What to cover the pile with?

[mtarbert]

I have used "Blue Tarps" from the box store...plastic sheeting and just about anything I can lay my stickey fingers on but, the best wood pile covering I have found is left over rubber roofing. It is heavy,black and does not rip or deteriorate from the sun.If it is doubled on the edges Gromets can be installed to use as tie-downs. Even if you have to buy it it will last for years.And if you don,t like black it can be painted with acrilic paint any color your wife wants.....just my two cents.
Mike

 

[DeanBrown3D]

I have used "Blue Tarps" from the box store...plastic sheeting and just about anything I can lay my stickey fingers on but, the best wood pile covering I have found is left over rubber roofing. It is heavy,black and does not rip or deteriorate from the sun.If it is doubled on the edges Gromets can be installed to use as tie-downs. Even if you have to buy it it will last for years.And if you don,t like black it can be painted with acrilic paint any color your wife wants.....just my two cents.
Mike

Yep, I've used the rolls of same stuff but with the granules of rock stuck all over it - that stuff lasts for ever seemingly. And its so heavy it might not even need weighting down. I think its $40 for about 50 feet x 4' wide

 

[mtarbert]

I was talkng about the ....commercial rubber roofing material. It comes 10 foot wide and just about any length you can move. It litterly last forever....

 

[precaud]

Aren't the material membranes of "rubber roofing" and rolled roofing totally different?? Rolled roofing's membrane is more akin (if not precisely the same as) alsphalt roofing shingles...in fact, it's called rolled asphalt roofing (material). I've used some of that....it was availsble....left on sight. I think the stuff is a bear to use. It's bruttle on the fingertips and knuckles. It's heavy....not great if your woodpile is taller than chest height. It'll crack....not intended for repeated movement/flexing.

Yup, you're exactly right. I bought a roll of it a month ago to cover my log piles, and it IS brittle and cracks. I'll be surprised if I can reuse it after this year. NOT what I had in mind when I bought it...

Where does one find "leftovers" of the rubber roofing?

 

[elkimmeg]

I find the lumber yards throw away the wrapings that cover dementional lumber quite usefull better yet they are free

 

[precaud]

Hmmm.... "dementional lumber"... sounds crazy to me...

 

[Hogwildz]

I've used the rolls of same stuff but with the granules of rock stuck all over it - that stuff lasts for ever seemingly. And its so heavy it might not even need weighting down. I think its $40 for about 50 feet x 4' wide

Aren't the material membranes of "rubber roofing" and rolled roofing totally different?? Rolled roofing's membrane is more akin (if not precisely the same as) alsphalt roofing shingles...in fact, it's called rolled asphalt roofing (material). I've used some of that....it was availsble....left on sight. I think the stuff is a bear to use. It's bruttle on the fingertips and knuckles. It's heavy....not great if your woodpile is taller than chest height. It'll crack....not intended for repeated movement/flexing.

I certainly WOULDN'T pay money for it.

Yes "Rubber" roofing is exactly that. Rubbber like a tire inner tube. But a thicker ply. Some is even reinfoced with criss cross fibers, which allow it to stretch much less, and tears less easily. For covering a wood pile, either will be fine. It takes a good amount & something sharp to penetrate either variety. I use it over my wood pile, being an x- roofer. True rubber will come in 5-10-20 foot wide x whatever long lengths and can get price.

The other non rubber, is roll roofing, its cheap, had granulars like on asphalt shigles coating one side. This stuff is garbage, will crap & fall apart easily. Not to mention is much heavier & more rigid that true rubber. Alot of roofers use this in valleys of roofs, and its nothing but a nitwmare and asking for leaks down the road. So that will tell you what is in store for your wood pile. Also used in urban areas on flat roofs, either hotted down with tar, or cold applied with a mastic.

The theres torch down, which is also misconceived as rubber. Its not fubber but better than mineral surface (roll roofing). And is applied with heat from a big propane torch. Some hand held, some roller type. It too can also be applied with a special mastic. And at best, if taken care of, can last about 10 yrs before repairs will be needed.(Thats best case scenario).

Rubber roofing is truly that, rubber. And lasts forever.

 

[KateC]

My honey works in landscape construction and brought home lots of good-sized pieces of pond liner---super heavy and flexible, and almost indestructable. Way too pricey to buy, but for free it's awesome---even have some pieces big enough to put in a water-feature in the spring!

 

[velvetfoot]

Black plastic sheeting that comes on rolls. Held down by pieces of wood.

 

[drizler]

That pond liner is nothing more or less than flat inner tube. That has to be the most indestructible stuff short of rocks but expensive and heavy. I think I paid about $1.50/linear foot which was 12' wide back in 97. If you are scrounging try digging around the local boat yard in April / May. That shrink wrap they use on the big 40 footers is something they have to pay to get rid of I would think and should be good enough to last at least a few years. Most big boats are done that way these days due to the high cost to put them up inside so its abundant. When you are done with it if its not too nasty you can often take it to one of the recycling places or as we do here Hannaford's supermarket for recycling.
I like what the Germans use. They put it in long stacks and simply place old tin roofing strips on top. The ones I see hiking in the mountains I swear are the same ones I first saw in 1978 as they just keep weathering. Just toss on a couple heavy logs to keep the wind from getting under it. Tin is pretty cheap if you get it on sale and consider how long it lasts.

 

[Robbie]

SEE............this is a perfect example of the importance of this thread below,........ (HINT,HINT) ;-)


https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/5397/




Robbie

 

[glassmanjpf]

In my area, around Memorial Day weekend folks start to uncover their pools and many toss out their pool covers. Usually the covers only last a year or two on the pools but have plenty of life left for the wood pile. Cutting them into strips works great.

 

[tjg911]

the best wood pile covering I have found is left over rubber roofing. It is heavy,black and does not rip or deteriorate from the sun

yes my friend has some that he probably got 10-15 years ago. it is really pliable and seems to last forever. if i didn't build a woodshed i'd have gone this route.

the blue tarps don't last but 2 years and that 2nd year they have cracks and rips. i was putting last years blue tarps on the top of the pile then covering that with new ones. this protected the new ones from the tearing and fraying cause by the wind rubbing the tarp on the wood and i got an extra year out of them.

nothing beats a woodshed! 1st year using it and i wonder why it took sooo long to go this route.

tom

 

[Gooserider]

I use the SILVER tarps from Harbor Freight. They are much heavier than the blue tissue tarps, and seem to be much more durable. Cost is not quite double the blue jobs, but per the catalog description, the material is almost 4x as thick, plus has nylon reinforcing threads woven into it.

I use them in the winter to cover the sides of my woodsheds (keeps rain and snow out) and to cover any wood that I have which won't go into the sheds. I also use them as part of the cover for my beehives, along with the fiber glass insulation I wrap them in.

Gooserider

 

[ourhouse]

I use black tarps from Job Lot. They work pretty good and are cheap