I would leave it untarped for the summer to dry out then tarp it come fall. Isn’t there an insecticide you can look into for treating the vicinity for ants and termites. Also spiders 
Delimma on storing firewood rounds
Next Tuesday we are having three very large black locust trees cut down. Probably 90 to 100 ft. Per the agreement the cutter will section all of the limb material and small trunk to 16 in and then cut up the remainder of 36-in diameter trunk into 4 ft sections and stacked. I heat our barn with a wood stove. I only have room for about half a cord more in my storage area of split wood, so I was hoping to store at least a couple cords of rounds to split this fall or next spring. My only two real choices are to leave them stacked on pallets off the ground in the woods where they are being cut. They would not get much of any sunlight here. Insects are a viable danger. I could also stack them on the outside of my lean-to over by the barn, probably a cord's worth but I am starting to get Leary keeping so much wood that wouldn't be split next to my building in terms of termite or carpenter ant infestation. It would get plenty of sun and wind in that location. I'd prefer to leave it in the woods if possible. Wood stacking the rounds on pallets and tarping the top be sufficient to hold it for a year?
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Get you some Regent. That will keep the insects gone.
I put a tarp on mine but just to cover and keep the rain off. Leave the sides open and stack so the air can move through the stack. Rain and too tight of a stack could lead to rot.
Isn't black locust wood resistant to rot and insects?
I thought so. It's what my inlaws build all their fences out of in Virginia.
I spent many years heating with firewood. I always skidded the trees in and cut them into rounds. I’d stack the rounds in the woodshed and what wouldn’t fit I’d stack on stickers and use fiberglass panels I had to just cover the top - let the sides open to the air.
In the winter as I needed firewood in the house I would split (with a maul) about 3 days worth at a time and haul into the house. Gave me something to do on those long winter days and also some exersize.
In the winter as I needed firewood in the house I would split (with a maul) about 3 days worth at a time and haul into the house. Gave me something to do on those long winter days and also some exersize.
I've heard black locust is very resistant as well and has the heat output close to coal. Incredibly dense. I think you have me convinced to spray out an area with Roundup. Stack it on pallets go ahead and leave it in the woods and just tarp the very top to keep the rain off. That way I could tow my splitter down there as well and process it in the woods. Might apply a granular insect killer around the area just to be safe.
All wood, once dry, put out about the same amount of heat per pound and since locust is quite dense the heat per volume is very good. However, it will not dry much left in logs. It would take several years to dry enough to burn up to its potential. Why not cut it to length and split and stack it on the pallets where it is laying?
We just stack what doesn’t fit in the wood shed on pallets, in a place where it gets a fair amount of sun. Covering just the top to keep most if the rain snow off of it .
Just an issue of time to get to it. Life's been quite busy lately. Will likely work at it in batches but like I said I have 3, 100 ft trees coming down. Going to be quite a bit of wood.All wood, once dry, put out about the same amount of heat per pound and since locust is quite dense the heat per volume is very good. However, it will not dry much left in logs. It would take several years to dry enough to burn up to its potential. Why not cut it to length and split and stack it on the pallets where it is laying?
Leave it uncovered, on the ground, in the shady woods, and it will still be a-okay when split next year.
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