A cord of wood is a stack 4 ft high, 4 ft deep and 8 ft long: 128 cubic feet. To calculate cords, multiply length × height × depth in feet and divide by 128. The 128 ft³ definition comes from NIST Handbook 130, the national model regulation for the method of sale of commodities, and it counts wood "ranked and well stowed", meaning neatly stacked in rows.
It is for anyone buying, selling or stacking firewood. Enter the stack's length, height and depth (and the piece length if you were quoted a face cord); it returns full cords, cubic feet and cubic meters, the face-cord count, an estimated weight by species, and the price per full cord so you can compare quotes.
How to use this calculator
- Measure the stack's length and height. For a stack between posts, measure the inside distance.
- Measure the depth from front to back. For a single row this is the piece length.
- Enter the piece length to get the face cord count.
- Pick a species and whether it is green or air-dried for a weight estimate.
- Optionally enter the price you were quoted to see the price per full cord.
What are the measurements on a cord of wood?
NIST Handbook 130 §2.4.1.2 defines a cord as "the amount of wood that is contained in a space of 128 ft³ when the wood is ranked and well stowed", and §2.4.3 says firewood shall be sold only by the cord and fractional parts of a cord, or the cubic meter. Any shape works as long as the volume is 128 ft³; 4 × 4 × 8 ft is just the classic stack.
| Amount | Cubic feet | Cubic meters | Example stack (H × D × L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 full cord | 128 ft³ | 3.625 m³ | 4 × 4 × 8 ft |
| 1/2 cord | 64 ft³ | 1.812 m³ | 4 × 2 × 8 ft or 4 × 4 × 4 ft |
| 1/4 cord | 32 ft³ | 0.906 m³ | 4 × 1 × 8 ft or 4 × 2 × 4 ft |
| 1/8 cord | 16 ft³ | 0.453 m³ | 2 × 1 × 8 ft |
State law can add detail. Minnesota's statute (§239.33, as summarized by the Minnesota Department of Commerce) defines a cord as 128 ft³ in four-foot lengths, but 110 ft³ ranked or 160 ft³ thrown loosely for sawed wood, and 120 ft³ ranked or 175 ft³ loose for sawed and split wood. Check your state's weights and measures office if a delivery looks short.
Face cord and rick: how many in a cord?
A face cord (also called a rick or short cord) is 4 ft high and 8 ft long but only as deep as the pieces are long, so its size depends on piece length. NIST Handbook 130 §2.4.4 says the terms "face cord", "rack", "pile" and "truckload" shall not be used when selling firewood, and Minnesota says words like face cord, rick and fireplace cord have no legal definition. If a seller quotes a face cord, ask for the dimensions and convert:
| Piece length | Face cord volume | Share of a full cord | Face cords per cord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 in | 32 ft³ | 0.25 | 4 |
| 14 in | 37.3 ft³ | 0.292 | 3.43 |
| 16 in | 42.7 ft³ | 0.333 | 3 |
| 18 in | 48 ft³ | 0.375 | 2.67 |
| 20 in | 53.3 ft³ | 0.417 | 2.4 |
| 24 in | 64 ft³ | 0.5 | 2 |
Cords in common stack sizes
Neatly stacked volumes for common woodpile and rack sizes; the last column assumes 16-inch pieces:
| Length × height × depth | Cubic feet | Cords | Face cords (16 in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft × 4 ft × 4 ft | 128 | 1 | 3 |
| 16 ft × 4 ft × 4 ft | 256 | 2 | 6 |
| 24 ft × 4 ft × 4 ft | 384 | 3 | 9 |
| 8 ft × 4 ft × 16 in | 42.7 | 0.333 | 1 |
| 16 ft × 4 ft × 16 in | 85.3 | 0.667 | 2 |
| 20 ft × 4 ft × 16 in | 106.7 | 0.833 | 2.5 |
| 10 ft × 5 ft × 16 in | 66.7 | 0.521 | 1.56 |
| 12 ft × 6 ft × 18 in | 108 | 0.844 | 2.53 |
| 30 ft × 4 ft × 16 in | 160 | 1.25 | 3.75 |
How much does a cord of wood weigh?
Weight depends on species and moisture. Utah State University Extension's Wood Heating guide lists these weights per cord; green means freshly cut, and dry means after air drying. It notes green firewood may contain 50% or more water by weight. Treat these as estimates: how tightly the stack is packed changes the real weight.
| Species | Green lb/cord | Air-dried lb/cord | Dry kg/cord | Million BTU per dry cord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak, white | 5,573 | 4,200 | 1,905 | 29.1 |
| Oak, red | 4,888 | 3,528 | 1,600 | 24.6 |
| Oak, bur | 4,960 | 3,768 | 1,709 | 26.2 |
| Locust, black | 4,616 | 4,016 | 1,822 | 27.9 |
| Osage-orange | 5,120 | 4,728 | 2,145 | 32.9 |
| Maple, other (not silver) | 4,685 | 3,680 | 1,669 | 25.5 |
| Maple, silver | 3,904 | 2,752 | 1,248 | 19 |
| Ash, white | 3,952 | 3,472 | 1,575 | 24.2 |
| Ash, green | 4,184 | 2,880 | 1,306 | 20 |
| Honeylocust | 4,640 | 3,832 | 1,738 | 26.7 |
| Apple | 4,850 | 3,888 | 1,764 | 27 |
| Mulberry | 4,712 | 3,712 | 1,684 | 25.8 |
| Walnut, black | 4,584 | 3,192 | 1,448 | 22.2 |
| Birch | 4,312 | 2,992 | 1,357 | 20.8 |
| Cherry | 3,696 | 2,928 | 1,328 | 20.4 |
| Elm, American | 4,456 | 2,872 | 1,303 | 20 |
| Sycamore | 5,096 | 2,808 | 1,274 | 19.5 |
| Cottonwood | 4,640 | 2,272 | 1,031 | 15.8 |
| Basswood (linden) | 4,404 | 1,984 | 900 | 13.8 |
| Douglas-fir | 3,319 | 2,970 | 1,347 | 20.7 |
| Pine, ponderosa | 3,600 | 2,336 | 1,060 | 16.2 |
| Spruce | 2,800 | 2,240 | 1,016 | 15.5 |
A cord of seasoned hardwood in this table weighs 1,984–4,728 lb. Oak is 3,528–4,200 lb dry; check your truck or trailer payload rating before hauling a full cord.
Loose piles and truckloads
The 128 ft³ cord assumes wood that is ranked and well stowed. Thrown wood holds much more air, so the same amount of wood takes up more space. Minnesota puts numbers on it: sawed wood thrown loosely into a truck is a cord at 160 ft³, and sawed and split wood at 175 ft³. Other states may not have a loose rule, so treat these as a guide and stack the load to measure it properly. The calculator's How the wood is piled setting converts a loose volume into a stacked-cord equivalent.
| Loose pile | Cords if split | Cords if unsplit | Same volume stacked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64 ft³ | 0.37 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| 100 ft³ | 0.57 | 0.63 | 0.78 |
| 128 ft³ | 0.73 | 0.8 | 1 |
| 175 ft³ | 1 | 1.09 | 1.37 |
| 250 ft³ | 1.43 | 1.56 | 1.95 |
| 350 ft³ | 2 | 2.19 | 2.73 |
For a pickup, Utah State University Extension estimates a full-size truck with a standard bed holds about half a cord (64 ft³) when the wood is loaded level with the top of the bed. Thrown in loose, the same bed holds noticeably less: 64 ft³ of loose split wood is only 0.37 cord by Minnesota's ratio. If a seller quotes by the truckload, ask whether the wood is stacked in the bed or thrown.
Heat per cord compared with other fuels
A cord is a volume, but what you are really buying is heat. Utah State's table gives the heat in a dry cord of each species. The U.S. Energy Information Administration converts fuels to British thermal units: 138,500 Btu per gallon of heating oil, 1,036 Btu per cubic foot of natural gas and 3,412 Btu per kilowatthour of electricity. The EIA's general figure is 20 million Btu per cord. These are fuel-energy equivalents. Stoves, furnaces and heat pumps deliver different shares of that energy to the room, so don't read the table as a heating-bill comparison.
| Species | Million BTU | Heating oil (gal) | Natural gas (ft³) | Electricity (kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osage-orange | 32.9 | 238 | 31,757 | 9,642 |
| Oak, white | 29.1 | 210 | 28,089 | 8,529 |
| Locust, black | 27.9 | 201 | 26,931 | 8,177 |
| Oak, red | 24.6 | 178 | 23,745 | 7,210 |
| Maple, other (not silver) | 25.5 | 184 | 24,614 | 7,474 |
| Ash, white | 24.2 | 175 | 23,359 | 7,093 |
| Birch | 20.8 | 150 | 20,077 | 6,096 |
| Douglas-fir | 20.7 | 149 | 19,981 | 6,067 |
| Pine, ponderosa | 16.2 | 117 | 15,637 | 4,748 |
| Cottonwood | 15.8 | 114 | 15,251 | 4,631 |
Comparing quotes by price per million BTU
Two sellers: red oak at $300 a cord and cottonwood at $220. Divide each price by the heat per cord. Oak is 300 ÷ 24.6 = $12.2 per million BTU; cottonwood is 220 ÷ 15.8 = $13.92. The cheaper cord is the more expensive heat. Enter a price and choose air-dried wood, and the calculator shows this figure for any species.
Is it seasoned? Moisture and drying
The weights and heat values above assume air-dried wood. The EPA's Burn Wise program says wood burns best at a moisture content of less than 20 percent and should be seasoned for at least six months. It recommends testing with a wood moisture meter before burning, and storing wood outdoors and off the ground with only the top covered, because covering the sides traps moisture. Its quick checks: seasoned wood is darker, weighs less and sounds hollow when knocked against another piece. Switch the widget between green and air-dried to see how much extra weight fresh wood carries as water.
Worked examples
A 20 ft row of 16-inch wood stacked 4 ft high
20 × 4 × 16/12 = 106.7 ft³ ÷ 128 = 0.833 cords, or 2.5 face cords of 16-inch wood.
Two rows of 18-inch wood, 24 ft long and 5 ft high
Depth is 2 × 18 in = 36 in (3 ft). 24 × 5 × 3 = 360 ft³ = 2.813 cords. One row alone is 180 ft³, 1.406 cords.
Is $150 for a 16 × 4 ft rick of 16-inch wood a good price?
85.3 ft³ is 0.667 cord, so $150 works out to $225 per full cord. Compare that with sellers who quote by the cord.
Common mistakes
- Counting a face cord as a cord. Three face cords of 16-inch wood make one cord. Always convert to cubic feet.
- Measuring a loosely thrown pile. The cord is defined for stacked wood. Loose piles contain more air and less wood.
- Mixing inches and feet. A 16-inch depth is 1.33 ft, not 16 ft. The calculator has a unit picker on every field.
- Ignoring moisture. Green wood weighs far more and burns poorly; buy seasoned wood or let it dry.
- Accepting a truckload quote. NIST Handbook 130 also requires a delivery ticket or sales invoice for non-packaged firewood.
For a woodshed or bin volume, use the cubic feet calculator; for lumber to build a rack, the linear feet calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What are the measurements of a cord of wood?
A cord is 4 ft high × 4 ft deep × 8 ft long, which is 128 cubic feet (3.62 m³) of wood stacked tightly. NIST Handbook 130 defines it as the wood contained in 128 ft³ when "ranked and well stowed": pieces in rows, touching, parallel and compactly stacked.
How do you calculate a cord of wood?
Measure the stack's length, height and depth in feet, multiply them to get cubic feet, and divide by 128. For example, a stack 16 ft long, 4 ft high and 2 ft deep is 128 ft³: exactly one cord.
What is a face cord of wood?
A stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long but only one piece length deep. With 16-inch pieces that is 42.7 ft³, a third of a cord; with 12-inch pieces it is 32 ft³, a quarter. NIST Handbook 130 §2.4.4 says "face cord", "rack", "pile" and "truckload" shall not be used to sell firewood, and Minnesota lists "rick" among terms with no legal definition. University of Kentucky Forestry Extension notes a rick is often regarded as one third of a cord, but regional differences occur — so ask for the dimensions and convert to cubic feet.
How many face cords are in a cord?
It depends on piece length: 128 ÷ (32 × piece length in feet). That is 4 face cords of 12-inch wood, 3 of 16-inch, 2.67 of 18-inch and 2 of 24-inch wood.
How much does a cord of hardwood weigh?
In Utah State University Extension's table, a cord of air-dried hardwood weighs about 1,984–4,728 lb depending on species, and green (fresh-cut) hardwood 3,696–5,573 lb. Oak runs 3,528–4,200 lb dry and 4,888–5,573 lb green (white oak 4,200 lb dry). Softwoods such as spruce and ponderosa pine are much lighter, and so is their heat per cord.
How much is half a cord of wood?
Half a cord is 64 ft³, for example 4 ft high × 8 ft long × 2 ft deep, or 4 × 4 × 4 ft. A quarter cord is 32 ft³ and an eighth of a cord 16 ft³. NIST Handbook 130 requires wood sold in packages smaller than 1/8 cord (16 ft³) to be labeled in liters or cubic feet.
How much wood fits in a pickup truck?
Utah State University Extension estimates a full-size pickup with a standard bed holds about half a cord (64 ft³) when loaded level with the top of the bed. Small pickups and loosely thrown loads hold much less, which is why the pickup load is not a legal unit.
How many cords are in a loose pile or truckload?
Minnesota's statute counts 175 ft³ of sawed and split wood thrown loosely into a truck as one cord, and 160 ft³ of unsplit sawed wood. A loose 175 ft³ pile is therefore about as much wood as a 128 ft³ stack. Pick "Thrown loose" in the calculator to get the stacked equivalent.
Which firewood gives the most heat per cord?
In Utah State University Extension's table, Osage-orange tops the list at 32.9 million BTU per dry cord, followed by white oak (29.1) and black locust (27.9). Cottonwood gives 15.8 and basswood 13.8, roughly half as much heat from the same stack.
How long does firewood need to season?
The EPA's Burn Wise program says to season wood for at least six months and that wood burns best at a moisture content under 20 percent. Test with a wood moisture meter. Seasoned wood is darker, lighter and sounds hollow when two pieces are knocked together.
How much heating oil is a cord of wood equal to?
Using the EIA's 138,500 Btu per gallon of heating oil, a dry cord of red oak (24.6 million BTU) holds as much heat as about 178 gallons. That compares fuel energy only; how much reaches your room depends on the stove or furnace.
Is a cord of wood all solid wood?
No. The 128 ft³ includes bark and air gaps. University of Kentucky Forestry Extension says a cord contains approximately 85 ft³ of wood; crooked, small or unsplit pieces stack with more air.
Sources & method
- NIST Handbook 130 (2023), Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale of Commodities §2.4 Fireplace and Stove Wood — cord = 128 ft³ ranked and well stowed; prohibition of "face cord", "rack", "pile", "truckload"
- Minnesota Department of Commerce, Weights and Measures — Firewood (Minn. Stat. §239.33 cord definitions)
- Utah State University Extension, Wood Heating (Kuhns & Schmidt) — Table 1 firewood weights per cord and heat, face cord and pickup load volumes
- University of Kentucky Forestry Extension — Measuring & Stacking Firewood (face cord, rick, ~85 ft³ of solid wood per cord)
- U.S. EPA Burn Wise — Best wood-burning practices (moisture under 20%, season at least six months)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — British thermal units (Btu): heat content of fuels
- NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C — foot, inch and cubic foot definitions
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.