# TARPS



## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

HI guys & gals!
I was wondering what you are all using to cover up you supply of wood. I have been using the brown tarps with the silver underlining from home depot to cover my wood and they work fine but I was wondering it there is something better for the job?

The ones from HD are ok but they seem to wear out after two years, they develop craks or the inevitable hole or two & then let the water through.
I've resorted to putting an uderlayment of thick plastic sheathing under the tarp, & while that works it makes it a bit of a pain in the neck to cover & uncover the wood.

The other thing is that these tarps are not that cheap @ $30.00+- a pop, I wouldnt mind spending a little more for something of better quality.

Thanks in advance!


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## BrowningBAR (Sep 14, 2012)

I only tarp off during the winter before a rain or snow storm. I usually just tarp the area that will be burned within the next few days.


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## Treacherous (Sep 14, 2012)

I usually cover mine up for the winter or piles will be sitting in 4-5 feet of snow for most of the winter.  I just use the tarps from HF.  They only seem to last about 3 seasons for me.


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

Hi Browoning Bar (God of Fire, I like that!),
Doesnt your wood supply get wet if you're caught off guard, or is that inconsequential once the wood is seasoned?
I just finished splitting about 7+ cords and am starting to stack the stuff, I'm not going to burn through all that but I'd like to keep this year's allotment as dry as possible.


BTW, whats the stove in your avatar, its a very handsome unit I really like it.


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## BrowningBAR (Sep 14, 2012)

Deep Fryer said:


> Doesnt your wood supply get wet if you're caught off guard, or is that inconsequential once the wood is seasoned?
> I just finished splitting about 7+ cords and am starting to stack the stuff, I'm not going to burn through all that but I'd like to keep this year's allotment as dry as possible.


 
It does get wet, but it is only surface moisture and dries within a few hours. It doesn't really affect long term dryness of the wood.



> BTW, whats the stove in your avatar, its a very handsome unit I really like it.


 
It is a Vermont Castings Defiant.


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## Wood Duck (Sep 14, 2012)

If your wood has just been split it will need to season, and I think leaving it uncovered would be better than covering with a tarp. You want lots of air to move through the stacks to take away moisture.

If you want to cover the best thing is corrugated metal roofing because it is rigid so it doesn't hug the top of the pile but instead lets plenty of air through. It is also heavy enough that it generally doesn't blow off very easily and it lasts for a long time. The problem is it is hard to come by - keep your eyes open for somebody tearing down a shed.

I don't cover mine at all and it is fine. Sometimes I get snow (slightly annoying) or ice (really a pain) on the wood. I keep a couple of days' supply on the back porch and a couple of days is enough time for the ice to melt (or sublimate - go directly from solid to gas) before I take the wood inside and burn it.


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

BrowningBAR said:


> It does get wet, but it is only surface moisture and dries within a few hours. It doesn't really affect long term dryness of the wood.
> It is a Vermont Castings Defiant.


Gotcha! Thank you sir.



Wood Duck said:


> If your wood has just been split it will need to season, and I think leaving it uncovered would be better than covering with a tarp. You want lots of air to move through the stacks to take away moisture.


 I've had the wood for over a year, uncovered. I'm home quite a bit and I always try to keep uncovered as much as possible. The weather being what it is here in long island there is the chance (like anywhere else) for rain. The snow I would not be  too concerned with but the rain on the other hand, would be another story.

I have visions of the first year burning when I purchased some wood from our mailman (his side gig) but being new to the game I think the wood, like myself at the time, was pretty green. It was a bit of a chore to get it cranking.
I wont fret so much over the issue.

Thank YOu Wood Duck,


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## Treacherous (Sep 14, 2012)

Treacherous said:


> I usually cover mine up for the winter or piles will be sitting in 4-5 feet of snow for most of the winter. I just use the tarps from HF. They only seem to last about 3 seasons for me.


 
EDIT:  I remove the side covering after the snow has melted.


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

Hi Treacherous, I usually like to keep it uncovered throughout the winter unless we have a lot of snow here which sometimes we do .
I figure it couldnt hurt .


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## Treacherous (Sep 14, 2012)

We basically have snow from late November through May so it can pile up to 4-5 feet.  At times it will get above freezing.  My concern has always been that the melting snow piled against the woodpiles will wick back into the wood.


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## CageMaster (Sep 14, 2012)

if your seasoning for next winter i would leave uncovered provided your only stacking a couple of rows deep as your wood will continue to season, some people actually believe it will dry just as fast in winter because of the lower humidity as it will in summer with the high heat.


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## etiger2007 (Sep 14, 2012)

I use galvanized roofing for my top cover and I have had what I plan on burningn this winter covered for about an month now.


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## clemsonfor (Sep 14, 2012)

Buy tarps at harbor freight or on ebay or amazon your will probly save about half to what HD charges!!


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## red oak (Sep 14, 2012)

Deep Fryer said:


> HI guys & gals!
> I was wondering what you are all using to cover up you supply of wood. I have been using the brown tarps with the silver underlining from home depot to cover my wood and they work fine but I was wondering it there is something better for the job?
> 
> The ones from HD are ok but they seem to wear out after two years, they develop craks or the inevitable hole or two & then let the water through.
> ...


 
I cover with nothing.  You can't beat that price!


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

CageMaster said:


> if your seasoning for next winter i would leave uncovered provided your only stacking a couple of rows deep as your wood will continue to season, some people actually believe it will dry just as fast in winter because of the lower humidity as it will in summer with the high heat.


I'm actually intending on using some of it for this season, maybe 3 cords +-, the remainder of the supply I have no problem leaving it uncovered but stacked/off the ground.



etiger2007 said:


> I use galvanized roofing for my top cover and I have had what I plan on burningn this winter covered for about an month now.


Thats kind of my intention, to keep what I plan on using this winter covered/from getting wet, I usually dont start burning till about november anyway, this would give my supply at least two months of nice dry tlc.



clemsonfor said:


> Buy tarps at harbor freight or on ebay or amazon your will probly save about half to what HD charges!!


 Good suggestions, thanks, I forgot about amazon, they carry so much stuff, & their prices are better than HD.



red oak said:


> I cover with nothing. You can't beat that price!


Or the convenience, I'll have to try your method out as well, thanks Red!


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## Treacherous (Sep 14, 2012)

red oak said:


> I cover with nothing. You can't beat that price!


 
My plan is to start building some more wood sheds next year. I have a rinkydink one that previous cabin owner built between some trees. The rest are in stacked piles. I probably have about 6 cords now and go through about 2 a winter.

Thinking simple design like this:


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## basod (Sep 14, 2012)

If you're spending $30/2yrs on tarps you'd almost be better off just buying new galvanized tin at HD or Lowes.

I picked some scrap pieces of metal building siding off a jobsite - they pay for disposal on weight and said take anything I wanted. Got some nice 10x3' and 7x3' sections to add to the old tin I already had


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

Hi T,
Wood shed would be the way to go, in my neck of the woods that would probably be a fiasco with permits & zoning nonsense & they'd probably hike me taxes to boot. I like the designs & thanks for posting, the middle drawing, are those splits or rounds that are drying?
Another thing I just thought about (as I hear the wildlife chirping outside) is critters, I have tons of fricken (excuse my language) chipmonks & field mice and they'd nesting & crapping the heck out of the place in no time.
On the first & last drawings, is there a flooring element or does the wood sit on the ground?


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## Treacherous (Sep 14, 2012)

CageMaster said:


> if your seasoning for next winter i would leave uncovered provided your only stacking a couple of rows deep as your wood will continue to season, some people actually believe it will dry just as fast in winter because of the lower humidity as it will in summer with the high heat.


 
Might give it a shot this winter.  We traditionally have fairly low humidity summer and winter with lots of wind so my softwoods dry fairly quickly.


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

basod said:


> If you're spending $30/2yrs on tarps you'd almost be better off just buying new galvanized tin at HD or Lowes.
> 
> I picked some scrap pieces of metal building siding off a jobsite - they pay for disposal on weight and said take anything I wanted. Got some nice 10x3' and 7x3' sections to add to the old tin I already had


I'll try and post some pictures of my place, my concern is that these pieces would become airborne when we have windy conditions or the rogue gust and end up in my living room, the back of my house where the wood's stacked is mainly glass.


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## Treacherous (Sep 14, 2012)

I got the drawings off the WA state ecology site:

https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/91062.pdf

I think they they are supposed to be splits in the drawing.   Not sure about the ground  but I planned to use some treated 4 x 4 on the ground area.  

Lots of chipmunks, red squirrels and birds in my piles as well.




Deep Fryer said:


> Hi T,
> Wood shed would be the way to go, in my neck of the woods that would probably be a fiasco with permits & zoning nonsense & they'd probably hike me taxes to boot. I like the designs & thanks for posting, the middle drawing, are those splits or rounds that are drying?
> Another thing I just thought about (as I hear the wildlife chirping outside) is critters, I have tons of fricken (excuse my language) chipmonks & field mice and they'd nesting & crapping the heck out of the place in no time.
> On the first & last drawings, is there a flooring element or does the wood sit on the ground?


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## bogydave (Sep 14, 2012)

I did tarps for many years. Learned to hate them. I should've built a roof from the "get-go", would've saved money.
Maybe you  can avoid the rules with a temporary/not permanent roof like in the above pictures.


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## ScotO (Sep 14, 2012)

I bought used rubber roofing at a local construction/demolition salvage company a couple weeks ago....here's a link to the post I made regarding the installation of it on my wood piles.  I topcover my three-year seasoned wood in the fall, and I ONLY topcover what I will be using  that following winter.   All of my wood spends at least two years C/S/S with the weather on it. 

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/not-a-minute-too-soon.89616/


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## basod (Sep 14, 2012)

Scotty You need to fix that left corner or burn it soon


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## ScotO (Sep 14, 2012)

basod said:


> Scotty You need to fix that left corner or burn it soon


 yeah, I was looking at that the other day.    It's solid, not to mention that's where the heating season will start.....right in that corner.  If it holds out for another couple of weeks, we'll be good to go.


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## basod (Sep 14, 2012)

Deep Fryer said:


> I'll try and post some pictures of my place, my concern is that these pieces would become airborne when we have windy conditions or the rogue gust and end up in my living room, the back of my house where the wood's stacked is mainly glass.


 
Screw the tin on the corners and then pick the wood from the middle until you feel the need to lower it.

Or you can just throw green uglies on top/ tie bricks with rope drapped over the top etc.  If it blows off your stack it's gonna go ~3ft unless you have a tornado or hurricane and the tin will be the least of your worries.
They also sell some vinyl stuff as well. Either way someday you may decide to build racks and then you can secure it permanently.


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## basod (Sep 14, 2012)

Scotty Overkill said:


> yeah, I was looking at that the other day.  It's solid, not to mention that's where the heating season will start.....right in that corner. If it holds out for another couple of weeks, we'll be good to go.


Saw the rebar holding it up - couldn't resist man.
Had to restack one of my 2013/14 oak stacks as it began listing and tipped in some winds we had a few weeks ago - happens to the best of us


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## Shadow&Flame (Sep 14, 2012)

I have never had any luck with tarps...just too windy for them to stay put without being torn.  I used old tin to cover the tops and that worked alright, but after an ice storm I decided I really needed a woodshed.  After looking at plans, cost and the time I had to work on it...I just had a metal carport put up and now I have a place to keep my firewood and my truck dry...  Hope you find something that works for you...


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 14, 2012)

We cut in winter, split in spring and stack right away. We do not cover until late fall or early winter; before the snow piles up for sure. Then we leave it set and let Mother Nature dry it for us.This picture was taken right after stacking a few years ago. Notice I hadn't yet cleaned up around the stacks. Some of that wood is still there.




We've used tarps and hate them. We've left wood uncovered. At present we are mostly using old galvanized roofing. We have lots. It works great and if you are concerned about wind, and you should be, screw it down to the wood and still put weights on the top. We typically throw some uglies on the top.

This is that same stack of wood. This picture was taken the following spring after the wood had been split and stacked. We really like the old roofing as it is easy to work with and does a great job.

btw, we dry all the wood outdoors and then in October we move about 3 cord inside the barn and that is the wood we will burn in the winter. Works good for us.


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

Thanks for all the suggestions guys I really appreciate it. I'm gonna look into the metal roofing and that rubber roofing as well, the carport would be pretty sweet dare I say.
Scotty & Dennis, your wood piles brought a tear to my eye, such lovelyness is seldom seen around my neighborhood. This will be my first year when I'll actually be ahead of the game a bit for the 13/14 season. There is tons of firewood for the taking where I live, I plan on doing some hand splitting over the winter to build up the wood pile, you guys are a great inspiration, thanks!
Scotty thanks for the link to your thread as well


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 14, 2012)

Thanks Deep Fryer. I learned from Scotty and zap.


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 14, 2012)

Shadow&Flame said:


> I have never had any luck with tarps...*just too windy for them to stay put without being torn*. I used old tin to cover the tops and that worked alright, but after an ice storm I decided I really needed a woodshed. After looking at plans, cost and the time I had to work on it...I just had a metal carport put up and now I have a place to keep my firewood and my truck dry... Hope you find something that works for you...


Yes, this is a recurring scenario, I wound up using stakes from HD (like camping tent spikes) to anchor them otherwise theyll take off like some sort of kite, this ususally happens during a rather nasty rainstorm around here and if I'm lucky I'll be around to attend to it, otherwise the pile will get a really good soaking.


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## ScotO (Sep 14, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> Thanks Deep Fryer. I learned from Scotty and zap.


 I think I learned from Zap and you, Dennis!


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## RichVT (Sep 14, 2012)

I've heard of laying large pieces of corregated cardboard under the tarp to cushion and protect it.

I use the ball bungees to hold my tarps down. They keep the tarp tight as the wood shrinks and are easy to loop over the end of a split.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...053&langId=-1&keyword=tarp+ties&storeId=10051


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## Treacherous (Sep 14, 2012)

Ok... I'm convinced... no side covers this winter.  Worst case I end up using some more Idaho Energy Logs.


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## Shadow&Flame (Sep 14, 2012)

Deep Fryer said:


> Yes, this is a recurring scenario, I wound up using stakes from HD (like camping tent spikes) to anchor them otherwise theyll take off like some sort of kite, this ususally happens during a rather nasty rainstorm around here and if I'm lucky I'll be around to attend to it, otherwise the pile will get a really good soaking.


 
It just gets old fighting with tarps...and Murphys law always gets you.  Do yourself a really big favor and try and get a woodshed.


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## golfandwoodnut (Sep 14, 2012)

I like the rubber roofing too, it should last for a very long time. Call a rubber roofer, they probably have it for free as it is their scrap after ripping off an old roof, that may not be very old.


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## AJS56 (Sep 15, 2012)

I think I may be in the minority on this, but I don't cover my stacks any more.  I am fortunate that I do have room enough in my garage to bring in about a week's supply (pull my little trailer right in and park it in the garage) during the burning season.  So if you are lucky enough to have a breezeway, porch, or garage area big enough for a few days supply, I find it is rare that I have to bring wet wood in, unless we have an ice storm, rain, or a warmup melting existing snow right at that time.  I find this is the case even in winters that have a fair amount of snow, at least for our locale.


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## mywaynow (Sep 15, 2012)

Scotty Overkill said:


> I bought used rubber roofing at a local construction/demolition salvage company a couple weeks ago....here's a link to the post I made regarding the installation of it on my wood piles. I topcover my three-year seasoned wood in the fall, and I ONLY topcover what I will be using that following winter. All of my wood spends at least two years C/S/S with the weather on it.
> 
> https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/not-a-minute-too-soon.89616/


 Scotty-  How long do the wood pallets last for you?  I have been fortunate enough to get about 25-30 plastic pallets so far.  They are hard to come by though.  Wood ones are all around for the taking.
DeepFryer-  I have a roll of galvanized sheet metal I believe was originally for a pool.  It is about 45 feet running length by around 40 inches.  Been trying to donate it to a fellow burner for some time with no takers as of yet.  I come as far east toward you as Iselin and Caldwell at times.  I am going to Caldwell Monday too.  You want this stuff I will hall it to that point and it's yours for the taking.


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## ScotO (Sep 15, 2012)

mywaynow said:


> Scotty- How long do the wood pallets last for you? I have been fortunate enough to get about 25-30 plastic pallets so far. They are hard to come by though. Wood ones are all around for the taking.


MWN, they hold up pretty darn good.  As I use the wood that is stacked on the pallets I inspect them for rot, breakage, and decay.  When they go bad, I replace them, then I take the junk ones and cut them up and burn them in the firepit.  So they are 100% recycled in the end.  One recommendation though, if you can pick and choose, get the ones made out of ash and oak.  The poplar ones don't hold up as long.



mywaynow said:


> DeepFryer- I have a roll of galvanized sheet metal I believe was originally for a pool. It is about 45 feet running length by around 40 inches. Been trying to donate it to a fellow burner for some time with no takers as of yet. I come as far east toward you as Iselin and Caldwell at times. I am going to Caldwell Monday too. You want this stuff I will hall it to that point and it's yours for the taking.


MWN, that's FIRST CLASS, you're a good dude.  Deep Fryer, that stuff would be great for a top-cover.  I'd be all over that.


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## mywaynow (Sep 15, 2012)

Thanks Scotty. I have been stacking on these plastic skids a bit differently as of last year. I used to line them up and stack typical rows. Now I stack each one as a free standing unit. It helps me to deal with grade changes more easily; I dig up the high side to level the skid. My hope is that at some point I will have a smaller loader that I can use like a forklift to pick up whole skids and bring to the house. A couple straps and lift-deliver. Right now I have a dinosaur loader, Ford 755, that is too much to try and use for such useful tasks. Hoping to unload that soon and put the proceeds toward the Kubota.


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## ScotO (Sep 15, 2012)

mywaynow said:


> Thanks Scotty. I have been stacking on these plastic skids a bit differently as of last year. I used to line them up and stack typical rows. Now I stack each one as a free standing unit. It helps me to deal with grade changes more easily


That's a really good idea, I'd probalby do the same thing if I had a loader!


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 18, 2012)

mywaynow said:


> DeepFryer- I have a roll of galvanized sheet metal I believe was originally for a pool. It is about 45 feet running length by around 40 inches. Been trying to donate it to a fellow burner for some time with no takers as of yet. I come as far east toward you as Iselin and Caldwell at times. I am going to Caldwell Monday too. You want this stuff I will hall it to that point and it's yours for the taking.


 
Hi mywaynow, Thank You for the kind offer, I did not get to the computer this weekend untill today. 
Spent sunday and yesterday stacking as much wood as possible. good thing too, we're expecting lots of rain with gusts to 50mph. should be fun!
I got some tarps out of sheer necessity but just putting them on started to really tick me off  woke up around 6:30 this morning, took the dog out & put out the trash, then decided to put some uglies on top of the tarps & stake them in (I did not know yesterday it was going to be really windy today), by the time I was done it was already raining pretty steady, hopefully they'll last overnight but I wont be surprised if they dont.  
Bottom line is these are just temporary solutions & I'll need to really address this or keep putting up with the frustration of it which I wont do.
Thanks again for the kind offer, I appreciate it.


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## mywaynow (Sep 18, 2012)

I use heavy tarps with eyelets.  Some fabric bungy cords at every 3rd eye stretched around logs has worked great for me.  One tarp 15x30 is what I use across half the pile, top only.  I have that roll of metal, and a stack of galv roofing to pick from.  I may try the roofing, but in high winds that stuff seems like it would go places.  Tarps blowing in the wind is another thing altogether, vs sheet metal.  If you change your mind and want that roll let me know.   Caldwell in done , but Metucheon work is on the horizon.


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 18, 2012)

Shadow&Flame said:


> *It just gets old fighting with tarps*...and Murphys law always gets you. Do yourself a really big favor and try and *get a woodshed*.


 It sure does! I'm probably going to go that route for next season, I simply do not have the time to implement it this year, thanks for the suggestion


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## Deep Fryer (Sep 18, 2012)

mywaynow said:


> I use heavy tarps with eyelets. Some fabric bungy cords at every 3rd eye stretched around logs has worked great for me. One tarp 15x30 is what I use across half the pile, top only. I have that roll of metal, and a stack of galv roofing to pick from. I may try the roofing, but in high winds that stuff seems like it would go places. Tarps blowing in the wind is another thing altogether, vs sheet metal. If you change your mind and want that roll let me know. Caldwell in done , but Metucheon work is on the horizon.


 Thank you sir, I'll keep it in mind, It seems that I'm destined to do battle one more time/season with the tarps


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