Everyday

Cord of Wood Calculator

Calculate how many cords of firewood you need for heating season, or convert between full cords, face cords, and cubic feet.

cord-of-wood
Firewood needed
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Full cords—
Equivalent face cords—
Heating BTUs needed (est)—
Species BTU/cord—
NoteAdd 20–25% buffer for cold snaps

Understanding firewood measurements

If you've ever bought firewood, you've probably noticed that the unit system can be confusing. "Cord," "face cord," "rick," "run," and "half cord" are all thrown around by sellers, sometimes inconsistently. Understanding these terms helps you avoid getting far less wood than you paid for.

The only legally standardized unit in most US states is the full cord: a stack of wood 4 feet wide, 4 feet tall, and 8 feet long, totaling 128 cubic feet of stacked space. Within that space, actual wood makes up roughly 80 cubic feet — the rest is air between the logs.

A face cord (also called a rick) is the same 8 feet long and 4 feet tall, but only as deep as the log length — usually 16 inches. Since 16 inches is one-third of 4 feet, a face cord is approximately one-third of a full cord. Some sellers use 12-inch or 24-inch logs, changing this ratio significantly.

When buying firewood, always confirm the actual dimensions, specify log length, and compare the price per full cord equivalent. If someone offers a "cord" at an unusually low price, ask if they mean a full cord or just a face cord.

Cord volume formulas

Full cord volume: 4 ft × 4 ft × 8 ft = 128 cubic feet Face cord (16-inch logs): 4 ft × 1.33 ft × 8 ft ≈ 42.7 cubic feet ≈ 1/3 cord Heating estimate: BTU needed = Home size (SF) × BTU/SF/hr × heating hours × use factor Cords needed = BTU needed ÷ (Species BTU/cord × stove efficiency) Unit conversions: 1 full cord = 128 cu ft = 3.625 m³ 1 cord ≈ 3 face cords (at 16-inch log length)

Cord and firewood unit reference

UnitDimensionsCu FtFull cords
Full cord4 × 4 × 8 ft1281.00
Face cord (16" logs)4 × 8 × 1.33 ft42.70.33
Half cord4 × 4 × 4 ft640.50
Quarter cord4 × 4 × 2 ft320.25

Frequently asked questions

  • A full cord of wood measures 4 feet × 4 feet × 8 feet, totaling 128 cubic feet of space. However, because logs are irregular, the actual solid wood volume is only about 80–90 cubic feet — the rest is air space. A cord is the legal standard unit for firewood in most US states.
  • A full cord is 4×4×8 feet (128 cubic feet) of stacked wood. A face cord (also called a rick) is the same 8 feet long and 4 feet tall, but only as deep as the log length — typically 16 inches (one-third of a cord). So a face cord is roughly one-third of a full cord. Be careful when buying — sellers sometimes say "cord" when they mean "face cord."
  • This varies significantly by climate, home size, insulation, and how much you rely on wood heat. In a cold climate (heating zone 5 or colder), a well-insulated 1,500 sq ft home using wood as the primary heat source typically needs 3–5 full cords per season. Milder climates may need only 1–2 cords for supplemental heat. This calculator estimates based on your inputs.
  • A rick is an informal, non-standardized term for a stack of firewood. It often refers to a face cord — a stack 8 feet long, 4 feet tall, with logs cut to 16 inches. However, "rick" definitions vary by region. In some areas it refers to a stack of any size. When buying a rick, always confirm the dimensions and compare to a full cord.
  • Cord prices vary widely by region, wood type, and whether it is green (freshly cut) or seasoned (dried). In the United States, prices typically range from $150 to $400+ per full cord. Hardwood (oak, hickory, ash) costs more than softwood (pine, fir) but produces more heat per cord and burns longer. Prices are generally higher in urban areas and lower in rural forested regions.
  • BTU content varies by wood species and moisture content. Well-seasoned hardwoods like oak, hickory, and ash produce 22–30 million BTUs per cord. Softer hardwoods like maple and birch produce 18–22 million BTUs. Softwoods like pine and fir produce 14–18 million BTUs but ignite more easily. Moisture content has a huge effect — green wood can produce 30–50% fewer usable BTUs than properly seasoned wood.
  • If burning 2 fires per day averaging 3 hours each, with normal wood stove efficiency, a cord might last 6–8 weeks in winter. If wood is your primary heat source, you might burn through a cord in 4–5 weeks during cold months. Supplemental wood burning (evenings only) can stretch a cord to 2–3 months. Your stove's efficiency and the wood species both have a major impact.
  • Stack logs as tightly as possible in a row 4 feet tall and 8 feet long. The depth is one log length. Measure the total: 4 × 8 × (log length in feet) = cubic feet. Divide by 128 to find the fraction of a cord. Loose, rounded, or poorly stacked wood will have more air gaps and less actual wood per nominal cord.
  • The best firewood hardwoods are oak, hickory, ash, and osage orange — they are dense, burn hot and long, and produce excellent coals. Maple, birch, and beech are also very good. Softwoods like pine and fir light easily and work well for kindling or shoulder-season use but burn faster and leave more creosote in chimneys. Always use properly seasoned (12–24 months dried) firewood regardless of species.