Cord Wood Calculator
Calculate full cords, face cords (ricks), cubic feet, and weight of stacked firewood logs.
= 1 Face Cords (Ricks)
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What Is a Cord Wood Calculator?
A cord wood calculator measures the volume of a stacked pile of split logs to determine whether it meets legal legal trade standards for a cord. A standard full cord equals exactly 128 cubic feet of neatly ranked and stacked wood.
How to Use This Calculator
- Measure the pile: Length in feet and Height in feet.
- Enter log cut length in inches (standard is 16 inches).
- View the total volume in cubic feet and full cords.
- Compare against face cords (ricks) and estimated air-dry seasoned weight.
Cord Wood Volume Equation
\text{Full Cords} = \frac{\text{Length (ft)} \times \text{Height (ft)} \times \left(\frac{\text{Log Length (in)}}{12}\right)}{128}One standard full cord is defined by statute as a stack 4 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet long (4 × 4 × 8 = 128 cubic feet).
Worked Example
Scenario: Measuring a wood pile 16 feet long, 4 feet high, stacked with 16-inch logs.
Depth in feet: 16 inches ÷ 12 = 1.333 ft.
Volume: 16 ft × 4 ft × 1.333 ft = 85.33 cubic feet.
Cords: 85.33 ÷ 128 = 0.67 full cords.
Face cords: 85.33 ÷ 42.67 = exactly 2.0 face cords (ricks).
Tips & Key Notes
- Stack logs tightly with bark facing up on top rows to shed rain and bark down on lower rows to encourage drying.
- Ensure firewood is elevated 2 to 4 inches off bare dirt using pallets or runners to stop ground moisture wicking.
- Never buy firewood by the "truckload" without measuring; verify dimensions after stacking to ensure you receive a full 128 cu ft.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the exact dimensions of a cord of wood?
A standard full cord measures 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long, totaling 128 cubic feet of stacked wood and air space.
What is the difference between a cord and a face cord?
A full cord is 4 feet deep (128 cu ft). A face cord (rick) is only one log deep (typically 16 inches deep), measuring 4 ft high by 8 ft long (~43 cu ft), which equals one-third of a full cord.
How much does a cord of dry firewood weigh?
A full cord of seasoned hardwood (like oak, maple, or ash) weighs between 3,500 and 4,200 pounds (approx 2 tons). Dry softwood (pine/cedar) weighs 2,200 to 2,600 lbs.
How many pieces of firewood are in a cord?
A full cord typically contains between 600 and 800 pieces of split firewood, depending on how finely the logs were split.
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