Keeping your seasoned firewood dry if you don't have a regular shelter for it.

[D&B Mack]

I stack two rows wide with:

Bailey's - EZ Stacker Firewood Log Brackets

Use 1/8" plywood painted black to lay across the top.

However, I leave the stacks uncovered from the end of March till the end of September.

For ####s and giggles, I took a split of oak that was out in the rain for the past few days uncovered. I re-split in half and checked moisture content. 16%. Wouldn't be good to try starting it, but it had no problems burning. :wink2:

 

[zogger]

I know I'm a bit green at this, but I have been reading up on the subject.

What I've found is if the firewood to be used for the heating season is if it's left uncovered in it's stack, it will likely be too wet to burn. Covering it with a tarp will help as long as the sides are left open for air flow. Closing up the sides will promote condensation and set back the drying process several months or more.

But, one thing I noticed in placing a tarp over the top, that there is still condensation that forms under the tarp which will migrate to the firewood. To put a stop to that, I placed a couple of sheets of roofing felt over the tops of the piles and then placed the tarp over those. I also went ahead and extended the tarp out about a foot on each side and used an old piece of conduit to keep the ends from draping down the sides and act as kind of an awning on a camping tent which keeps the rain off the sides of the pile. At the ends of the pile I secured each corner of the tarp with bungies so that as I remove some of the wood, it will still remain tight, at least for a while. But I have smaller bungies set off to the side when it becomes too loose.

The wood I have piled in racks on the porch can still get wet due to condensation from the roof of all things. When the porch was put together, no plywood sheeting was used so it's basically all tin with the exception of the 2x6's and purlins. I went ahead and put a tarp over the piles to help keep the condensation from the roof from dripping on the piles and instead of using bungies, I used some old window weights I found in the shed to hold the tarp in place using ball bungies to attach the weights.

I've only owned this place for 2 years now as of the 13th of this month and this is my first year of burning firewood in a wood stove so I guess y'all could say I'm getting a crash course in all of this just like I'm getting a crash course in just about everything I'm doing on the house and the rest of the property.

I had also converted the chimney from a Class B (for propane) over to a Class A using the rigid stainless steel liner (single wall) for in the chimney itself including the cleanout at the very bottom. Double wall from the stove to the chimney. But that's another topic all together for another time

If y'all have any additional suggestions for keeping firewood dry without a shelter, they would be appreciated.

I haven't done it yet, as I don't have enough pallets, but I was thinking use the pallets for stacking both on the bottom of the stack, and on the top. Then cover just that pallet at the top, and not much of the sides at all, just a teeny drip edge maybe.. That would leave an air space at the top as well, promote good airflow, but run the water off and keep condensation away rom the actual firewood. This side of a proper woodshed, perhaps that could work on the cheap.

Perhaps, in addition to the flat pallet on top, run one long pressure treated down the middle, to act as a ridge, then the tarp is not touching the pallet much and will run the water off better and provide even more free air space.

 

[howellhandmade]

I haven't done it yet, as I don't have enough pallets, but I was thinking use the pallets for stacking both on the bottom of the stack, and on the top. Then cover just that pallet at the top, and not much of the sides at all, just a teeny drip edge maybe.. That would leave an air space at the top as well, promote good airflow, but run the water off and keep condensation away rom the actual firewood. This side of a proper woodshed, perhaps that could work on the cheap.

Perhaps, in addition to the flat pallet on top, run one long pressure treated down the middle, to act as a ridge, then the tarp is not touching the pallet much and will run the water off better and provide even more free air space.

I do this. It works just like you say. The splits on top don't get wet from condensation under the cover. And tarps last longer. I don't put a peak like you suggest, I just angle the pallets a bit like a shed roof. I'd rather have a shed, but I don't.

 

[sb47]

I tried using those blue tarps to cover my wood. The tarps degrade fairly quickly and water gets through.
I found that just stacking on a pallet, then just laying a piece of plywood over the top works best for me.
I cut most of my wood at 20” and 18”. A four foot pallet allows me to stack 2 rows with about 8/10 inches in between the rows.
This has worked the best for me.

 

[practicaldesign]

Hi. Most people around here use both well seasoned wood and green firewood during the fall and winter. I don't recommend using construction material covering tarps, as they are prone to holding moisture and promoting dry rot. I normally use 30mill tarps or sheets of metal to cover my cords and the covers are suspended about 4-6" above each cord. An area with a light dry breeze is quite useful to slowly season the wood. Cords elevated off the ground to keep ground humidity out and let rain splatter dry up. With white birch bark side has to be upward, aspen bark downward.
I try not to have the cords in direct sunlight for long periods of time during the day. If the wood dries too quickly it looses a-lot of it's value and you end up with a fast heat up that lasts about 15-20 minutes then you have to refill the furnace again.

 

[Como]

I keep a couple of cord on hand, the rest is uncovered, in moving it the snow tends to fall away.

 

[7hpjim]

I know I'm a bit green at this, but I have been reading up on the subject.

What I've found is if the firewood to be used for the heating season is if it's left uncovered in it's stack, it will likely be too wet to burn. Covering it with a tarp will help as long as the sides are left open for air flow. Closing up the sides will promote condensation and set back the drying process several months or more.

But, one thing I noticed in placing a tarp over the top, that there is still condensation that forms under the tarp which will migrate to the firewood. To put a stop to that, I placed a couple of sheets of roofing felt over the tops of the piles and then placed the tarp over those. I also went ahead and extended the tarp out about a foot on each side and used an old piece of conduit to keep the ends from draping down the sides and act as kind of an awning on a camping tent which keeps the rain off the sides of the pile. At the ends of the pile I secured each corner of the tarp with bungies so that as I remove some of the wood, it will still remain tight, at least for a while. But I have smaller bungies set off to the side when it becomes too loose.

The wood I have piled in racks on the porch can still get wet due to condensation from the roof of all things. When the porch was put together, no plywood sheeting was used so it's basically all tin with the exception of the 2x6's and purlins. I went ahead and put a tarp over the piles to help keep the condensation from the roof from dripping on the piles and instead of using bungies, I used some old window weights I found in the shed to hold the tarp in place using ball bungies to attach the weights.

I've only owned this place for 2 years now as of the 13th of this month and this is my first year of burning firewood in a wood stove so I guess y'all could say I'm getting a crash course in all of this just like I'm getting a crash course in just about everything I'm doing on the house and the rest of the property.

I had also converted the chimney from a Class B (for propane) over to a Class A using the rigid stainless steel liner (single wall) for in the chimney itself including the cleanout at the very bottom. Double wall from the stove to the chimney. But that's another topic all together for another time

If y'all have any additional suggestions for keeping firewood dry without a shelter, they would be appreciated.

I didnt read the whole thread but this is how i use tarps, I cut skids/pallets to in half and set them on top of the rows first to give the tarps some airspace between wood and tarp and then tie the tarps down as tightly as possible, try to get tarps that overhang the sides by only a foot or so you get better airflow, for attachment points I take the cordless drill and drive in drywall screws and make sure to use poly cord not cotton clothes line because the cotton gets wet and freezes solid making untying quite difficult, hope this helps!!

 

[7hpjim]

I went ahead and put a tarp over the piles to help keep the condensation from the roof from dripping on the piles and instead of using bungies, I used some old window weights I found in the shed to hold the tarp in place using ball bungies to attach the weights.
If you change your own oil which I do and I have 3 vehicles so the big jugs built up fast, I use the jugs refilled with the old oil for tarp weights also. but I found that tying to attachment points gets the tarp tighter so it doesn't get low spots that fill with water and snow as badly.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Storm, I cover my outside wood with a tarp on the top only. I put stickers on the top layer of wood to raise the tarp slightly so there is some air flow immediately under the tarp so it is not trapping the moisture coming off the wood. Maybe it does not help, but my pea brain says that allowing drying wood to get soaked through the top few layers by rain is the opposite of what I am trying to achieve. Your idea of using the window weights to hold your tarps down will work. Put a few bricks on top of the tarp as well and it will take a very strong wind to blow the tarp off the pile. I move my seasoned or partially seasoned firewood for the coming winter into a wood shed. The shed is built so that I get air flow under the shed and up through the floor, through the side and back walls and up through the eaves. The gaps in the sidewalls and floor are probably about 1/8 to 1/4" I am sure sunlight helps the wood dry out, but I think the airflow is key. Will uncovered wood dry outside? I am sure it will, but some species I think will probably begin to rot( birch and soft maple for me) in some climates before it dries. As I am sure you are aware getting the first layer of wood off the ground is a necessity or it will indeed rot from ground contact. My Amish neighbor burns wood and he does not have a covered outside stack anywhere. He lets it outside, rain or shine until he moves a large portion of it into his garage. I guess it sees a few weeks or a month or so in his garage before it makes its way into his wood stove. I can't imagine that it would not be seasoned and that he would be burning green wood. Each to their own, and obviously un covered firewood works out for a lot a people. The first year I had my OWB, I had firewood in piles out back and filled the new wood shed in early spring so the wood that was cut that winter did not really get any dry time until it hit the shed. By the time winter rolled around the wood was checked and cracked and was fine for burning come the following winter. I am just trying to get a few years ahead so what is out by the pole building gets put onto pallets and the tops covered the first spring and fall and the following spring when the shed is empty it will go there for the coming winter. Why don't you do your own experiment and stack two cords in the same general area, with the same sunshine and airflow, one covered and the other uncovered and the following year burn each and see if you notice any difference. Then you can share your wisdom with the rest of us and maybe we'll learn something.

 

[allstihl]

after one summer when it seemed to rain every day my wood grew mushrooms. i broke down and built the woodshed that fall.

 

[Hellbent]

I do much the same as you...... mostly just cover the top of the stacks with a tarp. Honestly, I would really like to build a wood shed, with air flow through three sides. I'm afraid I'll never get my wood shed...... not because of the cost to build it, but because of the cost of the taxes on it. Unfortunately, my town is on a tear to raise taxes, without raising taxes. After talking to my neighbor, I found out the town has his small shed assessed at a $16,000 value dizzy loss

That is just plain nuts! I used to live in a suburban county and they only taxed "permanent" structures. If you put whatever it was on skids they couldn't levy tax on you. It would be worth a trip to the county appraisers office to find out the rules. Always ask your questions in a very general way and start of with " I've seen some people do this...why?"

On the wood shed front have you ever thought of " other" methods of construction? Old barn boards, small harbor freight greenhouses, bend cattle panel into hoop structure and cover with tarp? Around here you can buy a good sized old grain bin maybe 10 or12 ft diameter for about $300-500. Saw it in half, lay the halves on the ground any you have two small Quonset style firewood huts. They'd probably hold 3-4 cords each.

Just some ideas. Hellbent

 

[savageactor7]

You can cobble something like this if you're out in the country...too hideous for a development though.

 

[Incomplete]

Clear visqueen, heavy mil, then stapled to the split ends with a hammer tacker or a construction stapler. Cheaper and more durable than tarping. The clear plastic works like a green house, the short sides means moisture condenses, then drips off sides (where it's able). I don't know why you wouldn't want to keep excess moisture off your stack. Or why you would want to handle the wood ten times. It doesn't take much labor or material (I've reused a cover once already) I split this elm in November at the onset of foul weather here, and it burns just fine, not perfect, but it wants to burn as apposed to just boiling. I was pleasantly surprised.
View attachment 281269

 

[turnkey4099]

Originally Posted by Ductape
I do much the same as you...... mostly just cover the top of the stacks with a tarp. Honestly, I would really like to build a wood shed, with air flow through three sides. I'm afraid I'll never get my wood shed...... not because of the cost to build it, but because of the cost of the taxes on it. Unfortunately, my town is on a tear to raise taxes, without raising taxes. After talking to my neighbor, I found out the town has his small shed assessed at a $16,000 value () loss

That is just plain nuts! I used to live in a suburban county and they only taxed "permanent" structures. If you put whatever it was on skids they couldn't levy tax on you. It would be worth a trip to the county appraisers office to find out the rules. Always ask your questions in a very general way and start of with " I've seen some people do this...why?"

<snip>

Just some ideas. Hellbent

Yep, nuts it is. Before I would proceed after hearing a story like that I would be checkingwith the assessor's office. If it sounds too outlandish to be true...

Harry K

 

[Bushmans]

Just a few minutes ago I backed the pick up to the wood pile and loaded it. Backed it into the garage and right into the house with most of it. All oak that has been uncovered since it arrived on my property last winter. I had to knock the couple inches of snow off the top but it will burn just fine, especially after being in the warm house for a day or so.
I do cover wood sometimes but that is only because it is on the downhill slide of being good firewood. (Some old tops that were starting to punk out.) I had a bunch of 2'x3' sheets of plywood from work that I lay on top of the rows and hold down with oddball splits. I need those to dry without added moisture from rain and snow.
You can see the plywood on top of these rows. The rest is wide open. Sometimes I will get out my Echo back pack blower and blow the snow off the entire lot if I think its getting to thick.

View attachment 281273

If you get a lot of rain and humidity I would suggest some sort of top like the plywood. Paint it and it will last even longer.

 

[scotte303]

I'll be 55 in January... I've been burning wood for heat in the house since my early 20's (with a couple of short hiatuses). Before that, both my Granddad and dad burned wood in stoves and fireplaces; so really, I’ve been around in-home wood burning since I was wearing diapers. We never “covered” firewood, and I still don’t… with the exception of (sometimes) laying some old boards or such, only on the stack(s) I plan on using that heating season, just before first snow. I don’t do it to keep the wood “dry”, it’s more so I can easily throw the ice and snow off before hauling it to the house. Some years I don’t even bother with that and just brush the snow off when I do the cars. Granddad had a woodshed (lean-to) that he would move some fully seasoned firewood under just before first snow… but that was more to keep Grandma out of the weather when she stepped outside to grab an armload.

I’ve never had a problem with “wet” firewood. Sure, when it rains the top couple of rows and maybe the ends on one side of the stack (wind and rain) get a little wet, but it dries right off in a day or two… even in sub-zero weather. Rain water doesn’t “soak in”, heck most of it runs off and drips on the ground; and like I said, I rarely find wet wood any deeper than two or three rows anyway… even after three days of rain. Really, storing firewood in a shed or covering it just keeps the rain and snow off it… but it can’t stop damp, humid, foggy atmosphere from getting to the wood (unless your shed is climate controlled).

Until I joined AS I’d never heard of storing unseasoned (fresh-cut/split) firewood under cover or in a shed. A woodshed is where you stored the stuff after it had fully seasoned in the open for a couple years… and few people even bother with the shed anyway.

Take those covers off your firewood so it gets plenty of air and sun when it shines… it will stay dryer in the long-run. If ya’ know a healthy rainstorm is on the way just haul enough wood under cover to last for a couple days… and if ya’ don’t it ain’t a big deal… three rows down will be dry firewood, and the wet stuff will be dry tomorrow. Heck, haul some rain-wet firewood in the house and set it by the hot stove, it’ll be bone-dry in an hour or two… even less than an hour, depending. For that matter, just toss it in the hot stove; it ain’t like ya’ do it every day, and the wood is only “wet” on the outside… it ain’t like you’re tossing “green” firewood in there.

If ya’ want a woodshed then you should have one… but only use it to store fully seasoned firewood.
Personally, I don't care to handle and move mine that much.

Exactly, I only cover when snow is in the forecast... also, think of an old wood boat...it would sink if it absorbed the water...

 

[brenndatomu]

Make your own convertible "green house" type structure.

I can't take credit for this idea, I read it on here somewhere before. Never actually have done it, but it's a great idea!

Get some of those wire cattle/hog fence panels(48"x16' $20 or so on sale at farm stores) Lay the panel out flat on the ground, then lift it up in the middle making a dome shape out of it, then stake the ends down. Keep repeating this, butting the panels up, wiring them together, 4' at a time, 'til your desired length is reached. At this point you should have a long dome shaped wire frame. Now you can stack wood in it and roll a tarp over it as needed. I'd leave the tarp up a foot or so off the ground for air flow, and maybe leave the ends open, make yourself a genuine wind tunnel. Wouldn't be too hard to roll the tarp up on nice days and drop it down on rainy/snowy days. If you stack on pallets, this structure should keep your wood dry, the tax guy off your case, and your wallet happy. Not too ugly, and, it can be torn down and moved very easily! :msp_thumbsup:

 

[TeeMan]

After the wood has time to season 6 months that I find is the minimum, I cover with corrugated roofing panels on top of my racks. I used to use blue tarps, but as stated earlier in this thread, the tarps deteriorate quickly. In South Louisiana we don’t have to worry about the snow or ice (maybe just a handful of freezes, but that burns off early morning). The roofing cover is basically to just keep rain off the seasoned wood.

 

[Saddle Mander]

Maybe in a few years I will see the light, but for now.....

Once I heard snow was coming, I used tarps to cover a section of my wood supply (but left the sides open). I just didn't want to deal with snow, ice, and water from now until who knows when. Once the weather clears, I'll flip the tarp off. When I hear of the next storm (not FLHX) coming in, I'll retarp for the duration.