What We Have Covered in This Article
Last Updated on March 29, 2022 by woodcutter
After collecting and stacking firewood, people fail to select an effective way to cover their woodpile. This is because there are many suggestions out there. Some of them works perfectly while others are not. However, the only way that will absolutely workout, is to use the most advantageous option that will guide you through in every step.
Firewood has a lot of uses and these ranges from domestic to industrial. Most wood that is used for domestic purposes has to be kept in the home for long stretches of time hence the need to keep it dry. Wood is easily affected by rain, dew and moisture forming at the base of woodpiles. The dampness causes the wood to form molds, to rot and as a breeding ground for some nasty pests. To prevent the wood from becoming damp one has to cover it up and there are a number of cost effective but efficient ways to do this.
In this post, you’ll learn about the best way to cover your woodpile. Becoming handy in that won’t even take you ages. It only requires a willing heart to learn and apply it.
Before covering the wood pile
Some people use wood to do every day cooking and heating. Such wood is kept near the house so that it is easier to access it. Before storing the wood, ensure that it is dry by exposing it to the sun and the wind. The wood pile should be stacked well off the ground by using pallets or posts. Also, put some corner posts so that the woodpile won’t topple over. Make sure the base of the posts or pallets doesn’t have any undergrowth so that all creepy crawlies won’t hide out there.
The place around the woodpile should also be kept clean. The wood should be cut uniformly, as straight as possible. Finally stacked as neatly as you can. The pile should at least be aesthetically pleasing as it now forms part of your garden landscape. Stack the wood such that the prevailing wind can rush through the pile to keep it dry all the time.
Should You Cover Your Wood Pile With Low budget coverings?
The idea of keeping the wood dry is to avoid other expenses creeping up on you ( yeah the hospital bill when you inhale a bunch of smoke created by wet wood) so let’s keep it low budget and yet efficient. Black plastic that is easily obtained from any hardware shop in town can be used to cover the woodpile. The plastic should cover the top of the pile but leave the sides exposed to allow free air flow. Place some pieces of wood on top of the plastic to avoid it from flying off when a strong wind comes through. If you don’t have wood to spare you can use old tires and place them strategically on top of the plastic.
You can also DIY with some of the wood and build your own open sided woodshed. The woodshed should be strategically built such that no rainwater is allowed to stand on the roof of the shed. Again it should not supposed to be an eye sore on the landscape. The roof should be at an inclined angle so that water freely falls off it and away from the wood pile. The base of the shed should be at least ten centimeters off the ground. This will be the way of avoiding dampness forming beneath your woodpile.
Another way to go low cost is to use old roofing sheets that you may have lying around. You should put up four corner posts by digging them into the soil in an area that you would have chosen. The chosen space should be near the house to avoid walking long distances to fetch the wood. Also a space that will not disturb the landscape of your yard and make it look scruffy and unappealing. You can go further and paint the sheets to make them even more beautiful, and to make them fit the surroundings.
How to stack and store firewood in low budget
If budget is not an issue you can go all out and get a custom made pergola for your wood pile. A pergola is an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded area that has a roofing grid of beams and rafters. You should make the pergola free standing to the house to avoid dampness forming between the stacked wood and the wall of the house. The pergola can be made to your specific needs but make sure it has louvered sides if you want it to be an enclosure for free air circulation. This is a permanent structure so it should be made of durable material.
You can also get a polycarbonate canopy in your favorite colors that will go very well with your garden color scheme. Polycarbonate canopies are made of strong thermoplastic that can withstand extreme temperatures. The sheets come in various colors, so you should choose the best one.
For a cheaper route, you can get an overhang or an awning at the side of your house. Awnings are made of canvas material, which is strong and durable. Alternatively, you can even go for billboard skins (these are materials used to make billboard signs so we going for green and recycling) which can be printed on one and plain on the other side.
Basically, you should cover your woodpile!
The best way to cover a woodpile is not actually in single way. It all depends on your budget, your choosing, your landscape scheme and even your garden color scheme. The idea is to stick to a few basic principles when you are deciding on how to go about covering that woodpile.
Simple principles to consider:
- Dryness – Firewood needs to dry so that they will not produce smoke.
- Neatness– Wood pile needs to look representable after covering it.
- Safety – Wood pile needs to be protection from creepy crawlies
- Effective– Cover your woodpile with a desirable cover.
- Affordable – You don’t have to break the bank when buying a woodpile cover. Go for the one, which does not cost you, hence durable.
- Durability– You really would not want to keep renewing a permanent structure if you choose to go for one (the sheds and pergolas).
Do your research before deciding on a suitable cover and remember you can always recycle to keep it cheap and save the environment while on it.
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