Firewood Cord Calculator
What your stack actually measures in cords, what a seller's face cord is worth as a fraction of one, and which pile is cheaper once you compare heat rather than volume.
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Results
Working
- stack depth = 16 in / 12 x 1 rows = 1.33 ft
- volume = 8 x 4 x 1.33 = 42.7 cu ft
- cords = 42.7 / 128 = 0.33
- face cord fraction = 16 in / 48 in = 0.33
- full cord price = $250 / 0.33 = $750
- price per million BTU = $750 / 22 = $34.09
Quick answer
A full cord is 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked wood: 8 ft long, 4 ft high, 4 ft deep. A face cord is one row of that stack, so its value depends entirely on log length. Sixteen inch logs make a face cord one third of a cord, which is why a face cord at half the price of a cord is a poor deal, not a good one.
cords = length ft x height ft x (log length in / 12 x rows) / 128
Worked example
An 8 by 4 ft stack, one row of 16 in logs deep, quoted at $250 a face cord.
Working
- stack depth = 16 in / 12 x 1 rows = 1.33 ft
- volume = 8 x 4 x 1.33 = 42.7 cu ft
- cords = 42.7 / 128 = 0.33
- face cord fraction = 16 in / 48 in = 0.33
- full cord price = $250 / 0.33 = $750
- price per million BTU = $750 / 22 = $34.09
That single row is a third of a cord, so the quote works out at $750 a full cord. The same seller quoting $400 a cord would be cheaper by nearly half, and nothing about the two piles as described tells you that.
What a face cord is worth by log length
A face cord is 8 ft by 4 ft, one log deep, so its size varies with the log length and nothing else.
| Log length | Fraction of a cord | Face cords per cord | Volume of an 8x4 row | Cord price if a face is $300 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 in | 0.25 | 4 | 32 cu ft | $1200 |
| 14 in | 0.292 | 3.43 | 37.33 cu ft | $1029 |
| 16 in | 0.333 | 3 | 42.67 cu ft | $900 |
| 18 in | 0.375 | 2.67 | 48 cu ft | $800 |
| 20 in | 0.417 | 2.4 | 53.33 cu ft | $720 |
| 24 in | 0.5 | 2 | 64 cu ft | $600 |
Rick, run, rack and truckload are the same problem: none is a defined measure. Convert everything to full cords before comparing.
At a glance
| What it does | Converts a stack to cords, decodes face cord pricing and compares sellers on heat |
|---|---|
| Inputs needed | Stack length and height, log length, rows deep, species, quoted price |
| Main output | Full cords and the equivalent full cord price |
| Formula | cords = L ft x H ft x (log in / 12 x rows) / 128 |
| Category | Home & DIY |
| Cost | Free, no sign-up, no download |
How to use the Firewood Cord Calculator
- Stack the wood tight and square, then measure the length and height of the face.
- Measure a log to get the stack depth, and count how many rows deep the pile is.
- Enter the price exactly as it was quoted, and say which unit the seller used.
- Compare sellers on the equivalent full cord price, or better, on price per million BTU.
- Check the species: pine at half the price of oak is not a saving, because it holds barely half the heat.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a cord of wood?
128 cubic feet stacked: the standard arrangement is 8 ft long, 4 ft high and 4 ft deep. It has to be stacked tight with the pieces parallel and touching, not thrown into a heap.
What is a face cord?
One row of a cord: 8 ft long, 4 ft high, and as deep as the logs are long. It is not a standardised measure, so a face cord of 12 in logs is a quarter of a cord while one of 24 in logs is a half.
Is a rick the same as a cord?
No. Rick, run, rack and face cord all mean roughly one row of a stack, and none is legally defined in most places. Always convert to full cords before comparing prices.
How much does a cord of firewood weigh?
Green, between about 2,600 lb for pine and 4,300 lb for hickory. Seasoning removes roughly a third of that as water, which is also why green wood burns so poorly: the heat goes into boiling the water off.
How long does firewood take to season?
Six months for pine, around nine to twelve for ash and maple, up to two years for oak. Split it first, stack it off the ground with the cut ends exposed to moving air, and cover only the top of the pile.
How do I compare firewood prices fairly?
Convert everything to a full cord, then divide by the heat content of the species in million BTU. Oak at 27 million BTU a cord and pine at 15 give very different value at the same price.
Will a pickup truck hold a cord?
No. A half-ton pickup with an eight foot bed carries roughly a third of a cord stacked, and less thrown loose. Anyone offering a cord on a single small truck is selling something else.
Heat values and weights are typical figures for air-dried wood at around 20 per cent moisture and vary with growing conditions and how well the wood is seasoned. Where firewood is sold, the cord is usually the only legally defined unit, so buy on it.
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