a little mess I would have not put in a wood stove.


Your plan will work just fine. A tip though is never let your rack run empty. Always leave a couple days worth to dry out whatever else you bring in next round.

I like the idea of having a rack by the stove to keep a little more wood on hand, and also help dry out any residual moisture. However, I don't have a neat little nook next to my insert like you've got in your avatar so a large capacity rack isn't very practical for me. I keep my winter's worth of dry wood in my barn, right beside where I park my truck when I get home. I just load up my huge canvas tote with a day or two's worth of wood and bring it in every day when I get in from work. I've got a small rack beside the stove that holds roughly one day's worth without taking up too much space so it works out pretty well for me. Good tip on keeping some extra close to the stove, though.