Should firewood be covered with a tarp?
Cover the top, never the whole pile. A tarp draped down the sides traps ground moisture and humidity against the wood and stops it from drying — you end up with a mildewy, punky stack. Lay a tarp, metal roofing, or a woodshed roof over just the top foot or so, letting rain shed off while the sides stay open to sun and wind.
Top yes, sides no
The mistake we see constantly is a tarp thrown over the whole pile and cinched down the sides. That turns your woodpile into a sweat lodge — ground moisture and humid mountain air get trapped under the plastic with nowhere to go, and the wood stays wet or actually molds and rots instead of drying.
The sides of a stack need to breathe. Water leaves through the exposed faces and end grain, and only moving air carries it away. We trace plenty of smoky-fireplace complaints back to good wood ruined by a full-cover tarp.
What to cover with
Cover just the top foot of the stack so rain sheds off the top while the sides stay open. A tarp weighted down over the top row works; better still is a slanted piece of metal roofing or a simple woodshed roof that throws water clear of the pile.
Leave the ends and sides fully open. The goal is an umbrella, not a raincoat — keep the sky off the top and let the breeze do the rest.
When you can skip the cover
While wood is actively seasoning through a dry stretch, you can often leave it uncovered — sun beating directly on the stack drives moisture out fast, and a summer shower dries off quickly. What you don't want is wood sitting wet going into burning season.
So get a top cover on before fall and winter, when our rain and snow are steady and there's no sun to dry it back out. In WNC's damp climate, a top cover from autumn on is cheap insurance for a stack you spent all year drying. Call (828) 545-0525 if your seasoned wood still won't burn right.
Related questions
- How should firewood be stacked and stored?
- Can I store firewood inside the house or garage?
- How can I make firewood season faster?
- Does seasoned firewood go bad or rot if it's stored for several years?
- Will a firewood pile near the house attract termites or other pests?
- How do I know if my house has natural gas or propane?
Still deciding? Talk to a real installer.
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