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Convert stacked firewood dimensions into cords, using the standard 4x4x8 foot cord definition.
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A "cord" is a precisely defined unit -- a stack measuring 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long, totaling 128 cubic feet -- but real firewood stacks rarely match those exact dimensions. This calculator converts whatever stack size you actually have into the equivalent cord measurement, a pure geometry conversion.
Enter your stack's length, width (depth of the stack), and height, all in feet.
Volume (cu ft) = Length × Width × Height
Cords = Volume ÷ 128
This is "stacked" volume, not solid wood volume -- gaps between logs mean a cord contains somewhat less than 128 cubic feet of actual solid wood (typically estimated around 80-90 cubic feet, varying by how tightly and evenly the wood is stacked).
For a different question -- how many cords you'll need for an entire heating season based on your home's size and climate -- see the Firewood Calculator instead, which uses a completely different, usage-based formula.
Measure the stack where it actually stands. Length is the run of the row, height is the top of the pile above the ground or base rails, and width is the depth of the stack, which for a single row equals the length of the logs. If your logs are cut to 16 inches, a single row has a width of about 1.33 ft. Measure the height at several points and use the average if the top is uneven or the pile is settling.
Hypothetical example: a single row of 16 inch logs stacked 8 ft long and 5 ft high. Width is 16 / 12 = 1.33 ft. Volume = 8 x 1.33 x 5 = 53.3 cu ft. Cords = 53.3 / 128 = 0.42. That is a little less than half of a full cord, or about 1.25 face cords if a face cord is 4 ft high by 8 ft long by 16 inches deep (42.7 cu ft).
When buying, ask what the quoted quantity means. If a seller delivers a pickup truck load, measure the bed and stack height. A load level with the top of a standard bed that is 8 ft long and 5 ft wide might be about 20 to 40 cu ft depending on how high it is loaded, well short of a cord. Enter the measured dimensions here to compare the real volume against the price, and you can quickly work out the cost per cord.
The most common error is entering inches as feet. Convert log length to feet before entering it. Another is measuring the width as the total footprint of a pile that consists of two rows rather than the combined depth of both rows, which is fine if the rows touch but not if there is a gap between them. Also remember that the result is the outside volume of the stack and not the amount of solid wood, so two people can measure the same cord and see different heat outputs depending on species and moisture.
A precisely defined volume: a stack 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long, totaling 128 cubic feet -- it's a legal and commercial standard unit in most US jurisdictions, distinct from informal terms like "truckload" or "rick."
A face cord (or "rick") is typically 4ft high x 8ft long but only as deep as the log length (often 16-18 inches) -- it's a fraction of a full cord's volume, and a common source of confusion/inconsistent selling practice, so always clarify which one you're buying or measuring.
Volume is 8 x 4 x 1.33 = 42.7 cu ft, which is one third of a cord, commonly called a face cord.
After. A dumped load has gaps that make it hard to measure, and stacking neatly gives a fair, repeatable volume.
No. Cords measure volume only. Dry wood gives more heat per cord than green wood, but the stack size is the same.
Yes, but enter the average length as the width, and expect a rougher result if the lengths vary a lot.