I see criticism of the testing in the comments, but the point of the video and what really matters here is the relative difference between the covered and uncovered wood. As long as the testing technique is consistent between the two samples the results are basically valid. Well done sir!
I dont agree. The wood on the sides has almost the same rain snow conditions even it is covered. Please measure the wood from the center of the pile. And cut it to half and measure the center of the wood. I am very cirious.
I have been burning wood for more than 30 years. Uncovered wood in a sunny spot will be drier than covered wood. Air flow is a big factor too. Now, I am a seasonal covering guy. All summer/fall, I go uncovered. Once temps drop to below freezing, I cover my wood simply to keep the snow and rain off. I will pull the tarp off on sunny winter days. You are covering properly though, as you only cover the top and not the entire stack. Airflow is a must.
Re-Test Video: Many have pointed out that I did 2 things incorrectly. 1) I should have dug down into the center of each stack. 2) I should have split each piece and tested the internal moisture level. I have just finished a re-test video done to the specifications above. I will link that video here when it goes live. Or consider subscribing to have that video pop up in your feed. Thanks!
When you use a moisture meter, you have to measure along the grain, not across. As others have said, splitting and measuring the inside will yield more accurate results, but you must go along the grain. This is specified in the moisture meter's manual. Imagine if there was a hairline crack / split in the wood at the ends, the way you were measuring - the path could be a hundred times longer (for the electricity, which measures resistance) giving dramatically false readings.
I live in western Washington where it rains a lot. Uncovered wood will turn green and mossy relatively quickly and it will be constantly wet all winter. I have made several 4x4x4 wood storage bins out of pallets with metal roofs and open backs and fronts. They are sturdy, cheap to build, provide great air flow, and keep the wood nice and dry. This is a good option for where I live.
Agree, climate needs to be taken into account. We are in central WA almost to the Canadian border. We have a tarp on top but not down the sides. In the summer/fall it is uncovered. Covered in winter/spring
We live in a rainy part of the UK, 2-300 rainy days a year so have similar problems. I find using clear corrugated sheeting allows the sun (when it shines!) to speed up the drying process.
Hello from Norway. I have used tarp but prefer to use old corrugated tin sheets. When I used tarp I sometimes find the wood in top of the stack moldy. If I have enough pallets i put them over the firewoodstack under the corrugated tin sheets, gets really nice and dry.
I too live in norway, near oslo. It rains so much here that I have to cover(prefer metalroof), or the wood gets real wet and moldy. Even though my "woodyard" gets lots of sun and wind@@ByronBillings
I've tried it both ways, covered and not covered, and yeah covering it has worked out much better. Using something to get it up off the ground makes a big difference too.
I leave uncovered in the dry spring through early fall months, then move under a firewood shed a few months before burning season. I got tired of messing with tarps every time it was going to rain, be dry, or strapping them down when windy. A firewood shed takes time and materials to build but will last for years and is well worth the effort.
I always stacked my wood in one long row for maximum air movement through the pile. I also stacked it with the crown up so it sheds water better. Lastly, if I had any scrap plywood I'd place it on top to shed rain water. Using this method I could go from green fir to burning it the stove in the least amount of time.
The tarp cover acts as a condensation surface. Lift it clear of the wood by a foot and it will still shield the wood but have less drip. Wider wind gaps between stacks with improve your drying.
It’s probably accurate enough in those small splits, well below 20% which qualifies as fully seasoned wood. No doubt that the 8-10% stuff burn much more.
There are two factors that people mix up: How fast the wood burns, and how much energy it contains. Dry wood that has been rained on burns faster (and maybe hotter) than dry wood that's been covered. But it also has less energy content. When you see that "mold and fungus" on your wood, it means that some of the energy that was originally in the wood got used up to grow the mold and fungus. Street cred: My mom heated with wood for 40 years, which my brother and I split for the first 20. We sure as hell didn't want to waste our efforts by feeding mold and fungus.
Over 15 years of feeding my Central Boiler wood stove, I have evolved to making an 8 foot diameter circle with 24 feet of 50" tall Cattle panels and four T post for support. Now I just split the rounds and load them in my tractor bucket and dump them into the cattle panel bin to about 6-7 feet(peaked). Cover them with a tarp that I have installed a ~4" rv vent in the center for an air vent under the tarp. Tarp is tied down to the cattle panel with bungees. I have 8 bins which hold about 2 1/2 cords each, this is usually enough wood for two years here in East TN. I am going to add 2 more bins this summer. 80% of firewood is Chestnut Oak. Note, the cattle panels are 16' long so it takes 1 1/2 cattle panels for ~8' diameter. I make a gate with each half panel by bending the cut panel wires into a U shape and snugging around the 16' panel and the other end is secured with several 1/4" threaded chain links, voilla, a gate.
You should measure the moisture content in fresh split pieces coming from the center of each chunk for the most accurate result. Measuring the outside is just to variable.
I’ve tried this experiment myself, 2 different stacks of white oak from the same tree in the same location. The covered stack was nice lean and dry after 1.5 years, the uncovered stack was slightly punky, had leaves, debris, dirt and lots of bugs. I will always cover the tops of my stacks.
Very interesting! Always wanted to know this. What I do with my wood is leave it uncovered from spring to the end of October. Then I will cover it with a tarp until first snow, then it gets moved into the barn.
@@bukboefidun9096 Get some old carpet remnants and lay them on top of the woodpile before throwing the tarp on there. Softens the sharp corners that make the holes. Or, find some pond liner (thick rubber) or old vinyl banners.
I've been burning 3-4 cord 🪵 for 12 years in my basement woodstove. I've always covered my stacked firewood with dark colored tarps(black&brown) Just on top. Generally it's been "seasoned" under those tarps for a year.(fresh cut green wood) the tarped stacks have great sun and air flow in the back yard a bit away from the tree line. I've had great success this way and don't plan on changing it. Thanks for the video.
When I moved into my current home, I had a large tree fall shortly after I moved in. Cut it, split it, stacked it properly. I used all my cardboard from moving and all the crap I had to order and I used it to cover just the top of my stacks. The wood has been great for about 4 years (I got about six full cords out of that one tree). It didn't mold, it dried quickly and didn't rot. The cardboard was just enough protection to keep it from getting soaked and rotting, yet letting air and sun to get to it. When the cardboard gets to looking a little shabby and not protecting as well, I just burn it in the fire pit and and put some new cardboard on the top (it seems like I always have new cardboard from something). It's not the prettiest cover, but it's free (kind of) and it does the job. It usually lasts about a year.
Yep. I put mine under a 12 x 20 tent shelter. Only the very top has a cover. No sides. Air can move all around. Been doing this for 30 plus years. Put you wood up a year in advance.
Thank you - very relevant for alternative ways of storing my wood. For some of my wood, I have a cover which is easy to remove when it is sunny so during summer time I cover or uncover depending on whether it is raining or not (there is a thin metal over all the wood that (at least about 20 cm/8 inches free space over the wood) is always in place regardless of rain/sun so this way I always have some ventilation there.
I live in a wet snowy place and I have 3 wood sheds = open on both ends and the floor lined with pallets! Out in the weather means the top layers are constantly wet and can’t be burnt!
I’ve always wondered this. I always keep my firewood uncovered. Another commenter mentioned this, but splitting and testing (imho) would give a more accurate reading. Excellent video btw!
I store my wood in IBC totes. I cover only the top just because I frequently need to bring them into my attached garage in the middle of winter and don’t like to have 6” of snow on top of the wood. The down side is that the tarp offers mice and squirrels a “tent” which they like because its dry. I always find nests inside the tote.
Most of my wood is under a roofed lean to. The stuff stacked outside just drys on pallets, no tarps. Works just fine. Tarps are a hassle in the wind etc.
I have started using rubber barn mats to lay on top my stack and they are heavy enough that you don't need to worry about them blowing off and they seem to be indestructible. Wood off the ground of course on pallets or something. A open sided woodshed is the best, someday I will have one.
Tip for covering wood with a tarp. Use a cordless drill with a 9/64" bit. Cover wood with tarp with about 1 1/2 foot overhang. Drill through gromet holes into the wood. Use #8 x 1 5/8 " eyehooks through gromets & into wood. Note: Let some slack with tarp. Tarps won't blow off in high winds & are less likely to tear as opposed to attaching weights to tarp. Use a screwdriver through eyehook to tighten or loosen. As you use firewood just move eyehooks down & reattach tarp.
I like a neigbour's method. He has constructed something like a greenhouse not with glass but semi-transparent plastic walls. There is are gaps at the bottom just above ground and another just below the roof to allow for airflow. This shed is situated in the sun behind his house. When its sunny it will heat up and the rising warm, moist air will generate an airflow. We're at almost 900m and the winds can gt pretty strong so this also protects the wood from getting wet during a storm. Or dirty from pollen and Sahara dust.
Can’t believe you can just throw a tarp over the wood and leave it! Where I live in Plymouth UK it would blow away in days! I’m so jealous! Love your content. Subscribed
One commentor said he used corragated sheets as cover. I imagined them flying through the air. As a roofer we used to say to customers, the tarp will stay on until the storm starts then it becomes a parachute. We'd always cover what we removed.
The main reason I cover my wood is for winter days (or weeks) when rain or snow would be soaking the stack that I'm just about to burn. No need to measure that to see it is bad news for a hot creosote free fire. A few inches of snow has a way of sitting on top of the pile and slowly melting down into the stack.
I've discovered that the best is a mix. Leave it out for 1 year for the rain to wash out the starches and resins, especially important when burning resinous wood like Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pine) then I cover it during the next dry season to ensure it stays dry and doesn't develop all the moulds etc. It helps to not be next to a bank surrounded by trees as yours is. Mines up high with the plateau winds pulling through it all the time. Wind dries wood not sun.
I have burned all kinds of wood and mostly oak for over 65 years.. My point is covered wood lasts longer especially if it sits for 3-4 years before burning.. Uncovered wood just rots and so with covering I think the wood gets harder and thus burns longer..
I had a wise old time maple syrup producer from New Hampshire tell me about how he figures the wood dries out quicker when the rain gets in it if it is stored in a well ventilated area. He said that because the water is thinner than the sap in the wood, the water penetrates the wood and mixes with the sap to dilute it's consistency, making the sap thinner. the sap then makes it's way out of the wood quicker and evaporates.
I would like to see the inner numbers. As in, split a few pieces and test the insides. While it is cleaner, I feel it dries faster in the open air and sunshine. I plan to build a woodshed with a south facing open side so that should work great. Nice test.
@@jaguar2932 huh? I didn’t listen to the whole thing. Is there a different type of arithmetic being used now? That wouldn’t surprise me-we’ve all had to relearn every damn thing constantly.
😂 stay in school kids! The difference is really 1%! But yes, the 8.5% one must get 10.5% « more moist » to get to 9.5%. Still, the difference is just 1%. Don’t over complicate simple comparaison… just use a tarp. 😊
Wood species is also a big factor... I burn a lot southern yellow pine, it's an absolute sponge. It dries out within 4 to 6 weeks covered and never dries uncovered. In fact if you dry it then let the stack get rained on you'll need to give it another week covered to dry out the water it absorbed from getting rained on.
I always have 3 - 4 years supply of firewood on hand. I keep it covered with used pole barn tin. Firewood left uncovered for a couple years will start to degrade with the wet/dry cycle.
I have a shed, so the wood is under cover and it does not a lot of rain sideways, but has good air circulation. I usually reach about 15% or less in one year.
Yep I left full logs out for 3.5 years got really punky. Just keep it dry with air flow, so build a woodshed or keep the tarp off the top of the wood somehow extended and secured from wind blowing it off.
Seems best approach would be to have roof over Your wood to keep direct rain and snow off, but with enough breathing space to allow same airflow as uncovered pile.
Here in Georgia, I leave mine uncovered until fall. I am surrounded by oak trees and some pine, that drop too much detritus, to leave them uncovered. All of that debris gets in the nooks and crannies and retains moisture and creates mold, dirt etc. If my stacked wood was out in an open field, I wouldn't cover it, until it was within a month of being used.
Measure again on a rainy day. Also heartwood and sapwood are different. Also that pin meter is useless and only measuring surface moisture - what is it in the middle of the wood? Now, wood must be more than 30 % to grow decay fungi. You only had those on the uncovered wood. Also, the decay fungi eat your wood and reduce its dry weight and hence remove some of your heat value. In a wet climate it is much better to cover the wood. Metal roofing works best as a cover I think. Cheers, Jef
We have cold wet winters...dry summers. So when I need it dry it's wet. Tarp it. What u said about it being cleaner yes! Less leaves and junk also keep it drier.
Your logs look very big. Guess your place is sunny😊. My place has a lot of rain. I wish I had taken down the big birch in february so it could have dried during summer, but I did it now, in october, wet condition and cold temperatures. My solution: I have chopped the pieces of logs quite small and put them in single rows under wooden roofs. Hope they will dry before they get moldy.
IDK, based on what you did here, I'd slide the tarp (up to the top edge) from the sunny side towards the back to cover as much on that side as possible.
Cover the top only….protects the wood from rain and snow and allows air flow….yes a sunny spot is always better …..but not always feasible…..covering to the ground is a big no no……will retain moisture and if it was dry will become wet……if one lives in a desert guess it doesn’t need covering…..
To get accurate readings you need to split those logs again & test the fresh internal face, not the outside of the wood. The main thing is to make sure your wood is stacked off the ground. Pallets as you use are great.
I've been using some insulated glass units to cover the top supported by some straight beams and leaving the sides open. My theory is that the extra sunlight will help drying while keeping rain from soaking the top. Too early to judge results.
I had a friend who had a pole shed. He stacked his 6' high 8' deep and 2 stacks wide. He had a 1' space between the double stacks. His firewood was dry and got sold quickly.
I live on Vancouver Island and the humidity of the wood in my covered woodshed changes with the weather. (seasoned wood) I don't get mold or mildew on my firewood and if I did I wouldn't fret about it too much because it wouldn't be any worse than the air that I am breathing when walking in the forest that is full of decaying wood.
I use 4x4x4 cages. Went from rubber roofing to brown metal. Noticeable difference in moisture content for 2 reasons. Less pooling and possible leakage , and much better air flow. It's really difficult difficult to keep rubber from flipping off in a windy place. I found wire works best to hold on my metal frames. Rope or cord gets UV damaged and breaks. Took time and money to make them but the results were worth it. Be interesting to see the difference between tarps and a roof of some kind.
A quick tip for you. I use old rubber roofing and on piles of wood that will take some time to dry I run a couple of metal roofing screws with the rubber grommet right through the rubber and into the wood. Works great and never blows off. When ready to burn just back the screws out.
Those are some pretty large pieces. By the 2" per year rule of thumb, the moisture readings could be way higher than the ends you measured. A real test would be to split a few and measure the level in the center. That would be a good test for a future video.
Those stacks a pretty tight which is going to limit air flow. It would be interesting to see the readings from the middle of the stacks. For covering, I'd put in some vertical poles to lift that tarp and allow for more air flow/evaporation, especially in areas where humidity tends to get high.
Looks like you're on a Mac. I switched to Linux. Life goes on. I use tarps for the same reasons as you. Firewood brings enough dust in no matter how well it's stored, so any way to lessen that works for me. And now I'll watch your more recent video on the same topic ... :)
Go test for those that didn’t know I have access to free equipment pallets and fashion them into a corn crib around my stack pile that is off the ground Plus it’s better for strapping the tarp
I cover the top of cords. More importantly, bring your firewood into the basement (if you have one) as early in the season as possible. It dries better inside especially if it's near the wood stove.
Ok so first off you looked at the moisture on the most outside row that is covered. Why not try in the middle? That would have given interesting results. Also you cant just aya they have been outside. Is there snow where you live? Does the ground freeze? Does it rakn alot. If it snows and it melts the moisture will rose from the ground and ve trapped under the cover ofc.
Tarring the fire wood really depends on where can store it and just how much rain you get over a winter. In Grass Valley California I would average about 52inches of rain per season, just up the hill in Nevada City they would record 62 inches a year. If you did not tarp your firewood you had lousy fire in the wood stove.
I would have liked to have seen you split a log, then test it to see what’s going on on the inside, which is more important than the outer skin. I personally believe an open sided shed, would give it shelter from rain, but also lots of ventilation. Though that’s a bit expensive to build nowadays.
wrapping it with a tarp keeps it just as it was when you wrapped it. in a rainy climate, having a roof on it will keep most of the rain off, allowing for a net gain in dryness.
It’s best to leave your firewood uncovered. Your wood pile needs to breathe. The covered wood, especially the top few layers will be a lot more susceptible to molds and mildew because the moisture from dew and rain, especially in the warmer months need a place to escape. Covering your wood pile prevents this moisture from escaping.
What doesn’t make sense to me, the lower sections of the covered wood would get the same environment as the uncovered wouldn’t it? I mean other than water running down, usually rain comes at an angle with wind, and sun hits it the same uncovered or covered. But your testing (even if you “should” have spilt some and tested, just doing the ends) shows I must be missing something.
Seven bug dust and cayenne pepper mixture in a garden bug sprayer with just enough water to dissolve the dry's enough to be sprayable don't over dilute it and uncover it for a evening and spray a invisible barrier along the bottom of the pile ( I keep my wood on pallets so I go along the edge of the pallets) and that"ll take care of every wood yard pest
Another possible factor is sun and shade and your video only shows 6 minutes of it but the tarped side does get more sun as opposed to the untarped side which has more shade. 🤔
@OldSoulMillennial maybe its different in your country, but in Europe oak trees take hundreds of years to mature and support an unbelievable amount of wildlife. They are super precious. Cutting down a beautiful oak tree just to burn it is like smashing up the Sisteen chapel just to get some rocks
If I leave wood uncovered it’s rotten after a few years. If I stack directly on the ground the bottom layer is rotten even with a tarp. I have a platform with a brick foundation and a tin roof over it.
Re-Test Video: th-cam.com/video/4LyIHHH2buA/w-d-xo.html
I dig down 2' into each stack & Test internal Moisture Levels.
Doing it all wrong
Gotta split it open to read moisture levels
I see criticism of the testing in the comments, but the point of the video and what really matters here is the relative difference between the covered and uncovered wood. As long as the testing technique is consistent between the two samples the results are basically valid. Well done sir!
@@JHVT44 Thank you. Please see part 2 (retest video). I change a few test methods to appease the masses.
I dont agree. The wood on the sides has almost the same rain snow conditions even it is covered. Please measure the wood from the center of the pile. And cut it to half and measure the center of the wood. I am very cirious.
I have been burning wood for more than 30 years. Uncovered wood in a sunny spot will be drier than covered wood. Air flow is a big factor too. Now, I am a seasonal covering guy. All summer/fall, I go uncovered. Once temps drop to below freezing, I cover my wood simply to keep the snow and rain off. I will pull the tarp off on sunny winter days. You are covering properly though, as you only cover the top and not the entire stack. Airflow is a must.
There's people that have burned wood for 30 years that do the opposite and get the same results. Too many factors at play here!
If you elevate the covering above the wood, you will get airflow over the wood and protection from rain.
@@Dorchwoods What people?
@@chrisw5742 firewood enthusiasts and business owners in my area (southern Maine + north western Maine).
@@Dorchwoods I have piles of logs on my land that have been there 10 years. Some rotted some didn't........ I agree with original post.
Re-Test Video:
Many have pointed out that I did 2 things incorrectly. 1) I should have dug down into the center of each stack. 2) I should have split each piece and tested the internal moisture level.
I have just finished a re-test video done to the specifications above. I will link that video here when it goes live. Or consider subscribing to have that video pop up in your feed. Thanks!
When you use a moisture meter, you have to measure along the grain, not across. As others have said, splitting and measuring the inside will yield more accurate results, but you must go along the grain. This is specified in the moisture meter's manual. Imagine if there was a hairline crack / split in the wood at the ends, the way you were measuring - the path could be a hundred times longer (for the electricity, which measures resistance) giving dramatically false readings.
I live in western Washington where it rains a lot. Uncovered wood will turn green and mossy relatively quickly and it will be constantly wet all winter. I have made several 4x4x4 wood storage bins out of pallets with metal roofs and open backs and fronts. They are sturdy, cheap to build, provide great air flow, and keep the wood nice and dry. This is a good option for where I live.
Agree, climate needs to be taken into account. We are in central WA almost to the Canadian border. We have a tarp on top but not down the sides. In the summer/fall it is uncovered. Covered in winter/spring
We live in a rainy part of the UK, 2-300 rainy days a year so have similar problems. I find using clear corrugated sheeting allows the sun (when it shines!) to speed up the drying process.
Live in western Washington? Definitely cover your firewood unless you want to grow mushrooms
Build a black metal coverd building with regulated convective airflow and locate it in the most sunny spot. This works the best.
Hello from Norway. I have used tarp but prefer to use old corrugated tin sheets. When I used tarp I sometimes find the wood in top of the stack moldy. If I have enough pallets i put them over the firewoodstack under the corrugated tin sheets, gets really nice and dry.
I tarp but I also have some old metal sheets lying around. I'm going to try this. Thanks m8.
I too live in norway, near oslo. It rains so much here that I have to cover(prefer metalroof), or the wood gets real wet and moldy. Even though my "woodyard" gets lots of sun and wind@@ByronBillings
I've tried it both ways, covered and not covered, and yeah covering it has worked out much better. Using something to get it up off the ground makes a big difference too.
I leave uncovered in the dry spring through early fall months, then move under a firewood shed a few months before burning season. I got tired of messing with tarps every time it was going to rain, be dry, or strapping them down when windy. A firewood shed takes time and materials to build but will last for years and is well worth the effort.
I always stacked my wood in one long row for maximum air movement through the pile. I also stacked it with the crown up so it sheds water better. Lastly, if I had any scrap plywood I'd place it on top to shed rain water. Using this method I could go from green fir to burning it the stove in the least amount of time.
The tarp cover acts as a condensation surface. Lift it clear of the wood by a foot and it will still shield the wood but have less drip.
Wider wind gaps between stacks with improve your drying.
You must measure moisture from freshly split surface to get real results.
I will test this in a future video
And what are the results from the middle of the stack.
Ya this video doesn’t say much being he didint split them and test them .
It’s probably accurate enough in those small splits, well below 20% which qualifies as fully seasoned wood. No doubt that the 8-10% stuff burn much more.
Also cut off some pieces and dry them on a heater. Weight them before and after. Non of these measuring devices are any good.
There are two factors that people mix up: How fast the wood burns, and how much energy it contains. Dry wood that has been rained on burns faster (and maybe hotter) than dry wood that's been covered. But it also has less energy content. When you see that "mold and fungus" on your wood, it means that some of the energy that was originally in the wood got used up to grow the mold and fungus.
Street cred: My mom heated with wood for 40 years, which my brother and I split for the first 20. We sure as hell didn't want to waste our efforts by feeding mold and fungus.
Over 15 years of feeding my Central Boiler wood stove, I have evolved to making an 8 foot diameter circle with 24 feet of 50" tall Cattle panels and four T post for support. Now I just split the rounds and load them in my tractor bucket and dump them into the cattle panel bin to about 6-7 feet(peaked). Cover them with a tarp that I have installed a ~4" rv vent in the center for an air vent under the tarp. Tarp is tied down to the cattle panel with bungees. I have 8 bins which hold about 2 1/2 cords each, this is usually enough wood for two years here in East TN. I am going to add 2 more bins this summer. 80% of firewood is Chestnut Oak. Note, the cattle panels are 16' long so it takes 1 1/2 cattle panels for ~8' diameter. I make a gate with each half panel by bending the cut panel wires into a U shape and snugging around the 16' panel and the other end is secured with several 1/4" threaded chain links, voilla, a gate.
You should measure the moisture content in fresh split pieces coming from the center of each chunk for the most accurate result. Measuring the outside is just to variable.
❤
I just finished filming this exact test. Also dug 2' down into the center of the pile. Future video to be out soon.
I’ve tried this experiment myself, 2 different stacks of white oak from the same tree in the same location. The covered stack was nice lean and dry after 1.5 years, the uncovered stack was slightly punky, had leaves, debris, dirt and lots of bugs. I will always cover the tops of my stacks.
Very interesting! Always wanted to know this.
What I do with my wood is leave it uncovered from spring to the end of October. Then I will cover it with a tarp until first snow, then it gets moved into the barn.
Uncovered when warm and sunny, covered when cold and rainy. Always worked for me.
Works wonders for me too.
Causes the tarp to get "holey" if I do that.
@@bukboefidun9096 Get some old carpet remnants and lay them on top of the woodpile before throwing the tarp on there. Softens the sharp corners that make the holes. Or, find some pond liner (thick rubber) or old vinyl banners.
@@corey6393 good idea!
I found used shrink wrap from boats or campers works. I use wood cleats screwed to different spots in the pile to keep the "tarp" from blowing off.
I've been burning 3-4 cord 🪵 for 12 years in my basement woodstove. I've always covered my stacked firewood with dark colored tarps(black&brown) Just on top. Generally it's been "seasoned" under those tarps for a year.(fresh cut green wood) the tarped stacks have great sun and air flow in the back yard a bit away from the tree line. I've had great success this way and don't plan on changing it. Thanks for the video.
I burn a cord a year and keep 2 cords in my drive... I cover them both Mid-Oct to April
The fungi is usually turkey tail on oak. Peel or slice it off and then put it in a pot and boil it for 20 minutes. Makes a very healthy tea.
I tried growing it on purpose (once). I get more off my firewood than grew on the innoculated logs, lol. It is the most expensive mushroom I sell.
When I moved into my current home, I had a large tree fall shortly after I moved in. Cut it, split it, stacked it properly. I used all my cardboard from moving and all the crap I had to order and I used it to cover just the top of my stacks. The wood has been great for about 4 years (I got about six full cords out of that one tree). It didn't mold, it dried quickly and didn't rot. The cardboard was just enough protection to keep it from getting soaked and rotting, yet letting air and sun to get to it. When the cardboard gets to looking a little shabby and not protecting as well, I just burn it in the fire pit and and put some new cardboard on the top (it seems like I always have new cardboard from something). It's not the prettiest cover, but it's free (kind of) and it does the job. It usually lasts about a year.
I think your reasoning is completely valid, and moisture content supports the use of the tarp.
@@comlbbeau I appreciate the comment. I have an upcoming video about “Truly Seasoned” firewood. I expected there to be some controversial opinions.
That is why they invented woodsheds.
Yep. I put mine under a 12 x 20 tent shelter. Only the very top has a cover. No sides. Air can move all around. Been doing this for 30 plus years. Put you wood up a year in advance.
Duhhhhhh
Grandparents would keep a stack outside for one year and then move it to the shed for additional year of drying.
There’s a reason they’re called “grand” parents. Wisdom comes from experience; experience comes with age.
Thank you - very relevant for alternative ways of storing my wood. For some of my wood, I have a cover which is easy to remove when it is sunny so during summer time I cover or uncover depending on whether it is raining or not (there is a thin metal over all the wood that (at least about 20 cm/8 inches free space over the wood) is always in place regardless of rain/sun so this way I always have some ventilation there.
I live in a wet snowy place and I have 3 wood sheds = open on both ends and the floor lined with pallets!
Out in the weather means the top layers are constantly wet and can’t be burnt!
I’ve always wondered this. I always keep my firewood uncovered. Another commenter mentioned this, but splitting and testing (imho) would give a more accurate reading. Excellent video btw!
I store my wood in IBC totes. I cover only the top just because I frequently need to bring them into my attached garage in the middle of winter and don’t like to have 6” of snow on top of the wood. The down side is that the tarp offers mice and squirrels a “tent” which they like because its dry. I always find nests inside the tote.
You should try useing a canvas tarp over your wood. They move less and any moisture from under can evaporate easier.
Most of my wood is under a roofed lean to. The stuff stacked outside just drys on pallets, no tarps.
Works just fine. Tarps are a hassle in the wind etc.
I have started using rubber barn mats to lay on top my stack and they are heavy enough that you don't need to worry about them blowing off and they seem to be indestructible. Wood off the ground of course on pallets or something. A open sided woodshed is the best, someday I will have one.
Good vid. After 20 years of heating with wood I still like to experiment with stack, size of splits etc.
Tip for covering wood with a tarp. Use a cordless drill with a 9/64" bit. Cover wood with tarp with about 1 1/2 foot overhang. Drill through gromet holes into the wood. Use #8 x 1 5/8 " eyehooks through gromets & into wood. Note: Let some slack with tarp. Tarps won't blow off in high winds & are less likely to tear as opposed to attaching weights to tarp. Use a screwdriver through eyehook to tighten or loosen. As you use firewood just move eyehooks down & reattach tarp.
I like a neigbour's method. He has constructed something like a greenhouse not with glass but semi-transparent plastic walls. There is are gaps at the bottom just above ground and another just below the roof to allow for airflow. This shed is situated in the sun behind his house. When its sunny it will heat up and the rising warm, moist air will generate an airflow. We're at almost 900m and the winds can gt pretty strong so this also protects the wood from getting wet during a storm. Or dirty from pollen and Sahara dust.
Can’t believe you can just throw a tarp over the wood and leave it! Where I live in Plymouth UK it would blow away in days! I’m so jealous! Love your content. Subscribed
One commentor said he used corragated sheets as cover. I imagined them flying through the air. As a roofer we used to say to customers, the tarp will stay on until the storm starts then it becomes a parachute. We'd always cover what we removed.
Great presentation!! You have a real "knack" for how to make various topics interesting!!
The main reason I cover my wood is for winter days (or weeks) when rain or snow would be soaking the stack that I'm just about to burn. No need to measure that to see it is bad news for a hot creosote free fire. A few inches of snow has a way of sitting on top of the pile and slowly melting down into the stack.
Thanks for this information. Great presentation. But my take-away was how neatly your wood was stacked !
I've discovered that the best is a mix. Leave it out for 1 year for the rain to wash out the starches and resins, especially important when burning resinous wood like Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pine) then I cover it during the next dry season to ensure it stays dry and doesn't develop all the moulds etc. It helps to not be next to a bank surrounded by trees as yours is. Mines up high with the plateau winds pulling through it all the time. Wind dries wood not sun.
I have burned all kinds of wood and mostly oak for over 65 years.. My point is covered wood lasts longer especially if it sits for 3-4 years before burning.. Uncovered wood just rots and so with covering I think the wood gets harder and thus burns longer..
I had a wise old time maple syrup producer from New Hampshire tell me about how he figures the wood dries out quicker when the rain gets in it if it is stored in a well ventilated area. He said that because the water is thinner than the sap in the wood, the water penetrates the wood and mixes with the sap to dilute it's consistency, making the sap thinner. the sap then makes it's way out of the wood quicker and evaporates.
Very interesting insights here. Thank you for sharing your findings - very useful for somebody like me new to the firewood game.
I would like to see the inner numbers. As in, split a few pieces and test the insides. While it is cleaner, I feel it dries faster in the open air and sunshine. I plan to build a woodshed with a south facing open side so that should work great. Nice test.
Well-spoken young man. Oh, and that 1% difference is really ~10%... the difference between 8.5% and 9.5% is 10.5%.
Huh? Please explain
@@elconquistador988.5 - 9.5 = 1 which is 1%. 1% divided by 9.5% is 10.5%.
@@jaguar2932 huh? I didn’t listen to the whole thing. Is there a different type of arithmetic being used now? That wouldn’t surprise me-we’ve all had to relearn every damn thing constantly.
😂 stay in school kids! The difference is really 1%! But yes, the 8.5% one must get 10.5% « more moist » to get to 9.5%. Still, the difference is just 1%. Don’t over complicate simple comparaison… just use a tarp. 😊
Yes, there is a 10% difference in moisture content.
Wood species is also a big factor... I burn a lot southern yellow pine, it's an absolute sponge. It dries out within 4 to 6 weeks covered and never dries uncovered. In fact if you dry it then let the stack get rained on you'll need to give it another week covered to dry out the water it absorbed from getting rained on.
I always have 3 - 4 years supply of firewood on hand. I keep it covered with used pole barn tin. Firewood left uncovered for a couple years will start to degrade with the wet/dry cycle.
I have a shed, so the wood is under cover and it does not a lot of rain sideways, but has good air circulation. I usually reach about 15% or less in one year.
Yep I left full logs out for 3.5 years got really punky. Just keep it dry with air flow, so build a woodshed or keep the tarp off the top of the wood somehow extended and secured from wind blowing it off.
Seems best approach would be to have roof over Your wood to keep direct rain and snow off, but with enough breathing space to allow same airflow as uncovered pile.
Here in Georgia, I leave mine uncovered until fall. I am surrounded by oak trees and some pine, that drop too much detritus, to leave them uncovered. All of that debris gets in the nooks and crannies and retains moisture and creates mold, dirt etc. If my stacked wood was out in an open field, I wouldn't cover it, until it was within a month of being used.
Measure again on a rainy day. Also heartwood and sapwood are different. Also that pin meter is useless and only measuring surface moisture - what is it in the middle of the wood? Now, wood must be more than 30 % to grow decay fungi. You only had those on the uncovered wood. Also, the decay fungi eat your wood and reduce its dry weight and hence remove some of your heat value. In a wet climate it is much better to cover the wood. Metal roofing works best as a cover I think.
Cheers,
Jef
We have cold wet winters...dry summers. So when I need it dry it's wet. Tarp it. What u said about it being cleaner yes! Less leaves and junk also keep it drier.
Your logs look very big. Guess your place is sunny😊. My place has a lot of rain. I wish I had taken down the big birch in february so it could have dried during summer, but I did it now, in october, wet condition and cold temperatures. My solution: I have chopped the pieces of logs quite small and put them in single rows under wooden roofs. Hope they will dry before they get moldy.
IDK, based on what you did here, I'd slide the tarp (up to the top edge) from the sunny side towards the back to cover as much on that side as possible.
Cover the top only….protects the wood from rain and snow and allows air flow….yes a sunny spot is always better …..but not always feasible…..covering to the ground is a big no no……will retain moisture and if it was dry will become wet……if one lives in a desert guess it doesn’t need covering…..
Thank for this video. Do you have more firewood related videos?
Air flow and Sun. Cleaner wood is my preference and with that being said that is a nice stack of BTU's
To get accurate readings you need to split those logs again & test the fresh internal face, not the outside of the wood.
The main thing is to make sure your wood is stacked off the ground. Pallets as you use are great.
I've been using some insulated glass units to cover the top supported by some straight beams and leaving the sides open. My theory is that the extra sunlight will help drying while keeping rain from soaking the top. Too early to judge results.
It's a good idea, though I wonder if there would be condensation on the bottom of the glass that would drip onto the wood.
I had a friend who had a pole shed. He stacked his 6' high 8' deep and 2 stacks wide. He had a 1' space between the double stacks. His firewood was dry and got sold quickly.
Subscribed - nice collection of content !
I live on Vancouver Island and the humidity of the wood in my covered woodshed changes with the weather. (seasoned wood) I don't get mold or mildew on my firewood and if I did I wouldn't fret about it too much because it wouldn't be any worse than the air that I am breathing when walking in the forest that is full of decaying wood.
I use 4x4x4 cages. Went from rubber roofing to brown metal. Noticeable difference in moisture content for 2 reasons. Less pooling and possible leakage , and much better air flow. It's really difficult difficult to keep rubber from flipping off in a windy place. I found wire works best to hold on my metal frames. Rope or cord gets UV damaged and breaks. Took time and money to make them but the results were worth it.
Be interesting to see the difference between tarps and a roof of some kind.
A quick tip for you. I use old rubber roofing and on piles of wood that will take some time to dry I run a couple of metal roofing screws with the rubber grommet right through the rubber and into the wood. Works great and never blows off. When ready to burn just back the screws out.
Cover just the top and you're good .i live in a temperate rainforest lots of rain.
Respect for the hard work & research OSM
Those are some pretty large pieces. By the 2" per year rule of thumb, the moisture readings could be way higher than the ends you measured. A real test would be to split a few and measure the level in the center. That would be a good test for a future video.
Those stacks a pretty tight which is going to limit air flow. It would be interesting to see the readings from the middle of the stacks.
For covering, I'd put in some vertical poles to lift that tarp and allow for more air flow/evaporation, especially in areas where humidity tends to get high.
Wet come from soil or ground and add moisture under tarp.
Looks like you're on a Mac. I switched to Linux. Life goes on. I use tarps for the same reasons as you. Firewood brings enough dust in no matter how well it's stored, so any way to lessen that works for me. And now I'll watch your more recent video on the same topic ... :)
You should test holzhausen versus these traditional stacks
Go test for those that didn’t know
I have access to free equipment pallets and fashion them into a corn crib around my stack pile that is off the ground
Plus it’s better for strapping the tarp
I keep quite a bit of my wood under a roof, sure makes great looking firewood👍👍
Good answer, since I've been covering my wood. :)
The tarp can actually trap moisture too though. Condensation is a thing
a real scientist
Solarization using clear plastic ?
I wounder if the results would be the same if you spit it and checked the center of the wood??
@@stevejones9832 Valid question
In Australia I never stack or cover my hardwood.
I cover the top of cords. More importantly, bring your firewood into the basement (if you have one) as early in the season as possible. It dries better inside especially if it's near the wood stove.
If your basement is dry..
Negative on the basement idea. I don't want bugs, spiders and carpenter ants finding their way in the walls.
Once you stack wood to dry for burning you don’t want it to get wet any more . Tarps do not allow good air circulation .
So are you in favour of tapping?
Meant " tarping"
Meant to say " tarping"
Ok so first off you looked at the moisture on the most outside row that is covered. Why not try in the middle? That would have given interesting results.
Also you cant just aya they have been outside. Is there snow where you live? Does the ground freeze? Does it rakn alot. If it snows and it melts the moisture will rose from the ground and ve trapped under the cover ofc.
I stack on pallets...then place pallets on top of the stack...then tarp just the pallets with little drape on the sides. Just what I do.
Tarring the fire wood really depends on where can store it and just how much rain you get over a winter. In Grass Valley California I would average about 52inches of rain per season, just up the hill in Nevada City they would record 62 inches a year. If you did not tarp your firewood you had lousy fire in the wood stove.
I would have liked to have seen you split a log, then test it to see what’s going on on the inside, which is more important than the outer skin.
I personally believe an open sided shed, would give it shelter from rain, but also lots of ventilation. Though that’s a bit expensive to build nowadays.
I will retest this theory in a future video.
wrapping it with a tarp keeps it just as it was when you wrapped it. in a rainy climate, having a roof on it will keep most of the rain off, allowing for a net gain in dryness.
i always cover with tin roofing,, always thought the tarp captures moisture? t the least in the top 2 levels.
Rows spaced 4 ft. apart, covered with scrap 3 ft. roofing sections.
i wonder what the readings would be for the interior of the pile
It’s best to leave your firewood uncovered. Your wood pile needs to breathe. The covered wood, especially the top few layers will be a lot more susceptible to molds and mildew because the moisture from dew and rain, especially in the warmer months need a place to escape. Covering your wood pile prevents this moisture from escaping.
What doesn’t make sense to me, the lower sections of the covered wood would get the same environment as the uncovered wouldn’t it? I mean other than water running down, usually rain comes at an angle with wind, and sun hits it the same uncovered or covered. But your testing (even if you “should” have spilt some and tested, just doing the ends) shows I must be missing something.
Under a roofed canopy is superior to either tarp or wide open to the elements by far.
Where did you get the meter and what's it's name?
what about the middle of your stack? not as much air flow in the middle
@@neighborhoodprepped7862 Look at the pinned comment.
You should have gone into each pile 2 or 3 feet from top and side.
Just filmed another video of what you suggested. Video will be out in about 1 week.
I split my wood then test from the middle. Seems to be 3-4% difference depending.
Needs to be split for an interior reading
What do you do when ants use covered wood pile for their nests?
When I split and stack the wood, I discard the pieces heavily infested with ants. I've never had an ant infestation issue in my stack.
Seven bug dust and cayenne pepper mixture in a garden bug sprayer with just enough water to dissolve the dry's enough to be sprayable don't over dilute it and uncover it for a evening and spray a invisible barrier along the bottom of the pile ( I keep my wood on pallets so I go along the edge of the pallets) and that"ll take care of every wood yard pest
Another possible factor is sun and shade and your video only shows 6 minutes of it but the tarped side does get more sun as opposed to the untarped side which has more shade. 🤔
Personally I prefer a open side wood shed or wood port if you will. Nothing will be dryer.
Why would you burn oak?
Why wouldn't you burn oak?
@OldSoulMillennial maybe its different in your country, but in Europe oak trees take hundreds of years to mature and support an unbelievable amount of wildlife. They are super precious. Cutting down a beautiful oak tree just to burn it is like smashing up the Sisteen chapel just to get some rocks
I live in the desert. It remains uncovered.
Where are you located? I wonder what kind of climate you have and how the same test might differ between climates.
If I leave wood uncovered it’s rotten after a few years. If I stack directly on the ground the bottom layer is rotten even with a tarp. I have a platform with a brick foundation and a tin roof over it.
To get a true reading you need to split those pieces and test the I side