Firewood Calculator
Cords, face cords, and cost from stack dimensions.
What it does
Firewood trades by the cord, a stacked volume of 128 cubic feet, classically eight feet long, four high, and four deep. Face cords slice that depth to one row of sixteen to twenty four inch logs, holding roughly a third of a full cord.
The tool above takes stack dimensions in feet. It returns full cords, percent of a cord, stacked cubic meters, and cost at your cord price.
Stacked volume includes air by design. A true cord holds about 85 cubic feet of actual wood with the rest air between rounds, which is why tight stacking heats better than loose piles.
Moisture decides heat more than species rankings. Fresh cut wood near fifty percent moisture wastes energy boiling water up the flue, while seasoned wood under twenty percent burns hot and clean.
How to use
- Measure the stack length, height, and depth in feet.
- Read cords for pricing and face cords for delivery talk.
- Check moisture with a meter before paying premium prices.
- Stack off the ground with cover on top, open sides.
Formula
- 128 ft3
- One full cord stacked: 8 x 4 x 4.
- 42.67 ft3
- One face cord at 16 inch depth: 8 x 4 x 1.33.
- 35.3147
- Cubic feet per cubic meter.
State laws define cord fractions for sales, and many require sellers to state full cord equivalents. Face cord, rick, and rank vary locally, so convert to full cords before comparing prices.
Worked example
Example: 8 x 4 x 4 ft stack at $250 per cord
Classic full cord stack, seasoned oak price.
- Volume: 8 x 4 x 4 = 128 ft3.
- Cords: 128 / 128 = 1 cord.
- Share: 100% of a full cord.
- Metric: 128 / 35.3147 = 3.62 m3 stacked.
- Cost: 1 x $250 = $250.00 delivered or not per local terms.
Reference table
| Stack | Volume | Cords |
|---|---|---|
| 8 x 4 x 16 in (face) | 42.67 ft3 | 0.33 |
| 8 x 4 x 2 ft | 64 ft3 | 0.50 |
| 8 x 4 x 4 ft | 128 ft3 | 1.00 |
| 16 x 4 x 4 ft | 256 ft3 | 2.00 |
Limits
- Stacked volume assumed. Loose thrown piles measure differently.
- Species and moisture excluded from volume math.
- Local face cord definitions vary.
- Delivery stacking and fees sit outside cord price.
Common mistakes
- Paying full cord price for face cord quantities.
- Buying green wood at seasoned prices.
- Skipping the moisture meter check.
- Stacking tight against the house inviting pests.
- Comparing prices across different depths without converting.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Stack 8 x 4 x 2 ft. Cords?
64 / 128 = 0.50 cords, a half cord.
Two face cords at 16 in depth equal?
2 x 42.67 = 85.33 ft3, which is 0.67 cords.
Questions
What is a cord of wood?
128 cubic feet stacked: 8 ft long, 4 ft high, 4 ft deep, including air gaps.
What is a face cord?
One row deep of a full cord face: 8 by 4 ft at 16 to 24 in depth, roughly a third.
How much does a cord weigh?
Two to three tons green, less seasoned. Oak runs heaviest, pine lightest.
How long does a cord last?
One to three months of evening fires, weeks as primary heat in cold climates.
What moisture burns best?
Under 20%. Meters read the fresh split face, not old ends.
Is a rick the same as a face cord?
Usually yes regionally, but definitions vary. Convert to full cords to compare.