Firewood (Cord of Wood)

How Firewood Cord Quantity Is Calculated

A standard cord is a fixed amount of stacked firewood: 128 cubic feet, typically a stack 4 feet tall, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long. Enter your stacked woodpile’s dimensions, and this calculator finds how many cords it holds, plus an optional cost estimate.

Key Factors to Consider

The 128-cubic-foot definition is a fixed standard, but a few real-world factors affect how accurately this calculator’s result matches what you actually have or need:

• A “face cord” is not the same as a full cord, and the difference is a common source of confusion when buying firewood. A face cord is only as deep as the individual logs (often 16 or 24 inches, not the full 4-foot depth of a standard cord) — so a “face cord” can be roughly a third to half the wood of a full cord, even though it’s stacked 4 feet tall by 8 feet long just like a real cord. Always confirm which one a seller means before comparing prices.
• How tightly the wood is stacked affects the real wood volume inside the measured space. A neatly stacked pile with logs of similar size packs more actual wood (and less air gap) into the same measured dimensions than a loose, jumbled pile — this calculator measures the space the pile occupies, not the solid wood volume inside it.
• Wood species changes heat output per cord, even at the same volume. Dense hardwoods (oak, hickory, maple) deliver significantly more heat per cord than lighter softwoods (pine, spruce), so the cheapest price per cord isn’t always the best value if it comes from a lower-density species.
• Freshly cut (“green”) wood loses volume as it dries. A pile measured right after cutting or splitting will shrink somewhat as it seasons over the following months, so a pile measured today may hold slightly fewer cords’ worth of dry, burn-ready wood once fully seasoned.

Interpreting Your Results

The cord figure this calculator returns describes the space your pile occupies, not a certification of exactly how much burnable wood is inside it — stacking tightness and wood species (see Key Factors above) both affect how that translates into actual usable firewood.

Useful to Know

Only burn wood that’s been properly seasoned (dried), not freshly cut “green” wood. Green or wet firewood burns less efficiently, produces significantly more smoke, and deposits more creosote inside a chimney or flue — a buildup that raises the risk of a chimney fire over time. Firewood typically needs to season for six months to a year (species-dependent) before it’s dry enough to burn safely and efficiently; well-seasoned wood is generally lighter, has visible cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when two pieces are knocked together, rather than a dull thud.

The Formula

$$\vB{\text{Cubic Feet}} = \vA{L \times H \times D}$$ $$\vC{\text{Cords}} = \frac{\vB{\text{Cubic Feet}}}{128}$$

where $L$, $H$, and $D$ are the stack’s length, height, and depth, in feet.

Worked Example

A stack measuring 10 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft:

1. $\vB{\text{Cubic Feet}} = \vA{10 \times 4 \times 4} = \vB{160}$.
2. $\vC{\text{Cords}} = \frac{160}{128} = \vC{1.25}$ cords.