Tarp on Firewood or No

[cookiesforthree]

I am getting so muchmixed info. about firewood.

We just purchased a cord of wood and it's all dumped in my drive waiting for me to stack it.  Well... the snow is coming down pretty good so I think I'll wait for it to slow down a bit.  Do I cover the wood with a tarp when the weather is wet or not??  Some people have said Never as it only makes the "seasoned" wood hold in moister.  Some people have said Yes, cover it or it will get too wet to use.  We had ordered a cord of wood 1 week ago and it would not burn.  The wood guy said that it was because we covered it with a tarp.  When they came out to deliver us another load, the driver said it won't burn because it's not seasoned enough.

I'm leaving the unseasoned wood to still till next winter.  But what do I do with the wood that is ready to go... to cover or not to cover.

Thanks in advance for any advice!!!!

[Wildman]

Depends on if you want to brush off 6" of snow (I'm being optimistic here) every time you get wood.  We always tarped our dry wood and it kept the wood dry and me dry as I carried it into the house.  Now our wood lives in the wood shed.

[cookiesforthree]

Thanks Wildman.  I guess I'll just take the tarp off and get my husband busy building us a wood shed. 

[Elk]

All of my seasoned, ready to burn wood is stacked a safe distance from my structures and covered with a tarp. The tarp is a little loose to allow it to breathe but it keeps 90% of the wood very dry. The piles I have that are not seasoned stay uncovered exposed to the elements until next year when we will move it closer and cover it as well.

[Wrightwood]

Even well seasoned firewood can be ruined by bad storage. Exposed to constant rain or covered in snow, wood will reabsorb large amounts of water, making it unfit to burn and causing it to rot before it can be used. Wood should be stored off the ground if possible and protected from excess moisture when weather threatens.

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_outdoors_other/article/0,1797,HGTV_3758_2970528,00.html

Ask Elk mentions - do not store it near your house and especially under a deck. Wildfire embers seem to really be attracted to wood stacked near structures and is a major cause of structure loss associated with wildland fires.

[rdnckgrl78]

We used to tarp our wood...

Cookies, you need to crack the whip and get him building that shed!  The firewood shed is GREAT!

[cookiesforthree]

all right, just as soon as he gets home from his 12 hour day at the office, I'm gonna have his butt out there building that shed!!!  I'll let him know you guys talked me into it.  He'll be pleased. 

[Leftfield]

I would definitely tarp it if it is the stuff I will be using soon.   Some day after laying some concrete slabs, I toying with the idea of storing the wood in heavy duty totes that have the flip lids.   I think the wood would be protected; I wont be hauling in little critters into the house that my wife would have me smooshed later; I could use my hand truck to move several totes at time and would be hauling into the house more than 2 pieces of wood at a time and all the wood crumbs would stay in the totes to be used later as kindling. 

Now I know there got to be some disadvantages that I dont see other than cost.   Maybe some one could point out a few?

[lagomorphmom]

Doesn't sound like you're talking about a canvas tote, got a picture?

[Elk]

Are you talking large rubbermaid type tub with a lid?

Those could become brittle after a year or two in the elements but not a bad idea. Sounds worth considering.

[K9luvr]

I always covered my wood during the winter when it had the chance of getting wet.  I would uncover it during the dry summer months to allow it to season.  But when I lived in Indiana, I had a great metal barn that 1/2 had a cement slab and I stored it in there.  Large enough room to allow air to circulate and always covered! 

And you should always store the bulk of your firewood at least 30' from your house.  In the winter, I would bring some in closer to the house for the day to day stoking of the stove.  It can be a hassle but rebuilding a house after a fire--well, that would REALLY be a hassle!

[PinonMesaJon]

....We had ordered a cord of wood 1 week ago and it would not burn. The wood guy said that it was because we covered it with a tarp....

Just curious who the "wood guy" is who tried to tell you that your wood wouldn't burn because you kept it dry?   

[cookiesforthree]

"A Cut Above".  We will never use them again.  You can not believe what a hard time we have trying to light a fire!!!!  Must use an entire newspaper just to get the friggen kindling started and then it will still go out.  I guess it about a year all this darn wood we bought might be useful.