Firewood Calculator
Work out cords from a stack size, check whether you are getting a full cord, and compare prices.
What you need
0.3
Full cords in this stack — A full cord is 128 cu ft: 4 ft high × 4 ft deep × 8 ft long.
- Stacked volume
- 42.7 cu ft
- Face cords (ricks)
- 1.0
- Approximate heat content (million BTU)
- 8.0
- Approximate weight when seasoned
- 0.60 US tons
A face cord is 4 ft × 8 ft by the log length — much less wood than a full cord.
Estimates for planning. Confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering — see the assumptions below for the figures used.
How to use the firewood calculator
Firewood is sold by the cord — 128 cubic feet of neatly stacked wood, 4 feet high by 4 feet deep by 8 feet long. Almost every dispute about a firewood delivery comes down to someone selling a 'face cord' or a 'truckload' instead. Measure your stack and find out what you actually got.
What this calculator assumes
Every estimate depends on figures that vary by supplier and conditions. These are the ones used here, so you can sanity-check the result against your own quote.
- A full cord is 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked wood — 4 ft high, 4 ft deep, 8 ft long. That includes the air gaps between logs; the solid wood content is around 85 cubic feet.
- A face cord (also called a rick or a rack) is 4 ft high by 8 ft long by whatever the log length is. With 16 in logs that is only a third of a full cord, which is the single most common way buyers get short-changed.
- Heat values are typical figures for seasoned hardwood at around 20% moisture content. Unseasoned wood delivers far less usable heat because energy goes into boiling off water.
- Weight is estimated at about 3,600 lb per cord for seasoned hardwood. Green wood can be 50% heavier.
- 'Truckload', 'pile' and 'load' are not units of measurement. Insist on a cord or a fraction of a cord, and measure the stack on delivery.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a cord of wood?
A cord is a volume, not a price: 128 cubic feet of stacked wood, measuring 4 feet high by 4 feet deep by 8 feet long. If a seller cannot tell you the stacked dimensions of what they are delivering, you cannot tell what you are buying.
What is the difference between a face cord and a full cord?
A face cord is one row deep — 4 feet high, 8 feet long, and only as deep as the logs are long. With 16 inch logs that is 42.7 cubic feet, exactly one third of a full cord. Paying full-cord money for a face cord is the classic firewood scam, and it is usually not even deliberate — the terms get used loosely.
How long does a cord of firewood last?
As a primary heat source in a cold climate, expect to burn three to five cords over a winter. Used for occasional weekend fires, one cord can last several seasons. It depends far more on how you heat than on the wood itself.
Which firewood gives the most heat?
Dense hardwoods: hickory, white oak, beech, sugar maple and ash all deliver 24 to 27 million BTU per cord. Softwoods like pine give 13 to 15 million — roughly half the heat for the same stacked volume, and more creosote in the chimney. Pine is fine for kindling and shoulder-season fires.
How do I know if firewood is seasoned?
Seasoned wood is noticeably lighter, has cracks radiating from the centre of the cut end, and makes a sharp crack rather than a dull thud when two pieces are knocked together. A moisture meter on a freshly split face should read under 20%. Most wood needs six to twelve months split and stacked under cover.
Related calculators
Wood Chips Calculator
Estimate cubic yards and weight of wood chips for paths, play areas and around trees.
Board Foot Calculator
Convert lumber dimensions into board feet and total cost — the unit hardwood is sold in.
Driveway Gravel Calculator
Calculate cubic yards and tons of gravel for a new or resurfaced driveway, by layer.
Garden Soil Calculator
Work out how much garden soil or planting mix you need to fill or amend a bed.
Raised Bed Soil Calculator
Calculate the soil volume to fill a raised bed, split into a topsoil, compost and aeration mix.
Garden Mulch Calculator
Size a mulch order for vegetable beds and borders, at the shallower depths planting needs.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, which is what keeps these calculators free. How this site is funded.