was how to protect fire wood, oops

[bornthrifty]

oops!














in the past we used a tarp to cover wood, I am looking for something bit nicer not sure though if it is worth the effort, we are going to take an old tin cheapo shed down to make shed out of scrap windows and wood, I have been toying with using the tin one for wood shed but worry that that will become a home to too many critters, so am now thinking about putting a little lean to roof on the side of new shed and then that will help protect the top of the wood, (and one side against the shed) from some of the elements, but also lets me approach the pile from the rights and lets any critters leave in the other direction if you know what I mean...(don't like mice, not so interested in making a nice home for them...)

any thoughts or ideas or should I just use the tarp

also toyed with putting wood against front porch wall as it is brick, but again worry I am making nice home for mice right up against my house...then they might come in....
but at least the brick wouldn't get hurt

also toyed with stacking wood against garage under eaves, but worry about the damage to the wood siding

thanks

 

[Mickey328]

We always kept ours in a lean to against our tool shed. It had a back, roof and 2 sides...one being the side of the shed, of course. The open part was facing east so we'd get less wind/snow in it. We didn't have a mouse problem with it because it was plenty cold out there in the winter. We made sure to keep it as free of bark pieces and such as we could and kept the cutting/spitting area a ways away...no sense in giving them nest building materials.

 

[Hinotori]

My parents always just tarped the pile with heavy plastic at their house when I was growing up but it was a pain to move the tarp in winter with ice sheets on it. Now up at the cabin they have a nice 3 sided wood shed to keep rain and snow off. Most of the wood I've seen here has been in 2 and 3 sided sheds to keep the rain off. The previous owner of this place used a big water tank with the end cut off to store wood. We don't use it because even with the pallet floor it's a pain to get the wood out.

He also built a HUGE 2000+ sq ft carport to park heavy machinery under. We just picked a spot on the North East side and stacked our wood there. Lots of airflow and we can get the wood very easily.

 

[Beekissed]

We haven't found anything better than 3 sided sheds and tarping. We are using both this year with the tarping fastened to the side of the shed and rolled up out of the way until the area is filled and then the tarp will be unfurled and placed over the wood. We are then fastening a long, round pole into the end of the tarp to make for easy rolling up to get the wood and as a weight to keep the tarp down securely over the wood when we are not accessing the pile.

In all the years we've been using firewood, I've never seen a mouse in the stacks...that's over 36 years. Seen a small brown bat, but no mice.

 

[Marianne]

We have ours under an old hay shed. But many people we know here just have theirs out in the open, no tarp or anything. They take great pride in how it's stacked and the overall appearance of the wood, too!

I asked a friend about having ice on the firewood when she throws it in the woodburner. Her comment was that they have done that many times, but with a hot enough fire, it didn't make any difference.

We have enough space in our wood burning furnace room to keep half a cord. Our friends keep about 1/4 cord in their house. They have burned wood for many years and always stored it out in the weather.

 

[Denim Deb]

I see a lot of people around here just stacking it between a couple of trees. They may or may not cover it. I have mine in a 3 sided shed. It's about 4'x12'x8'. Main reason is because I don't want to bring wet wood into the house if I don't have to. If I have a good fire going, adding wet wood isn't a problem. But, if all I have is wet wood, it can be very hard to get it going.

 

[Marianne]

Boy, that's the truth, Deb!
I don't like messing with wet wood either. I just posted something over on the pallet thread...now I wonder if one could make a somewhat sheltered area using pallets and plastic tarps? Out here, wind is brutal on tarps, they usually dont' make it one season.

 

[Denim Deb]

I had trouble getting a fire going today since I didn't really have any kindling in the wood shed and it was raining! But, I was able to find a bunch of sassafras twigs and small branches in the yard and they'll normally catch-even when wet.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm wondering if this wouldn't be a great application for an arched cattle panel or two with a tight tarp. I never have problems with tarps that are stretched tight to a cattle panel, especially when the wind can go through the tunnel instead of fighting the tarp. The sides of the arch would be strong enough to bear the weight and strain of the stacked wood and the shelter would shed rain and snow very well.

 

[BarredBuff]

We have ours on the covered porch with the furnace, it has a concrete floor, a roof, and a block wall on one side. This works well for us.....we also have plenty of cats for the occasional mouse.