A cord of wood is a stacked pile of firewood that measures 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long, for a total of 128 cubic feet. A face cord, often called a rick, has the same 4-by-8-foot face but is only one log deep, so with 16-inch logs, it holds about one-third of a cord.
Knowing the difference is what lets you plan a winter of fires with confidence. Here is the short version:
- A full cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood.
- A rick of wood cut to 16 inches is about 43 cubic feet.
- Three 16-inch ricks make one cord.
- A seasoned hardwood cord weighs about 2,900 to 4,300 pounds.
- Wood as your main heat source needs about 1 to 2 cords per 1,000 square feet per season.
What Is a Cord of Wood?
A cord of wood is the standard unit for buying and selling firewood in the US. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) sets it at 128 cubic feet of wood, bark, and air space in a tight, orderly stack that’s 8 feet long, 4 feet tall, and 4 feet deep. A face cord or “rick” keeps that same length and height but holds just a single row of logs, adding up to only a fraction of a full cord.
How the wood is stacked matters as much as how much there is. Wood tossed loosely into a truck bed is mostly air. Wood stacked tightly gives you the full amount you paid for.
Cord of Wood Dimensions and Cubic Feet
Most people picture a cord as a neat stack 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long. But what makes it a cord is the amount of wood, not the shape. Any tightly stacked pile that adds up to 128 cubic feet counts, whether it’s a long, low row along a garden wall or a tall, square stack in the yard.
To find out how much wood is in a cord you already have on hand, use this formula:
Length × Height × Depth (in feet) ÷ 128 = Cords
For example: Let’s say your stack runs 12 feet long and stands 4 feet high, one row of 16-inch logs deep (1.33 feet). Multiply 12 × 4 × 1.33, and you get 64 cubic feet. Divide by 128, and you have 0.5, or half a cord.
What a Cord Looks Like at Home
If you have ever loaded firewood into a pickup, you may have a useful reference point. A full-size pickup with a standard bed holds about half a cord when the wood sits level with the top of the bed. A full cord is roughly two of those loads, and it will not fit in a half-ton pickup even when stacked well.
Face Cord vs Full Cord vs Rick
A face cord of wood and a rick of wood mean the same thing in most of the US: a stack 4 feet high and 8 feet long, and one log deep. A full cord is 4 feet deep, so with 16-inch logs it holds three rows, whereas a face cord only holds one. A face cord has no fixed depth, so its volume is dependent on the length of the logs.
FYI: Rick is an old word for a stack, and in some regions you will hear “rank” instead.
Face Cord Size by Log Length
Because a face cord is a single row, longer logs mean a deeper, fuller stack. A face cord of 12-inch logs is a quarter cord. A face cord of 24-inch firewood, cut for generous fireplaces and open fire pits, is a half cord.
Use this table to read any face cord quote:
| Log length | Face cord volume | Fraction of a full cord | Face cords per cord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 inches | 32 cubic ft | 1/4 | 4 |
| 16 inches | About 43 cubic ft | 1/3 | 3 |
| 18 inches | 48 cubic ft | 3/8 | About 2.7 |
| 24 inches | 64 cubic ft | 1/2 | 2 |
Common Firewood Measurements Compared
Firewood isn’t always sold by the full cord. Many sellers offer smaller amounts, and the names can be confusing. This chart shows how each common measurement compares to a full cord, so you can tell exactly how much wood you’re getting.
| Measurement | Dimensions (H × D × L) | Volume | Share of a full cord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full cord | 4 ft × 4 ft × 8 ft | 128 cubic ft | 100% |
| Half cord | 4 ft × 2 ft × 8 ft | 64 cubic ft | 50% |
| Face cord or rick (16-inch logs) | 4 ft × 1.3 ft × 8 ft | About 43 cubic ft | About 33% |
| Half face cord (16-inch logs) | 4 ft x 1.3 ft x 4 ft | About 21 cubic ft | About 16.67% |
| Quarter cord | 4 ft × 1 ft × 8 ft | 32 cubic ft | 25% |
| Pickup load (full-size, level with the bed) | Varies | About 64 cubic ft | About 50% |
Some of these sizes overlap, depending on how long the logs are. A face cord of 24-inch logs holds the same amount as a half cord, and a face cord of 12-inch logs matches a quarter cord. That’s why it’s worth asking any seller for the log length before you compare prices.
How Much Does a Cord of Wood Weigh?
A cord of firewood weighs about 2,900 to 4,300 pounds, depending on species. Here is what each weighs (on average) per full cord or face cord, and the heat it gives off per cord:
| Species | Dry weight per cord (lb) | Face cord, 16-inch logs (lb) | Heat per cord (million BTU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 4,327 | About 1,440 | 27.7 |
| Oak, white | 4,200 | About 1,400 | 29.1 |
| Oak, red | 3,528 | About 1,180 | 24.6 |
| Apple | 3,888 | About 1,300 | 27.0 |
| Maple | 3,680 | About 1,230 | 25.5 |
| Juniper | 3,150 | About 1,050 | 21.8 |
| Piñon | 3,000 | About 1,000 | 27.1 |
| Cherry | 2,928 | About 980 | 20.4 |
Sources: Utah State University Extension; Hickory from Whiskey River Art & Trading
The weight of your cord of wood directly impacts the density of your fire. For example, a cord of Hickory carries noticeably more heat than a cord of Cherry stacked to the very same size.
The amount of water in firewood also causes variation in the weight of a cord. Green wood (freshly cut wood) is heavy, and that weight adds nothing to the fire. A green cord of red oak is around 4,888 pounds, compared to 3,528 pounds once air-dried. That is roughly 1,360 pounds of water your fire has to boil away before it can settle into a clean, steady burn.
For a long-lasting fire, Cutting Edge Firewood is kiln-dried for 48 hours, leaving a water content of around 5% in each log. For comparison, other kiln-dried firewood typically sits at around 15-20%, and freshly cut wood is about 50%. Our firewood burns hotter and longer than any other, keeping your fires going all season long.
How Much Firewood Do You Need for a Winter?
If wood is your main heat source, a reliable rule of thumb is about 1 to 2 cords per 1,000 square feet for the season. For a 1,500-square-foot home, that works out to about 1.5 to 3 cords. For 2,000 square feet, it’s about 2 to 4 cords.
Where you land depends on your winters, your insulation, and your stove. Homes in milder Southern climates sit at the low end. And if your fireplace is less about heating the house and more about creating a welcoming environment, you will need far less.
| How you burn | Estimated wood per season |
|---|---|
| Ambiance fires, 2 to 3 a week | About one rack |
| Wood stove as main heat | About 1 to 2 cords per 1,000 sq ft |
To translate cords into an order, remember that one cord equals three face cords of 16-inch logs. For reference, Cutting Edge Firewood’s standard boxes and racks will contain logs of this size.
Another easy way to see how much firewood you need is to keep track of your own fireplace. Keep a tally this season, noting how much you burn each month. Then, next fall you will order with certainty. Whatever you bring home, keep it off the ground and covered on top so every piece stays dry and ready.
How Much Does a Cord of Wood Cost?
The cost of a cord of wood depends on species, dryness, region, and whether delivery and stacking are part of the service.
The one thing that will be the same: the smaller the amount you buy, the more you pay for each piece of wood.
Sellers quote different amounts, which makes prices hard to compare side by side. The easiest fix is to work out what each quote would cost for a full cord:
| If you’re quoted a price for... | Multiply that price by... |
|---|---|
| A face cord or rick of 16-inch logs | 3 |
| A face cord of 12-inch logs, or a quarter cord | 4 |
| A face cord of 24-inch logs, or a half cord | 2 |
If a seller uses a different unit, ask for the height, length, and depth of the stack, then use the formula above to see what share of a cord you’re getting.
How much is a rick of wood worth? That’s also hard to tell. A rick has no set size, so its price only makes sense once you know how long the logs are.
Before you buy, ask what the price includes. Delivery, stacking, and dry, ready-to-burn wood can make a slightly higher quote for a better value.
How to Make Sure You Get a Full Cord of Wood
Here are a few things to check to protect your order and your evenings:
- Get dimensions and log length in writing: Ask for height, length, depth, and log length before you pay. “A rick” or “a load” is not a specific measurement.
- Ask about moisture content: Ready-to-burn firewood should be no more than 10 to 20% moisture. Wetter wood hisses, smokes, and struggles to hold a flame.
- Stack and measure on delivery: Stack the wood tight, then run the formula above: length × height × depth ÷ 128.
- Get the volume in cords on the receipt: A receipt that reads “1 cord” or “1/3 cord” gives you something to measure against. One that reads “1 truckload” does not.
- Pass on heaped truckloads: A heaped bed looks generous, but loose wood is mostly air. Ask for a stacked measurement instead.
How Cutting Edge Firewood Sells It
When you are planning a season of fires, you deserve to know exactly what will arrive. Cutting Edge Firewood racks and boxes state their size and log length up front. Every piece is hand-selected, labeled by species, and kiln-dried for 48 hours at 250°F, so it arrives pest-free, mold-free, and lights with one match.
Choose the format that fits the way you burn:
Boxes for occasional fires
Boxes of 16-inch logs ship nationwide with complimentary shipping, ready for a weeknight fire or a weekend with guests. Shop firewood by amount to compare sizes.
Racks for regular fires
Our firewood racks stand 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide and hold a single row of 16, 24, or 30-inch logs, enough for 16 to 20 fires per rack. In metro Atlanta, our delivery artisans bring the rack to your home and stack it exactly where you want it. See firewood delivery in Atlanta.
The Ultimate Package for the season
This bulk package comes with five racks of 16-inch logs in the species you choose, plus two fire starter packages, with complimentary delivery or freight shipping across the continental US. It also comes in 24- and 30-inch versions. Shop the Ultimate Package.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is a cord of wood?
A cord of wood is a stacked pile of firewood that measures 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long, a total of 128 cubic feet. A face cord, often called a rick, has the same 4-by-8-foot face but is only one log deep, so with 16-inch logs it holds about one-third of a cord.
What is the difference between a face cord and a full cord?
A full cord is 4 feet deep and holds 128 cubic feet. A face cord has the same 4-by-8-foot face but is only one row of logs deep, so its volume depends on log length. With 16-inch logs, it holds about 43 cubic feet, one-third of a full cord; with 24-inch logs, it holds half.
How much does a cord of wood weigh?
A seasoned cord of common hardwood firewood weighs about 2,900 to 4,300 pounds. Cherry sits near the low end at about 2,900 pounds, red oak near 3,500, and white oak and Hickory at 4,200 to 4,300. Green, freshly cut wood weighs far more because of its water; a green cord of red oak weighs about 4,900 pounds.
How many ricks are in a cord?
Three ricks make one cord when the logs are 16 inches long, the most common cut. The count changes with log length because a rick is one log deep: four ricks of 12-inch logs make a cord, and two ricks of 24-inch logs make a cord. Always ask the seller for log length.
How much firewood do I need for a winter?
If wood is your main heat, plan on about 1 to 2 cords per 1,000 square feet for the season, a common rule of thumb for home wood heat. Homes in milder Southern climates usually land at the low end. Occasional fireplace fires a few nights a week need far less, often a fraction of a cord.
Is a cord of wood the same as a rick?
No. A cord is 128 cubic feet, stacked 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long. A rick is the same 4-by-8-foot face but only one log deep, so a rick of 16-inch logs is about one-third of a cord. A rick is a regional term with no fixed volume.
