# What material to cover wood pile with



## Bspring (Apr 1, 2010)

For those of you that cover your wood pile what do you use? I am wondering if I can get some free salvage material. Right now I am using a mixture of scrap wood, metal roofing and tarps. Do bilboard companies give their old ones away? That would be an idea.


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## smokinj (Apr 1, 2010)

I have never covered before but may if I can get ahold of some rubber roofing.


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## firefighterjake (Apr 1, 2010)

If you do a search you will find many folks have had good luck with the rubber membrane roofing and some folks have also used the billboard material . . . other folks use the metal roofing . . . I did the tarps for my first year . . . worked OK . . . not sure if I would expect the tarps to hold up year after year . . .


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## muncybob (Apr 1, 2010)

I have used the tarps that cover the lumber delivered to the big box stores, lumber stores, etc.  I even bought a grommet install kit and used milk containers attached by bungee type straps and filled with gravel to keep the tarps  in place. I folded the tarps to a size just large enough to cover the wood pile it will cover with a bit of overhang...worked great this last winter. This year I plan to store the seasoned wood for the upcoming heating season in a wood shed and will do away with the tarp routine.


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## wsorg (Apr 1, 2010)

Tarps are OK.  Better is a partly open woodshed that can let some air through to season the wood.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Apr 1, 2010)

The best material for covering firewood is more firewood


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## LLigetfa (Apr 1, 2010)

A roof works well.  My woodshed has a metal roof.


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## fossil (Apr 1, 2010)

This is my tarp.  Rick


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## 'bert (Apr 2, 2010)

Rick I swear you kick that picture out every once in a while to make sure my jealous gene still works.  Let's see a few more pics of that bad boy from different angles.  Like enough to copy it!  A copy of your woodshed should be mandatory for membership here!


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Apr 2, 2010)

Thats enough kindling for about 100 years for those that start more than 1 fire a year hh: 

For those of us that start one fire a year . . . put bailing twine around it and sell it to Yuppies :lol:


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 2, 2010)

open air then asphalt


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## Bspring (Apr 2, 2010)

Not sure I know what you guys are talking about with the rubber roofing. I have only seen felt or tar paper tacked to the decking and the shingles go over that.


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## smokinj (Apr 2, 2010)

Bspring said:
			
		

> Not sure I know what you guys are talking about with the rubber roofing. I have only seen felt or tar paper tacked to the decking and the shingles go over that.



they use it on flat roofs.


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## SolarAndWood (Apr 2, 2010)

Ice and water barrier on top of pallets would probably be a nice system.


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## billb3 (Apr 2, 2010)

Right now I have  8- 50 or so inch wide corrugated fiberglass panels that came off a  back porch.
Will be better than the disintegrating  waferboard and sawdus-based t used bookshelf and furniture panels I've been using.
Plywood  pieces are standing up better.

I got tired of the ripping and shredding  tarps. Even the better ones.


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## firefighterjake (Apr 2, 2010)

’bert said:
			
		

> Rick I swear you kick that picture out every once in a while to make sure my jealous gene still works.  Let's see a few more pics of that bad boy from different angles.  Like enough to copy it!  A copy of your woodshed should be mandatory for membership here!



I agree . . . more pictures are needed . . . I still love this woodshed . . . functional and good looking to boot . . . if you had a plasma TV and La-Z-Boy recliner I would be asking you if I could rent it for a few weeks for my summer vacation.


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## LLigetfa (Apr 2, 2010)

I don't know how people get away with using lightweight materials to cover their wood.  When I was using tarps, the wind would shred them and rip them off despite being tied down.  I'd have to go find them in the bush usually wrapped around a tree.  The bloody blue threads would be everywhere, even built into Robin's nests.

Nothing beats well screwed down metal roofing on a shed but the heavy EPDM rubber roofing comes close if a shed isn't an option.  At least if the rubber takes flight it won't go far and shouldn't take out a window or punch a hole in the siding.  Of the 5 cord that isn't in my shed now, 2 cord is covered with rubber roofing clamped to 20 foot long pieces of rebar to give it additional weight and to hold it up off the wood slightly.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 2, 2010)

Old galvanized roofing; rubber roofing; old aluminum sheets.  Poorest choice is tarps but I've used them from time to time when I run out of other material. The old galvanized roofing seems to work the best.


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## LLigetfa (Apr 2, 2010)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> The old galvanized roofing seems to work the best.


OMG!  I've seen footage on TV of metal roofing flying through the air after being ripped off of buildings by a storm.  I can imagine one of those slicing your head off.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 2, 2010)

Never had a problem with that here. I do weight them down a bit though.


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## LLigetfa (Apr 2, 2010)

We do get the odd tornado through here and have dents and busted siding on the house from the patio furniture that took flight.  I've had three fabric patio canopies mangled before I finally built one with wood, steel, and concrete.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 2, 2010)

Only once do I ever remember a bad enough wind here to move much. Out in the more open areas though is a different story.


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## NH_Wood (Apr 5, 2010)

Just uncovered my stacks after my first winter covering the wood. Used 'heavy duty' tarps. Used bungee cords through grommets, then hooked to nails in pallets. Tarps held up fine - one small hole (which will become larger....).  I made sure to take some old rags and placed them under the tarp where corners and other 'sharp' spots were obvious. But......the tarps weren't cheap, and if it turns out that I only get 2-3 years out of them (I'm covering ~ 15 cord), I'll have to try something else - too expensive (probably dropped over $100 on tarps - so, not replacing the tarps often) to replace often.  For next year, I was thinking about taking some ~ 8mil, cheap plastic and cutting to pallet dimensions, then stapling a folded end to the top layer of wood, then tossing a some punky wood on the corners to keep wind rippling low. As long as it keeps the leaves, snow, ice, etc. off for the late fall and winter, I'll be happy - I leave my stacks open for the spring, summer, and most of fall.  Yes, I know, the plastic will probably not work......
Cheers!


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## 70marlin (Apr 5, 2010)

fossil said:
			
		

> This is my tarp.  Rick



Show off !!                                   "Very Nice!"


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 5, 2010)

NH_Wood said:
			
		

> Just uncovered my stacks after my first winter covering the wood. Used 'heavy duty' tarps. Used bungee cords through grommets, then hooked to nails in pallets. Tarps held up fine - one small hole (which will become larger....).  I made sure to take some old rags and placed them under the tarp where corners and other 'sharp' spots were obvious. But......the tarps weren't cheap, and if it turns out that I only get 2-3 years out of them (I'm covering ~ 15 cord), I'll have to try something else - too expensive (probably dropped over $100 on tarps - so, not replacing the tarps often) to replace often.  For next year, I was thinking about taking some ~ 8mil, cheap plastic and cutting to pallet dimensions, then stapling a folded end to the top layer of wood, then tossing a some punky wood on the corners to keep wind rippling low. As long as it keeps the leaves, snow, ice, etc. off for the late fall and winter, I'll be happy - I leave my stacks open for the spring, summer, and most of fall.  Yes, I know, the plastic will probably not work......
> Cheers!



Yes, tarps = one winter. That is why it is a good idea to use something more solid. Keep your eye open for some old galvanized roofing as that works very well.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 5, 2010)

LLigetfa said:
			
		

> We do get the odd tornado through here and have dents and busted siding on the house from the patio furniture that took flight.  I've had three fabric patio canopies mangled before I finally built one with wood, steel, and concrete.




We did have some mighty strong winds over the weekend. It did move one sheet of galvanized about 2".


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## maplewood (Apr 5, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> The best material for covering firewood is more firewood



+1


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## burnt-out (Apr 6, 2010)

It's my understanding that using tarps (vinyl/plastic) is not recommended because they trap moisture and slow down the evaporation process.


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## savageactor7 (Apr 6, 2010)

^well it's not like you wrapping the wood and trapping the moisture like a plastic sandwich bag...you're just topping the stacked wood off with a water barrier. Sure tarps don't hold up the way they use to but still they do a decent enough job. My gig against tarps is there hideous blue color.


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## NH_Wood (Apr 6, 2010)

burnt-out said:
			
		

> It's my understanding that using tarps (vinyl/plastic) is not recommended because they trap moisture and slow down the evaporation process.



Certainly if you cover the sides. But, as long as only the top is covered and air movement is good within the stack, no real issue. My stacks were covered with tarps and drapped about 1.5 feet down the sides (tarps were too big) - no problems. It's just the expense of the tarps and likelihood that they won't last long covering piles with so many sharp points. But, as I mentioned above, my tarps worked out fine this year - no real holes. Cheers!


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## firefighterjake (Apr 6, 2010)

burnt-out said:
			
		

> It's my understanding that using tarps (vinyl/plastic) is not recommended because they trap moisture and slow down the evaporation process.



As mentioned the issue with this would be if you were wrapping the wood all the way around . . . most folks just top cover with some part of the tarp draping over the sides a few inches to a foot . . . it keeps the snow, ice and water off the top of the wood and still allows the wind to flow through the wood to allow it to season.


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## jharkin (Apr 6, 2010)

Rather than buy a tarp I've just been covering the top of my stacks with a sheet cut of a roll of 6mil clear poly. Couple rocks or splits on the top to weight it down.

Cheap, just cut a new one if it wears out and it doesn't shade the stack.

~Jeremy


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