Loose Cord Wood Calculator
Convert thrown/loose cubic feet of firewood into true stacked cords and calculate pickup truck bed capacities.
Air voids increase loose thrown volume by 40% (180 cu ft thrown = 128 cu ft stacked)
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What Is a Loose Cord Wood Calculator?
A loose cord wood calculator converts loosely dumped, thrown, or tumbled firewood into equivalent tightly stacked cords. In forestry and weights/measures law, tumbled firewood contains roughly 40% more void space than stacked wood, requiring ~180 cubic feet loose to equal 128 cubic feet stacked.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the loose volume in cubic feet (or dump trailer dimensions).
- View the equivalent true stacked cords.
- Check estimated loads for 8-foot and 6.5-foot pickup truck beds.
- Verify delivery volume against legal weights and measures consumer standards.
Loose to Stacked Conversion Formula
\text{Stacked Cords} = \frac{\text{Loose Cubic Feet}}{180}The standard US Forest Service and State Weights & Measures expansion ratio for 16-inch split firewood is 1.40× (128 cu ft stacked = 180 cu ft loose thrown).
Worked Example
Scenario: A supplier delivers a hydraulic dump trailer measuring 12 ft long, 6 ft wide, and 3 ft deep, filled loose with split firewood.
Dump trailer volume: 12 × 6 × 3 = 216 cubic feet loose.
Divide by loose cord factor: 216 ÷ 180 = 1.20 stacked cords.
Stacked equivalent: 1.20 × 128 cu ft = 153.6 cu ft when stacked.
Tips & Key Notes
- In many states, selling firewood as a "truckload," "face cord," or "rack" is illegal unless the receipt states the equivalent in true 128 cu ft cords.
- Stack and measure your delivery immediately; if 180 cubic feet of thrown wood does not stack out to at least 120–128 cu ft, ask the seller for additional wood.
- Shorted deliveries are most common with thrown firewood; loose dumping masks gaps between crooked logs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a "thrown cord" of wood?
A thrown (or loose) cord is firewood dumped randomly into a truck or bin without stacking. Because of irregular air gaps, it takes approximately 180 cubic feet of thrown wood to yield one 128 cubic foot stacked cord.
How much firewood fits in an 8-foot pickup truck bed?
An 8-foot long bed filled level with the bed rails holds about 70 to 75 cubic feet of loose wood, which equals approximately 0.40 to 0.45 of a stacked cord. If rounded up high, it holds about 0.5 to 0.6 cord.
How much firewood fits in a 6.5-foot short bed truck?
A 6.5-foot short bed holds about 50 to 55 cubic feet of loose firewood (level), which equals approximately 0.30 of a stacked cord (roughly 1 face cord).
Why does stacked wood take up less space than loose wood?
When logs are stacked parallel, the flat split surfaces nest closely together. Tumbled wood creates large random air pockets that increase volume by 40% to 50%.
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