Firewood Cord Calculator

The Ultimate Guide to Measuring Firewood Cords

Buying firewood can be a confusing process, especially when sellers use vague terms like "truckload," "pile," or "rick." Because firewood is sold by volume, it is incredibly easy to overpay if you don't know how to calculate the exact amount of wood you've received.

Our interactive Firewood Cord Calculator empowers homeowners to instantly verify their deliveries. By inputting the dimensions of your stacked wood pile, you can calculate the exact volume in cubic feet, face cords, and full cords to ensure you got what you paid for.

Understanding Firewood Terminology

The firewood industry relies on specific volume measurements. Knowing the difference between them is the key to comparing prices across different sellers, and ensuring you aren't being overcharged.

• The Full Cord: This is the only standardized, legal measurement for firewood in most jurisdictions in the United States and Canada. A full cord is a neatly stacked pile of wood occupying exactly 128 cubic feet of space. The classic dimensions are 4 feet high, 8 feet long, and 4 feet deep (which requires three rows of 16-inch logs).
• The Face Cord (or Rick): This is a very common way to buy wood for casual fireplace users. A face cord is also 4 feet high and 8 feet long, but the depth is only a single log wide (typically 16 inches). Because 16 inches is one-third of 4 feet, a face cord is exactly one-third the volume of a full cord (42.6 cubic feet).
• The "Thrown" Cord:Sometimes wood is delivered loose in a dump truck rather than stacked. A thrown cord will take up more space because the logs are jumbled loosely, leaving large air gaps. A full cord of stacked wood (128 cu ft) takes up roughly 180 cubic feet when loosely thrown. Never buy wood by the "truckload" without knowing the bed dimensions!

How to Check If You Were Shorted on Your Delivery

When your firewood is delivered, don't just accept the pile on your driveway. To verify the volume, you must stack it neatly. Pack the logs tightly together, keeping the edges of the pile as straight and square as possible. Avoid cross-hatching (stacking logs perpendicular to each other), as this creates massive air gaps meant to deceive buyers.

Once stacked, measure the pile's length, height, and depth in feet. Use our calculator above to multiply those numbers. If you paid for a full cord, your total volume must equal 128 cubic feet. If it is significantly less (e.g., 90 cubic feet), you were shorted by the supplier and should request a refund for the missing volume.

Hardwood vs. Softwood: What Should You Buy?

While a cord measures the volumeof wood, it doesn't tell you how much heat that wood will produce. The heat output (measured in BTUs) depends entirely on the tree species.

• Hardwoods (Oak, Hickory, Ash, Maple): These are incredibly dense woods. A full cord of Oak can produce up to 29 million BTUs. Hardwoods burn longer, produce hotter coals, and leave behind less creosote in your chimney. They are ideal for indoor wood stoves and heating your home through the winter.
• Softwoods (Pine, Fir, Spruce, Cedar): Softwoods are much less dense. A full cord of Pine may only produce 15 million BTUs (about half the heat of Oak). They ignite very quickly and produce tall, crackling flames, making them perfect for outdoor fire pits or starting fires, but poor for overnight heating.

Why Moisture Content Matters (Seasoned vs. Green Wood)

Even if you receive a perfect 128-cubic-foot full cord, it won't burn well if it is "green" (freshly cut). Green wood contains up to 50% water. When you burn it, the fire spends all its energy boiling off the water rather than heating your home, resulting in a smoldering, smoky fire that coats your chimney in dangerous creosote.

Always ask your supplier if the wood is seasoned (air-dried for at least 6 to 12 months) or kiln-dried. The moisture content should be below 20%. You can verify this yourself by purchasing a cheap digital moisture meter and pressing the prongs into the center of a freshly split log.