Started as stove talk now thread about marriage, etc...

[bigealta]

Just remember tarps are very effective at trapping moisture.
If you put wet towels under a tarp they would never dry.
If you put wet towels on top of a wood stack they would dry out.

Tarp's job is to keep dry wood dry.

 

[MRD1985]

Just remember tarps are very effective at trapping moisture.
If you put wet towels under a tarp they would never dry.
If you put wet towels on top of a wood stack they would dry out.

Tarp's job is to keep dry wood dry.

Not if it keeps raining on those towels when they’re not covered🤪

 

[stoveliker]

If you are able to keep air flowing thru the stacks, I would tarp the tops. Best if you add (slanted) pallets to the top first, so that any condensation can run on the underside of the tarp to the sides and drip down next to the stacks.

Top covering has been debated here much, and many folks have their own views.

Mine is that if you are going to dry it covered for 2-3 years, it doesn't hurt to have it one additional year laying uncovered. But if that additional first year uncovered is taking one year of covered drying away, then I personally would not do that.

Note though that tarps often can have puddles on them that slowly leak through.
Best.to get them set up in a way that there are no puddles, and that there is airflow underneath of them. So pallets on top, with the slats like rafters pointing down to the sides, then tarp. That way air can flow, and water runs off in little gullies.

Or get some corrugated metal, or roofing rubber (EPDM) on top.
Some folks use shower curtains from the dollar store. They may last shorter but are very cheap.

 

[MRD1985]

If you are able to keep air flowing thru the stacks, I would tarp the tops. Best if you add (slanted) pallets to the top first, so that any condensation can run on the underside of the tarp to the sides and drip down next to the stacks.

Top covering has been debated here much, and many folks have their own views.

Mine is that if you are going to dry it covered for 2-3 years, it doesn't hurt to have it one additional year laying uncovered. But if that additional first year uncovered is taking one year of covered drying away, then I personally would not do that.

Note though that tarps often can have puddles on them that slowly leak through.
Best.to get them set up in a way that there are no puddles, and that there is airflow underneath of them. So pallets on top, with the slats like rafters pointing down to the sides, then tarp. That way air can flow, and water runs off in little gullies.

Or get some corrugated metal, or roofing rubber (EPDM) on top.
Some folks use shower curtains from the dollar store. They may last shorter but are very cheap.

Food for thought for sure. The problem a lot of my backyard doesn’t get a ton of direct sunlight because of all the trees. So no matter where I put it sun is going to be tough. But the spot the wood is facing prevailing wind. The fence behind the wood stacked there is not completely air tight but I’m sure it’s restricted from getting into the back side of the stack, though there is some flow certainly

The other stacks of wood I have dried no problem with limited sun and uncovered. That also has been 3, almost 4, years. 90% of it is oak. I just recently covered that wood several months ago. I guess my concern is rot for that stuff I recently split with having limited sunlight and tree coverage

That being said, all of our firewood we’ve ever used up on our property in Maine, we have always covered just the tops from fresh split green wood. It seasons very quickly (pine). I’m leaning toward doing the same with my stuff at home.

 

[bigealta]

My stacks get almost no sun, They are never covered until a few weeks or months before they get burned.
Most of the wood is oak.
The uncovered tops of the stacks are always the driest pieces.
Those are the simple facts no matter what you want to believe.

Sure covered sheds are great, but tarps to me are a needless hassle and they always fail. let in water thru rips, and then trap moisture and rot the wood.

 

[MRD1985]

My stacks get almost no sun, They are never covered until a few weeks or months before they get burned.
Most of the wood is oak.
The uncovered tops of the stacks are always the driest pieces.
Those are the simple facts no matter what you want to believe.

Sure covered sheds are great, but tarps to me are a needless hassle and they always fail. let in water thru rips, and then trap moisture and rot the wood.

Your stacks are completely uncovered and exposed to all elements for its life of seasoning?

 

[bigealta]

Or you can thing about it like the top of a dead standing tree. That tree is never covered, the tops can often be ready to burn. As you go down the trunk the moisture content increases.

 

[bigealta]

Your stacks are completely uncovered and exposed to all elements for its life of seasoning?

Affirmative. And i'm 1 mile from the ocean and between 2 rivers. It's humid here most of the summer.

 

[MRD1985]

Affirmative. And i'm 1 mile from the ocean and between 2 rivers. It's humid here most of the summer.

Very similar climate to me.

You using all oak or mixed pieces? How much time does it take for it to season properly ?

 

[bigealta]

Almost all oak, 2 years minimum. But Often the wood could have been dead for months or years in log form before i get to bucking and splitting it. It's a lot of wood from different places. The real key is making sure you get enough of your good seasoned wood inside or covered for about 1 month or so. That way if rain or snow gets your stacks there is enough time for them to dry out to reload your covered ready to burn stash.

In NJ this works, in snow country it won't work. In Mass. Hmm dicey. But either way uncovered the 1st year should not slow down your drying. Unless of course you are comparing that to a solar kiln or hot shed.

 

[bigealta]

Being by the coast we do get a lot of Wind, it's strong and frequent, that's what dries the stacks here and let's uncovered stacking work.

I also single stack, i used to triple wide stack, then double wide stack, now i'm doing mostly single stacks only. It makes a difference here.

 

[stoveliker]

I concur with @bigealta that it can get dry uncovered (barring a time right before burning).
I concur that tarps suck (hence I built a shed, but if you can find used corrugated metal, and use a few 2x4s like @peakbagger does (can you put a pic up here ? Just to show a cheap way of getting a solid roof?), screwing them in your stacked wood, holding up the metal off of the stacks, that's a lot cheaper).
I concur that the wood that is most sun and wind exposed (i.e. the top layer) will end up drier than the wood that (still gets wet when it rains, farther down below, but) does not see as much sun and wind.

My sole gripe with all of this is that it *will* be slower in drying (if compared with wood covered with a covering that does not touch the wood, see condensation and air flow there).

Why? Wood dries from the outside in. Getting it wet repeatedly necessarily slows the drying. No way around that.
Sure the sun won't hit the top layer of wood when covered. But uncovered the sun only hits that top layer of wood, and not much if any the lower layers.
However, it's not different from having a piece of wood heating up in the sun (from the outside in), and you repeatedly put icecubes against its outer surface. It will heat up slower.

So is it possible to dry the wood down to a level that is good for burning - evidently, as a lot of people do. Is it the best way? That depends on the effort you want to put in to make your stacks. No covering is lowest effort and cost. Shower curtains are cheap. Tarps are a bit more (and tend to leak). Used EPDM is nice. Sheds are expensive.

Finally, you mention trees nearby. I then strongly suggest you ensure that you get the leaves off of your wood in fall asap - leaves in nooks and crannies in your stacks will keep that wet way longer, and (leaves) will start to rot.

As I said in the beginning: wood drying approaches tend to get everyone involved with many different working (and nonworking) methods. Take stock of approaches. Find your own way, and get a moisture meter to check how your way is doing. If satisfactory, then you won't need that meter 3 years from now as you'll have found your way that works.

 

[MRD1985]

I concur with @bigealta that it can get dry uncovered (barring a time right before burning).
I concur that tarps suck (hence I built a shed, but if you can find used corrugated metal, and use a few 2x4s like @peakbagger does (can you put a pic up here ? Just to show a cheap way of getting a solid roof?), screwing them in your stacked wood, holding up the metal off of the stacks, that's a lot cheaper).
I concur that the wood that is most sun and wind exposed (i.e. the top layer) will end up drier than the wood that (still gets wet when it rains, farther down below, but) does not see as much sun and wind.

My sole gripe with all of this is that it *will* be slower in drying (if compared with wood covered with a covering that does not touch the wood, see condensation and air flow there).

Why? Wood dries from the outside in. Getting it wet repeatedly necessarily slows the drying. No way around that.
Sure the sun won't hit the top layer of wood when covered. But uncovered the sun only hits that top layer of wood, and not much if any the lower layers.
However, it's not different from having a piece of wood heating up in the sun (from the outside in), and you repeatedly put icecubes against its outer surface. It will heat up slower.

So is it possible to dry the wood down to a level that is good for burning - evidently, as a lot of people do. Is it the best way? That depends on the effort you want to put in to make your stacks. No covering is lowest effort and cost. Shower curtains are cheap. Tarps are a bit more (and tend to leak). Used EPDM is nice. Sheds are expensive.

Finally, you mention trees nearby. I then strongly suggest you ensure that you get the leaves off of your wood in fall asap - leaves in nooks and crannies in your stacks will keep that wet way longer, and (leaves) will start to rot.

As I said in the beginning: wood drying approaches tend to get everyone involved with many different working (and nonworking) methods. Take stock of approaches. Find your own way, and get a moisture meter to check how your way is doing. If satisfactory, then you won't need that meter 3 years from now as you'll have found your way that works.

If I get divorced and keep the house, or if my wife is touched by god and finds Jesus and allows me to heat the house with wood, I’ll build something more sophisticated than what I have going on now. Right now unless I am full time heating with it, it’s not worth the time or investment. IMO

 

[stoveliker]

If I get divorced and keep the house, or if my wife is touched by god and finds Jesus and allows me to heat the house with wood, I’ll build something more sophisticated than what I have going on now. Right now unless I am full time heating with it, it’s not worth the time or investment. IMO

perfectly valid reasoning.
(But my point was that there are better ways than tarps that might even be lower cost, if e.g. used sheet metal can be obtained. Nothing sophisticated...)

I can understand that that religious figure would be encouraging people to burn wood, considering the way he went

 

[MRD1985]

perfectly valid reasoning.
(But my point was that there are better ways than tarps that might even be lower cost, if e.g. used sheet metal can be obtained. Nothing sophisticated...)

I can understand that that religious figure would be encouraging people to burn wood, considering the way he went

Agreed there are better ways. But it would be worth more than a tarp if It was fuel for heat was all I was saying. Did Not necessarily mean the Taj Mahal for firewood.

Interesting note, but I was thinking more along the lines of god or Jesus slapping some sense into her or calm her down or bring her to the light that it’s not a bad thing and there are so many benefits and the reasons she is choosing to not do it are flat out ridiculous. Again JMO

 

[bigealta]

Leaf blower works well to get leaves etc out of stacks. That's another good reason to single wide stacks. They stay much cleaner.

 

[MRD1985]

Leaf blower works well to get leaves etc out of stacks. That's another good reason to single wide stacks. They stay much cleaner.

The big stack in the back is 3 deep for most of it, but only enough room to fit 2 rows on the others

 

[BobcatBranch]

Man. I thought for she might lighten up about the fire thing today…

Came home from work and decided to start the stove, no one home. Only reloaded the stove once during the day. Was coaling when she came home and immediately started bitching when she say the fire going, despite the fact I cooked dinner/did dishes, washed and folded 4 loads of laundry, split that wood, and went grocery shopping today. All after an 24 hr shift. Also bought her flowers. I thought maybe after all that she’s just let it go. But nope. I can feel hope dwindling of how I wanted things to go 👎

She's got it made! 😄

 

[MRD1985]

She's got it made! 😄

She must have no idea then I guess

 

[all night moe]

She must have no idea then I guess

Mines got it made too, but she seems to think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. I told her to go for it after we got into it this morning. So be it. My father didn't raise me to take crap from anyone. I did apologize for the fight and I left it at that. She continues her crap and she'll find the door quick. I can be 3 times colder than she could dream off.

I'll miss the dogs ....

 

[all night moe]

So, for standing my ground, I'm seeing a different tune this morning. Got up same time she did. I went downstairs to tend the wood furnace while she was making her coffee. We use a Kuerig with individual baskets of ground beans. I came back up and started mine. Went back down to tend the furnace more. I came back up to my coffee finished for me. After yesterday's blowout, it's only a small step. She's still somewhat head strong. We shall see.

Matt, I hope you don't mind all this in your thread. I'm hoping this experience may benefit you some insight.

 

[bigealta]

So, for standing my ground, I'm seeing a different tune this morning. Got up same time she did. I went downstairs to tend the wood furnace while she was making her coffee. We use a Kuerig with individual baskets of ground beans. I came back up and started mine. Went back down to tend the furnace more. I came back up to my coffee finished for me. After yesterday's blowout, it's only a small step. She's still somewhat head strong. We shall see.

Matt, I hope you don't mind all this in your thread. I'm hoping this experience may benefit you some insight.

My wife can not say the words "I'm sorry". She just can't / won't for whatever reason. Never once her say it. But the next day after an "unpleasant" disagreement she may make a special dinner or something like that. No words spoken but an action that says she is.

 

[all night moe]

My wife can not say the words "I'm sorry". She just can't / won't for whatever reason. Never once her say it. But the next day after an "unpleasant" disagreement she may make a special dinner or something like that. No words spoken but an action that says she is.

Mine will say she is, sometimes. Other times it's the actions like you speak of, or that cup of coffee.
Women can be a very strange creature.

 

[stoveliker]

It's funny thinking of how the women are talking about their husbands on other forums (that I presume exist) ...
I surmise it's very similar.

A wise person once taught me that marriage is not a give and take.
It is a give and give.
After 25 years I have to concur.

Obviously that only works if that giving happens from both ends.

 

[MRD1985]

So, for standing my ground, I'm seeing a different tune this morning. Got up same time she did. I went downstairs to tend the wood furnace while she was making her coffee. We use a Kuerig with individual baskets of ground beans. I came back up and started mine. Went back down to tend the furnace more. I came back up to my coffee finished for me. After yesterday's blowout, it's only a small step. She's still somewhat head strong. We shall see.

Matt, I hope you don't mind all this in your thread. I'm hoping this experience may benefit you some insight.

Not at all moe. I welcome it all. While I am hopeful, at this point she will never change her mind about this particular matter and has made it quite clear