Measure the length, height and depth of a stacked pile of firewood. The calculator tells you how many full cords and face cords it holds, and what you really paid per cord.
How to use the firewood cord calculator
- Stack the wood neatly, with the pieces parallel and touching, before you measure. A loose, thrown pile holds far less wood than its size suggests.
- Measure the length of the row and its height. If the top is uneven, measure the height in a few places and use the average.
- Enter the depth of the stack, which for a single row is the length of one piece, usually 16 in.
- Enter what you paid to see the real price per full cord.
Cord formulas
Volume (ft³) = length (ft) × height (ft) × depth (ft) Full cords = volume ÷ 128 Face cords = (length × height) ÷ 32 (one 4 × 8 ft face at whatever depth the pieces are) Price per cord = price paid ÷ full cords
Connecticut, which follows the national model law in NIST Handbook 130, defines a cord as the wood in 128 cubic feet when it is ranked and well stowed: a stack 4 ft high, 8 ft long and 4 ft deep. A face cord is not a legal unit; it means one 4 × 8 ft face of wood at whatever piece length the seller cuts.
Worked example: one row 16 ft long, 4 ft high, 16 in logs
- Depth: 16 ÷ 12 = 1.333 ft.
- Volume: 16 × 4 × 1.333 = 85.3 ft³.
- Full cords: 85.3 ÷ 128 = 0.67 cord, two thirds of a cord.
- Face cords: (16 × 4) ÷ 32 = 2 face cords.
- If you paid $300, that is 300 ÷ 0.67 = $450 per full cord.
Common stack sizes
| Stack (L × H × D) | Cubic feet | Full cords |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 4 ft × 16 in (one face cord) | 42.7 | 0.33 |
| 8 × 4 ft × 24 in | 64 | 0.5 |
| 16 × 4 ft × 16 in | 85.3 | 0.67 |
| 8 × 4 × 4 ft | 128 | 1 |
| 24 × 4 ft × 16 in | 128 | 1 |
| Half-ton pickup bed, level (about 6.5 × 5 × 1.5 ft) | 48.8 | 0.38 |
Cord, face cord and rick
A full cord is always 128 cubic feet of stacked wood. A face cord, also called a rick or rank in some areas, is a single 4 × 8 ft face whose depth equals the length of the pieces, so its volume changes with the cut: with 16 in logs it is one third of a cord, and with 24 in logs it is half. Connecticut does not allow firewood to be sold by the face cord, rack, pile or truckload; wood must be sold by the cord, a fraction of a cord, or the cubic metre. Many other states follow the same NIST rule, so ask any seller who quotes a face cord or a truckload to state the price in cords.
How to measure a stack correctly
- Measure stacked wood, not a loose pile. The legal cord is ranked and well stowed. Thrown wood takes up much more space for the same amount of firewood.
- Leave out big gaps. A hole large enough for an average piece is not firewood, so subtract it from the height or length.
- Use the outside length of the pieces for depth. For two rows side by side, add both piece lengths.
- Check a delivery before the truck leaves. Stacking takes time, but it is the only way to know you received what you paid for.
Questions
How many cubic feet are in a cord of wood?
128 cubic feet of stacked wood, such as a pile 4 ft high, 8 ft long and 4 ft deep.
How many face cords are in a full cord?
Three, when the pieces are 16 in long. With 24 in pieces, two face cords make a full cord, and with 12 in pieces it takes four.
How do I calculate a cord of wood?
Multiply the length, height and depth of the stack in feet and divide by 128. A stack 12 ft long, 4 ft high and 16 in deep holds 12 × 4 × 1.333 ÷ 128 = 0.5 cord.
How much wood fits in a pickup truck?
A level load in a typical full-size bed, about 6.5 × 5 ft and 1.5 ft deep, holds roughly 49 ft³ if stacked, or about 0.38 of a cord. Thrown in loosely, it holds noticeably less.
Sources
- Firewood and Stove Wood Regulations, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.
Used for: Cord = 128 ft³ ranked and well stowed (NIST Handbook 130 section 2.4.1.2); sales by cord, fraction of a cord or cubic metre; face cord, rack, pile and truckload not allowed. - NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: Factors for units listed alphabetically, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Used for: Exact foot and inch definitions; cubic foot to cubic metre conversion.