# Help needed with covering wood stacks - Plastic.



## Hills Hoard (May 27, 2013)

You may have seen another thread that I have begun piling up my 2014 stack of wood....I have decided to cover the top row of this wood pile with plastic because I live in an area where we get a lot of rain...

I would would love some tips on how people tie off their plastic and weigh it down.  the hill where my wood pile is will get quite windy so i need some tips on how to secure it neatly....I have weighed it down in a pretty dodgy manner for now until i learn a better technique....thanks guys!


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## Defiant (May 27, 2013)

I tie it at each end and am able to feed through the pallets and wrap some rope around sections. My neighbor lost his hoop storage house and was going to throw away the heavy tarp, being the scrounge I am, I took it and will use to cover my piles. It is heavy duty (green cover in photo0.


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## jkranes (May 27, 2013)

I am new to this whole wood thing so am also interested in hearing various options. I just stapled my plastic to the ends of the top row of splits. Obviously this does not work well for stacks that are being accessed during the burning season. For the stack I'm currently using, I plan to remove the plastic and cover with plywood, with some kind of bungee tiedown to keep it from flying away in the wind. All my stacks are the same length so I only need one plywood cover that I can rotate from stack to stack.


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## red oak (May 27, 2013)

I don't cover but if I did I would NOT rely on just staple or bungees - I've seen the wind rip plastic too many times - in fact that's the main reason I don't cover.  If you want to cover with tarps or plastic, I would weigh it down with a lot of pieces of wood so that it can't possibly go anywhere.  Yes the wood on top will get wet but just save that for next year.


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## Ashful (May 27, 2013)

I use wood, as red oak suggests.  That said, I don't cover until fall, now.   I tried covering as soon as split before, but found it kept moisture in.

Taking it a step further, I would argue that if the MC of your wood is above the equilibrium MC for your location and month, and you don't need to burn it in the next two weeks, you're probably best leaving it uncovered.  I have posted the gub'ment table on equilibrium MC many times on this forum.


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## ScotO (May 27, 2013)

I used to use tarps......but they sucked.  Now I use reclaimed rubber roofing.  And to hold it down, I fold it down over the top layer of splits and use drywall screws with a small washer to fasten it to the splits, and you only have to fasten it every three feet or so.  Works great!  When I need to access the wood I use a cordless drill to install/remove the screws.  When you need extra weight (like when Hurricane Sandy rumbled over our house), I use some smooth sided stones on top.  My wood has never been this dry.......and the past several years its been MEGA wet during the fall around here.....

Backwoods Savage uses reclaimed metal roofing in a similar fashion.  And that, too, could be secured with drywall acres and some stones.....


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## Hickorynut (May 27, 2013)

I use plastic like the original poster is using.  I buy the 6 mil. black plastic that is a 100 ft x 10 ft.roll. I measure and cut the length I want and then cut the 10ft in half length wise.  This gets you 5 ft. which I hang down on one side about 1 1/2 ft. and use a bostich hammer tack stapler using 3/8 bostich staples.  Staple one side then roll the plastic over the top and staple the bottom on the other side, stapling every 4 or 6 inches.  This holds up very well for 4 or 5 years or until I use it.  As I pull wood from a stack, I just restaple the top.  Works very well.  Also might mention, I leave my stacks open for up to two years before I put this plastic on the top.


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## Backwoods Savage (May 27, 2013)

Like Scotty mentioned, this is how we cover most of our wood now. We've used tarps and even some of the rubber roofing like Scotty uses. The rubber is very much superior to tarps for sure. With the galvanized roofing, we just usually throw some uglies on the top of the roofing and it stays just fine with very few exceptions.





Another way you can do it with plastic is to use boards or pallets or whatever every so often. Then you can fill gallon milk jugs with sand. Tie two jugs with a rope and throw one on one side and the other on the opposite side. This will hold things down and although I've not used this method, I've seen it work for others.


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## Defiant (May 27, 2013)

Nice stacks BS


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## Backwoods Savage (May 27, 2013)

Thanks Defiant. The stack on the left is history now. One on the right is still there. Cut in 2008-2009 winter and split in March/April of 2009. That might be history after next winter. Geeze, I'm getting low on old stacks.


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## Hills Hoard (May 27, 2013)

Thanks guys....Some great ideas in there.  Defiant, I liked your idea of running rope through the pallet and over the wood pile...i like simple solutions....I have a pile at home with metal roofing and it works well, but for some reason  i don't like working with the sheets... sharp edges...potential to blow away, even thought ive never had any fly away...i think plastic done well looks neat as well..

Backwoods, I was trying to think of a way to use sand as well.

I plan on covering this for winter then removing the plastic for next summer.


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## Backwoods Savage (May 27, 2013)

I would not bother uncovering it once you get it covered. We generally split and stack in spring (March/April) then cover in November or December. Once covered, it stays that way until needed.


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## Hills Hoard (May 27, 2013)

Backwoods Savage said:


> I would not bother uncovering it once you get it covered. We generally split and stack in spring (March/April) then cover in November or December. Once covered, it stays that way until needed.


 
Thats a fair point...


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## Defiant (May 27, 2013)

Just when I thought I was finished with 9.2 cord, ran into a buddy who runs his own excavation business and hauled 4 tri-axle loads back to his house for friends. They do not burn wood and the friends  that wanted the wood have not showed. His wife wants the pile gone. Stay tuned for pic's, free wood a couple of miles don the road. I'm there, what's another 5 cords? These pics are of my stacks now. Sorry can't fit all 5 in.


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## ScotO (May 27, 2013)

Defiant said:


> Just when I thought I was finished with 9.2 cord, ran into a buddy who runs his own excavation business and hauled 4 tri-axle loads back to his house for friends. They do not burn wood and the friends that wanted the wood have not showed. His wife wants the pile gone. Stay tuned for pic's, free wood a couple of miles don the road. I'm there, what's another 5 cords? These pics are of my stacks now. Sorry can't fit all 5 in.
> View attachment 103195
> View attachment 103196


Where's the firepit/beer drinking station at??  If Mad Dog and I come up there to go fishing, we're cooking and drinking out back, come hell or high water!!


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## Defiant (May 27, 2013)

My backyard, pit is off to the left not in photo


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## save$ (May 27, 2013)

Defiant said:


> Just when I thought I was finished with 9.2 cord, ran into a buddy who runs his own excavation business and hauled 4 tri-axle loads back to his house for friends. They do not burn wood and the friends  that wanted the wood have not showed. His wife wants the pile gone. Stay tuned for pic's, free wood a couple of miles don the road. I'm there, what's another 5 cords? These pics are of my stacks now. Sorry can't fit all 5 in.
> View attachment 103195
> View attachment 103196


Nice home,  ESP. The double decker porches!  Lot of land there.   Nice stash of wood.   Lots of work shown there.


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## DexterDay (May 27, 2013)

I use plastic and staples. Lasts the entire winter. But I use staples up and down the ends, along with the top and on several pieces of wood down the stack. I used tarps and they ripped to shreds last year (bungee cords).

So I decided to use plastic this year. Next year, I will use wider plastic so it comes down about 1 ft further on each side. Slap staple and slap staple some more.  

Nice pics Defiant


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## velvetfoot (May 28, 2013)

I've had some stacks with that plastic on them, and it's true, it doesn't last forever.  I've had some deteriorate.  I've been putting splits on top to hold it down, and that moves.  I wonder if stapling down the sides a little, like the 5' wide plastic on a 4' wide stack, would stablilize the stack.  Maybe delaying stack failure  .  This is me I'm talking about.


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## TimJ (May 28, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> Where's the firepit/beer drinking station at?? If Mad Dog and I come up there to go fishing, we're cooking and drinking out back, come hell or high water!!


Scotty, Defiant's place is so neat that if you threw a beer can on the ground out by the pits you might be in trouble


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## DexterDay (May 28, 2013)

This stack I wrapped in plastic too. Lasted the entire Winter. I removed the plastic and within a week, the T-posts started to lean out because of the saturated ground  The 6 T-posts are now around a 45° on each end. 

So your theory is correct. It does help to hold it up.  I will try and get some pics of the ends tonight. Looks much different now. 



velvetfoot said:


> I've had some stacks with that plastic on them, and it's true, it doesn't last forever.  I've had some deteriorate.  I've been putting splits on top to hold it down, and that moves.  I wonder if stapling down the sides a little, like the 5' wide plastic on a 4' wide stack, would stablilize the stack.  Maybe delaying stack failure  .  This is me I'm talking about.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (May 28, 2013)

For those who are starting out and do not have such great huge supplies like all of you guys have. I was told by the guy I got my wood from, when you have a batch of newly split and stacked wood, use clear plastic as opposed to the blue or brown etc. I'm just saying for new guys with a smaller stash. It makes sense to me to keep the sun on the top....just a different point of view...thanks guys


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## Backwoods Savage (May 28, 2013)

Only problem with that theory is that the plastic can hold the moisture in. This is why we don't cover until just before the snow flies. Yet I understand why you fellows out east want to cover your stacks sooner.

I also note there are lots of folks who seem to love pallets. I'm wondering about placing those pallets on top of the wood stacks and then the plastic over top of the pallets. This would leave an air space if you do all the stapling to the pallets rather than bringing the plastic down over the sides of the wood pile.


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## Defiant (May 28, 2013)

TimJ said:


> Scotty, Defiant's place is no neat that if you threw a beer can on the ground out by the pits you might be in trouble


I don't think so.


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## Paulywalnut (May 28, 2013)

It would be expensive but 3/4" exterior plywood cut in 2' strips.
about 8 bucks per strip. Drive a couple of nails into the top few
pieces of firewood. Hopefully not oak. Maybe an idea. I don't
cover until December with clear plastic.


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## DexterDay (May 28, 2013)

I only cover for Snow. Nov-April

That's why I made note of the T-posts leaning outwards. Unless in a ventilated shed. I wouldn't cover year round either.  

Pics to come soon. Will edit them here.


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## My Oslo heats my home (May 28, 2013)

Since I can only keep 2 years worth of wood at my home at a time, I cover just the tops of my stacks with clear plastic. The following years (to about 2017ish) are stacked in crude rows offsite and have no coverings right now. The wood at home is dry and ready to use. The plastic is held down by splits about 2-3 ft apart and rolled down the end of the stack slightly. The wind doesn't bother it much.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (May 28, 2013)

My wood splits that are fairly new, in the sun and wind and split small, i can tell they are drying, changed color, getting a hollow sound when you knock on them. Here is my question, when a piece of wood is on its way to drying and it gets rained on, how does that affect the dryness level when it gets sunny and dries back out. I'm asking this because I'm trying to keep the plastic off as much as possible and putting it on when rain is called for, but it rained heavily today, I came home and the top wood was saturated, are you going backwards in the drying process or does it really not matter?


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## bogydave (May 28, 2013)

Like some here, I used to use tarps,
but they never made it thru a winter.

Plastic  below zero is brittle,cracks & splits,

I built a shed
&  don't cover the stacks out back seasoning . Would like to, but nothing would make it thru the winter.
I stack double rows because the wind will blow over single rows.
IMO not covering them work well.
Then to the shed when  ready.


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## MrWhoopee (May 29, 2013)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> My wood splits that are fairly new, in the sun and wind and split small, i can tell they are drying, changed color, getting a hollow sound when you knock on them. Here is my question, when a piece of wood is on its way to drying and it gets rained on, how does that affect the dryness level when it gets sunny and dries back out. I'm asking this because I'm trying to keep the plastic off as much as possible and putting it on when rain is called for, but it rained heavily today, I came home and the top wood was saturated, are you going backwards in the drying process or does it really not matter?


 
When I lived in town, I had my almond wood dumped in the front yard and kept it uncovered. I would fill the rack on the porch, which held about 2 weeks worth of wood, when the weather had been dry for a few days. Never had any problems with wet wood. In short, I don't think rain wetting penetrates very deeply because water wicks along the grain rather than across it. I have cut standing dead oak, dead enough too have lost all it's bark, which was quite wet 10 ft. above ground. I assume that was due to wicking action up through the grain. If you stack your wood on end, rain might be a problem.

I'd like to see some moisture content measurements regarding this.

Edit: This is in California, where rain is rare and humidity very low thru the summer months, YMMV


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## HDRock (May 29, 2013)

I had some pieces of dry wood, 3-4in dia, that by accident were floating in a tub of water about a month, took em out set em out in the open, after a couple of weeks of nice weather, I split and checked em , they were 18% MC , It was chilly that night and they burned just fine in the stove.

My stacks are uncovered now but I will cover the tops soon, just to keep all the sticks, leafs n crap out of the stacks.

Pallets on top is not a bad idea.

Tarps from last winter are in good shape, but I will have a lot more wood stacked this year so , I think I will use plastic on what will be setting for a long time, as I have nothing else to use

I assume U guys buy the plastic in rolls but what mill thickness, will hold up ? 

I do have a little of some roll roofing (Not felt), and was thinking of buying some more but ,I haven't checked what it would cost for what I need , and I am not sure it would work well and hold up.


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## pyroholic (May 29, 2013)

Paulywalnut said:


> It would be expensive but 3/4" exterior plywood cut in 2' strips.
> about 8 bucks per strip. Drive a couple of nails into the top few
> pieces of firewood. Hopefully not oak. Maybe an idea. I don't
> cover until December with clear plastic.


 
You haven't priced plywood lately have you? 1/2" OSB is $18/sheet right now. I would guess treated 3/4" CDX must be over $30.


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## Ashful (May 29, 2013)

Wood absorbs or releases moisture at a rate proportional to the difference between it's moisture content and relative humidity.  Because the wood itself is heavy, even at 0% moisture content, it can only reach a certain maximum moisture content at saturation.

So, wood does absorb a small bit of water sitting out in a rain storm.  However, knowing your wood takes 2 years to dry from 40% to 20% MC in an environment with average relative humidity of 68% (Philadelphia), you can be sure it's not going to absorb much moisture content with a day or two at 100% relative humidity (raining).  With a day or two back at 60% RH, your wood's MC will be back where it started before the rain storm.


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## Paulywalnut (May 29, 2013)

pyroholic said:


> You haven't priced plywood lately have you? 1/2" OSB is $18/sheet right now. I would guess treated 3/4" CDX must be over $30.


well I was thinking cutting it in 4 strips 2 feet wide. 32..00 per sheet would be about 8.00 bucks for 4 -2 foot strips. It would eventually warp up in the weather 24/7 anyway.


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## pyroholic (May 30, 2013)

Paulywalnut said:


> well I was thinking cutting it in 4 strips 2 feet wide. 32..00 per sheet would be about 8.00 bucks for 4 -2 foot strips. It would eventually warp up in the weather 24/7 anyway.


 

I see... I was thinking you meant 2'x8' rips resulting in 2 strips per sheet.


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## Backwoods Savage (May 30, 2013)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> My wood splits that are fairly new, in the sun and wind and split small, i can tell they are drying, changed color, getting a hollow sound when you knock on them. Here is my question, when a piece of wood is on its way to drying and it gets rained on, how does that affect the dryness level when it gets sunny and dries back out. I'm asking this because I'm trying to keep the plastic off as much as possible and putting it on when rain is called for, but it rained heavily today, I came home and the top wood was saturated, are you going backwards in the drying process or does it really not matter?


 
Generally speaking, wood is not a sponge and will soak up very little moisture when it rains. We simply have never concerned ourselves with rain on the wood stacks. The top row definitely gets the brunt of the rain but that evaporates really fast; usually within 24 hours or less.

However, in some areas I understand why they want to cover their wood early. But I would never go to the trouble of covering and uncovering depending upon the weather. Once covered, it would stay covered.


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