Woodworking calculator
Firewood Cord Calculator
Firewood is sold by the cord, but stacks come in all shapes and the word cord gets used loosely, so it is easy to overpay. This calculator measures any stack and tells you how many cords it holds. Enter the length, height, and depth of the stack in feet, and it returns the volume and the fraction of a full cord, so you can check a delivery, price a load fairly, or plan how much wood you need for the season.
How it works
A full cord is a precise, legally defined volume in many places: a stack measuring 4 feet high by 4 feet deep by 8 feet long, which works out to 128 cubic feet of wood, air, and bark together. This calculator multiplies the three stack dimensions you enter to get the stacked volume in cubic feet, then divides by 128 to express the result as a number of cords. A stack of 64 cubic feet, for example, is exactly half a cord.
The confusion usually comes from the face cord, also called a rick. A face cord is a stack 4 feet high and 8 feet long, the same face as a full cord, but only as deep as the log length. Since firewood is commonly cut to 16 inches, a typical face cord is only about one third of a full cord. Always ask for the depth when buying a face cord, because a 16-inch face cord and a 24-inch face cord differ by fifty percent in actual wood.
Keep in mind that the 128 cubic feet measures stacked space, not solid wood. Loosely thrown wood, round logs, and crooked splits trap more air, so a neatly stacked cord contains more usable fuel than the same wood tossed into a truck bed. Measure the stack after it is stacked for the fairest comparison.
Worked example
A stack 8 ft long, 4 ft high, with 16 in logs (1.33 ft deep): (8 x 4 x 1.33) / 128 = 0.33 cords, i.e. one face cord, about a third of a full cord.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a full cord of firewood?
A full cord is a stack 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long, which equals 128 cubic feet of wood, air, and bark. Any stack with that total volume holds one full cord regardless of its exact shape.
What is the difference between a cord and a face cord?
A full cord is 128 cubic feet. A face cord, or rick, is 4 feet by 8 feet but only one log deep, so with 16-inch wood it is about one third of a full cord. Always ask the depth before buying a face cord.
Why does stacking tightness matter?
The cord measures stacked space, not solid wood. Loosely thrown or very round, crooked pieces trap more air, so a tightly stacked cord holds more usable fuel than the same wood tossed loose into a truck bed.
How do I measure an irregular pile?
Restack it into a tidy rectangular row first, then measure length, height, and depth. A loose pile dumped from a truck overstates its volume, so measuring it stacked gives the only fair comparison to a cord.
How many cords do I need for winter?
It depends on climate, home size, and how often you burn, but many wood-heat households use roughly two to five full cords per season. Track one winter of use to size your supply accurately for the next.
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Sources
These calculators are for planning and estimation. Engineering results (shelf sag, wood movement) use published average material properties; real boards vary by grade, grain, moisture and defects. Verify load-bearing designs with a professional.