Firewood Cord Calculator
Measure the stack: how long, how high, and how deep the pieces are. This turns it into cords and tells you what you actually paid per cord, which is the only fair way to compare two sellers.
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We'll email the quantities above, what you typed in, and a link that reopens this calculator already filled in — so you can adjust it on your phone in the aisle.
How to work it out
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Stack it before you measure
A cord is a stacked measurement: 128 cubic feet of wood, air gaps and all, piled tidily with the pieces parallel. A dumped pile of the same wood looks about a third bigger.
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Measure length and height
Along the face of the stack and up. A full cord is classically 4 ft high by 8 ft long by 4 ft deep.
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Measure the log length
That is the depth of one row. Most sellers cut at 16 in, which makes a single row exactly one third of a cord — the usual “face cord”.
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Compare on price per full cord
Sellers quote ricks, face cords and truckloads, and none of those are a standard volume. Convert everything to a full cord before comparing.
What the words mean
Only the full cord is legally defined in most US states.
| Term | Usual size | Fraction of a cord |
|---|---|---|
| Full cord | 4 × 4 × 8 ft = 128 cu ft | 1 |
| Face cord, 16 in logs | 4 × 8 ft, one row deep | 1/3 |
| Face cord, 12 in logs | 4 × 8 ft, one row deep | 1/4 |
| Face cord, 24 in logs | 4 × 8 ft, one row deep | 1/2 |
| Rick | no standard — ask for the three measurements | varies |
| Pickup load, half-ton | roughly 1/2 cord stacked level | about 1/2 |
Heat by species
Approximate million BTU per full cord, seasoned to 20% moisture.
| Species | Million BTU per cord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 27–28 | Among the highest; burns long |
| White oak | 26–27 | Needs two years to season |
| Sugar maple | 24 | Good all-round hardwood |
| Birch | 20 | Seasons quickly, burns fast |
| Douglas fir | 20 | Best of the softwoods |
| Pine | 15–17 | Light, fast, more creosote if unseasoned |
What is a cord of wood?
128 cubic feet of stacked wood. The classic arrangement is 4 ft high, 8 ft long and 4 ft deep, but any stack multiplying out to 128 cubic feet is a cord.
In most US states the cord is the only firewood measure defined in law. “Rick”, “face cord” and “truckload” mean whatever the seller wants them to, which is exactly why the arithmetic matters.
Face cords and ricks
A face cord is a stack 4 ft by 8 ft, one row deep. Its volume depends entirely on the log length: at 16 in it is a third of a cord, at 24 in a half, at 12 in a quarter.
So “$120 a face cord” can be $360 or $240 per real cord depending on how the wood was cut. Ask for the log length before you agree a price.
Seasoning matters more than species
Fresh-cut wood is up to half water by weight, and burning it wastes energy boiling that water off while coating the flue in creosote. Seasoned wood is under 20% moisture.
Split, stacked off the ground and covered on top only, most hardwoods need six to twelve months; oak wants two years. A cheap moisture meter settles the argument.
Will it fit?
A full cord stacked 4 ft high needs 32 square feet of wall — 8 ft long and 4 ft deep, or 16 ft long and 2 ft deep. Check the space before ordering three cords for the winter.
How this is worked out
No black box — here is the arithmetic the calculator runs, so you can check it against your own numbers.
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depth = log length ÷ 12 × rowsHow far back the stack goes, in feet. -
cubic feet = length × height × depthThe stacked volume, air gaps included. -
cords = cubic feet ÷ 128A cord is 128 cubic feet by definition. -
price per cord = price paid ÷ cordsThe only figure that compares two sellers fairly.
Common questions
How much is a cord of wood?
128 cubic feet stacked — 4 ft high, 4 ft deep and 8 ft long. Price varies by region and species, but the volume does not.
What is a face cord?
A stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long, one log deep. With 16 in logs that is a third of a full cord.
How many face cords in a cord?
Three at 16 in log length, two at 24 in, four at 12 in.
How much firewood fits in a pickup?
A half-ton pickup with a standard bed holds roughly half a cord stacked level, and less than that loose. A full cord of dry hardwood weighs around 4,000 lb, which is more than most half-tons should carry.
How do I know if I got a full cord?
Stack it, measure it, multiply length × height × depth in feet, and divide by 128. Anything over 0.9 is within reason for a tidy stack; well under that, go back to the seller.
How much firewood do I need for a winter?
Three to five cords for a house heated mainly by wood in a cold climate; one to two cords for weekend fires in a stove.
Does a dumped pile measure the same as a stack?
No. Loose thrown wood occupies roughly 30% more space than the same wood stacked, which is why a “truckload” always looks generous until you stack it.
Where these figures come from
Every figure below is traceable. How we check the numbers explains how they are verified, and the coverage reference collects them all in one place.
- NIST Handbook 130, Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale of Commodities — the legal definition of a cord and the rules on selling firewood
- US Forest Service and state extension fuelwood tables — heat value per cord by species
- EPA Burn Wise guidance — seasoning and the 20% moisture target
Think a number here is wrong? Tell us — we check every report, correct the page, and date the change. Last checked September 27, 2026.