How Much is a Cord of Wood? (chord of wood)
In many areas a cord is the only legal firewood measurement. A cord of wood is 128 cubic feet of stacked firewood. Firewood that is stacked fits together more tightly so to make a full cord it is usually assumed that the wood is stacked. To get a full cord of loosely piled wood the volume will be more like 180 cubic feet depending on how loosely the pile is thrown together.
A cord of wood is based on the dimensions 4′ x 4′ x 8′ which adds up to 128 cubic feet. Many other dimensions can be used as long as they add up to 128 cubic feet. A full size 8′ pickup bed stacked to the top of the bed is about 1/2 cord. The bed of a standard long bed Ford F-250 measures out to slightly more than a cord if the wood is stacked even with the top of the bed. This includes factoring in the space taken up by the wheel wells.
More common cord of wood dimensions.
Cord vs Face Cord vs Rick
In some areas firewood is measured as a face cord or a rick. A face cord and a rick can mean different things depending on who you talk to but they are generally both the same thing. In most cases this would be any stack of wood that is 8 feet long and 4 feet high or any equivalent that would have a 32 square foot face.
The amount of wood in a rick or face cord will depend on how long the pieces are so these are not the most accurate firewood measurements. The standard length for firewood is often 16″ and a rick or face cord in that case would be 1/3 cord. If the pieces were 24″ long a rick or face cord would be 1/2 cord.
Without knowing the length of the pieces you won’t know how much wood you are getting when you order a rick or face cord. This is why some states like Oregon to require firewood measurements to be in cords or fractions of cords when selling firewood.
I have a man that wants to buy 10 ricks of firewood. Now I cut my wood in widths of 18 to 22 inches. So if my calculations are close the equivalent of 10 ricks would be 5 cords.
Trewolla, you are correct and also even if your giving him a little more with the 18 to 22 inches thats just good bussiness and he will be a good customer in return. I come from the south and we go by ricks and cords but I live in NY now and they go by Face cords up here and dont have a clue what Im talking about when I say rick. Its really confusing.
Trewolla, sorry but to correct my last comment. No for your cord I misread your comment. it would be 3 ricks at 16 inches long that make a full cord. with yours being 22 inches long you would have about a little more than 3/4 of a full cord.
I sell firewood and Im from the south and sell firewood by the rick. I cut my firewood 18-20 inches in width. I delivered a man a rick of firewood and he he said that it was not a full rick of firewood that the legal measurement of a rick of firewood is 8 foot long by 4 foot high and 24 inches long..What is the legal measurement of a rick of firewood? I have now started advertising my wood as a truck load of firewood that is 8′long x4′high x19″ in width.
There is no legal measurement of a rick of firewood that I am ware of. In many states the only legal measurement for firewood is a cord or fraction of a cord.
you can buy bundles of wood
I stack my cords 16″ x 6′ x 16′
each row is a cord