Firewood Cord Calculator
A cord is a defined volume: 128 cubic feet, stacked. Measure the stack and this tells you whether what you were sold is what you got.
How the math works
Cubic feet = length x height x log length, all in feet. Cords = cubic feet / 128. A full cord is 4 ft high, 8 ft long and 4 ft deep. A face cord is the same face but only one log deep, so at 16 inch logs it is a third of a cord.
Common questions
- How big is a cord of firewood?
- 128 cubic feet stacked, most often as a pile 4 ft high, 8 ft long and 4 ft deep. It is a legal definition in most states, and the only measure a seller can be held to.
- What is a face cord or a rick?
- A stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long, but only as deep as the logs are long. With 16 inch logs that is a third of a full cord. Neither term is legally defined, which is exactly why they are used.
- How much firewood do I need for a winter?
- Heating a house entirely with wood usually takes three to five cords a season, depending on climate and insulation. Occasional fireplace use is closer to one, and a cord of good hardwood burns roughly six weeks of steady use.