Should you tarp your Firewood? 🪵| 1.5 Year Test Results 📝

Will firewood dry faster if tarped? Are there disadvantages? Let's get into it!

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[Elwood-kqld]

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.

[timpeter]

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.

[pabr]

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.

[JHVT]

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!

[DanR-kcyt]

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.

[robertm]

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.

[corey]

Uncovered when warm and sunny, covered when cold and rainy. Always worked for me.

[ern]

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.

[loodusefilm]

You must measure moisture from freshly split surface to get real results.

[mattvarner]

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.

[comlbbeau]

I think your reasoning is completely valid, and moisture content supports the use of the tarp.

[dws]

The major factor in any of the storage scenario is location location location.... PNW for example gets long bouts of rain and frequent wet snow and naked storage will prolong curing time. To make it simple, build a wood shed..it doesnt have to be pretty...just have a decent roof with a good amount of overhang and preferably 2 bays or " compartments". Fiil both but empty one at a time over the heating season. Replenish the empty bay in spring for following years cure and draw from other bay that has had at least 4 seasons cure time.

[nathanielpreble]

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.

[steveprasuhn]

I have been burning for 45 years. Have a 4 cord rack. 4×4×32. I have treated posts as a base and keep the gaps cleaned out for air flow. In the Spring when the burn season is over, I pull the tarps off. The stacked wood gets plenty of sun and wind to help it dry. In the Fall after a week of no rain, I tarp my wood on top and the west side and it stays tarped until Spring. I keep a wheelbarrow load in the garage to help it stay dry. From there it gets stacked near the stove to get preheatec before it gets burned. This has worked very well for me! Also I mostly burn hedge...osage....which is great for btu's. It burns longer and I never fill the stove more than half full.

[MrLawandorderman]

The best is to keep the cover up off the wood. Air flow is what dries the wood, a trap prevents airflow. I like it covered so I now built a simple frame and used some corrugated roofing and now perfection.

[andyshultz]

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.

[ASF]

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!

[paultaylor]

Good video. Been burning since 1999. Tarp wood, with good air flow has always been the best way to go.

[johnbannister]

Great presentation!! You have a real "knack" for how to make various topics interesting!!

[thormatteson]

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.