This firewood calculator speaks the firewood trade’s own units: enter a stack’s dimensions and get its volume in full cords, face cords and cubic feet — or work backwards from the cords you want to the stack that holds them.

Stack Volume–
Full Cords–
Face Cords* (for this log length)–
Est. Weight (seasoned hardwood ~3,600 lb/cord)–

*A “face cord” is a 4 × 8 ft face of stacked wood — its volume in cords depends entirely on log length (16″ logs make a face cord exactly ⅓ cord). Sellers quoting face cords without a log length are quoting a surface, not a volume: convert with the depth you will actually receive.

The Cord, Defined by Law in Most States

A cord is 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked wood — classically a 4 × 4 × 8 ft rick — including bark and the air between pieces (solid wood content is roughly 70–90 ft³ of it). It is a volume, legally defined for firewood sales in most US jurisdictions, which is why “truckload,” “rack” and “pile” are red flags on a listing. Loose-thrown wood needs ~180 ft³ to equal a stacked cord. For bulk-material volumes generally, the Cubic Yard Calculator handles the soil-and-stone side of the yard. Part of our Construction Calculators collection of measurement tools.

Worked Examples (Verified)

  • The textbook cord: 8 ft long × 4 ft high × 48 in deep = 128 ft³ = 1.00 cord — the widget’s defaults
  • The common “face cord”: same 8 × 4 face but 16-inch logs: 42.7 ft³ = 0.33 cord — a pickup-bed rick, sold honestly only when the depth is stated
  • A winter’s supply: a 16 × 4 ft rack of 16-inch logs holds 2 face cords = 0.67 cord; supplementary-heat households burn 1–2 cords a season, primary-heat homes 3–5+ — measure your rack before the delivery, not during it
  • Weight reality: seasoned oak ≈ 3,600 lb/cord (green, 5,000+): a half-ton pickup carries about half a cord legally, whatever fits visually

Buying Without Getting Shorted

  • Pay on the stacked measure after you stack it (or measure the seller’s stack): the conversion happens at restack, and reputable sellers expect it.
  • “Seasoned” claims: true seasoning is 6–12 months to ≤20% moisture; a $15 moisture meter settles arguments better than thumping logs.
  • Species matters more than volume for heat: a cord of oak ≈ 24–28 MMBtu; a cord of pine ≈ 14–18 — the same 128 ft³ can be two-thirds the winter.
  • Stack depth honesty: this calculator’s depth field is log length — sellers quoting “4-foot face cords” with 12-inch logs are selling 0.25 cord per unit.

Related Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is a cord of wood?

128 cubic feet stacked — 4 ft × 4 ft × 8 ft in the classic rick, or any dimensions multiplying to 128 ft³ of stack (an 8 × 4 ft face four feet deep, as in the default example). Solid wood is ~70–90 ft³ of that; the rest is bark and air.

What is a face cord vs a full cord?

A face cord is a stack 4 ft high × 8 ft long, one log-length deep. At 16-inch logs it’s ⅓ of a cord (42.7 ft³); at 24 inches, ½ cord; at 48 inches, a full cord. Always convert by the actual log length — the face measurement alone says nothing about volume.

How much wood fits in a pickup truck?

A standard 8-ft bed (about 70 ft³ level-full) holds roughly half a cord loosely stacked, and a tightly stacked, slightly heaped bed approaches 0.55–0.6 cord — while the weight of green hardwood (up to ~2,800 lb for that half cord) may exceed the truck’s payload first.

How long does a cord last?

A weekend fireplace: a season or more. Evening fires all winter: 1–2 cords. Primary wood heat in a cold climate: 3–5 cords for an efficient stove in a modest home. All of it swings with species (oak vs pine ≈ 1.5× the heat per cord) and stove efficiency.

What does a cord weigh?

Seasoned: roughly 2,900–4,000 lb depending on species (oak at the top, pine near 2,100). Green wood can add 30–50%. Delivery vehicles and racks should be planned to the seasoned-hardwood figure, ~3,600 lb.

Is this firewood calculator free?

Yes — free, instant, no sign-up.