You may want to know how many pieces of firewood are in a cord if you’re buying firewood, preparing your own stack, or maybe just out of curiosity.
This is not an easy thing to guess, and it can also vary significantly depending on the average size of the wood pieces. But, generally speaking, how many pieces of wood are in a cord?
A full cord of wood typically contains 600-800 pieces of split firewood, which translates into 200-275 pieces in a face cord (or rick). A cord is measured by the total volume of wood, so the number of pieces will change depending on the type of wood and how it is split.
I’ll admit, this is an oversimplification, and if you want to have a clear understanding of how cordwood is sized and measured, then you’ll need to dig into the answers in the below firewood FAQs:
- How Many Pieces of Wood in a Cord?
- What is the Volume of a Cord?
- What is the Average Cost of a Cord of Wood?
- How Many Face Cords in a Full Cord?
- How Many Cords Do I Need for Winter?
- How Much is a Pickup Truck of Firewood?
- Related Questions
How Many Pieces of Wood in a Cord?
As mentioned above, a full cord of wood will generally have 600-800 pieces of firewood. But to put things in perspective, it’s possible for a cord to contain less than 400 pieces, or more than 1000!
As a result, if you want to make a more accurate estimate for the number of pieces of firewood in a given cord, there are a couple of other factors you should consider.
Use the 600-800 range as your start point, and then adjust up or down based on the following factors:
Factors that Change Number of Pieces
1. Moisture Content (How Dry Is It)
As it dries, the total volume of a piece of wood will typically shrink by 9-15% depending on the species.
This is really significant, and if we apply this percentage to the 600-800 pieces of wood in a cord, that means that a cord of dried wood could contain 50-120 more pieces than a cord of green wood.
Of course, this assumes that the wood is perfectly stacked, but we’ll touch more on that in point #3 below. Next up, splitting.
2. Splitting
The number of pieces in a cord can also change by 30%+ depending on if (and how) the wood is split.
Unsplit logs are usually larger than split firewood and will take up more space, reducing the total number of pieces in a cord.
If the wood is split, splitting size is influenced by the log splitting tools that are used, and by the preferences of the person doing the splitting. For example, you may want to split smaller pieces if you have a tiny wood stove.
3. Stacking
Finally, I wanted to mention the impact of how wood is stacked. Technically speaking, cordwood is measured in volume, and how it is stacked will not affect the total volume.
HOWEVER, when a cord of wood is measured and sold, it’s typically done in piles, stacks, or truckloads. So depending on the way firewood is stacked, both the volume and the number of pieces will vary.
For example, if a large loose pile of wood is later stacked into tight rows, you’ll find that the total amount of wood is probably less than you expected.
Before moving on, you may also want to know that the number of pieces is not commonly used as a metric in the firewood community. Volume is the official measure for a cord, and we’ll dive into that further below.
What is the Volume of a Cord?
A cord of wood (sometimes called a full cord) is a stack of wood that has a total volume of 128 cubic feet when organized in a compact stack. The cord unit is defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the US.
The standard stack size for a cord measures 4′ high X 8′ long X 4′ deep. However, any wood stack with a volume of 128 cubic feet, would be considered a cord according to the official definition.
The term “cord” for this amount of wood likely originated from the cord of string that was historically used to do the measuring.
If you’re looking to purchase firewood for the winter, it’s typically sold by the cord or face cord, and you may want to know how much it costs on average. Check out the cost estimate in the next section.
What is the Average Cost of a Cord of Wood?
Firewood is a big business, and millions of people around the world use firewood as their primary heat source.
If you’re looking to buy firewood by the cord, then you’ll need to find a local firewood seller that offers a fair price.
There’s a lot of variables that can affect the price of firewood, including the following:
- Time of year (prices are higher in winter)
- Scarcity (prices are higher when there’s less wood)
- Region (your location can drive prices up or down)
- Whether the wood is seasoned (some charge more for dry wood)
- Type of wood (hardwoods can cost more than softwoods)
- Additional services charged by the seller (delivery, stacking, etc.)
With that said, a common price range for a full cord of mixed firewood is $150-$250. Which means you can usually expect to pay $50-80 for a face cord (or rick).
That should help you as a start-point. Just keep in mind that the above variables will change things. You might find a bargain, or in tough markets it’s possible for costs to go as high as $500 for a full cord ($175 for a face cord).
How Many Face Cords in a Full Cord?
The full cord is the only official, government-recognized, unit for measuring firewood. However, most firewood sellers actually sell wood by the face cord (which is also called a rick, stove cord, or furnace cord).
There are about 3 face cords in a full cord of firewood. You can see this clearly by taking a look at the standard stack sizes for face cords and full cords:
A face cord is a stack of wood, measuring 4′ high X 8′ long X 16” deep.
A full cord is a stack of wood, measuring 4′ high X 8′ long X 4′ deep.
It’s really pretty simple, the only difference is that a face cord is 16 inches deep, whereas a full cord is 4 feet deep.
The standard length for a piece of split firewood is 16 inches because this is the size that fits best for most home wood stoves and fireplaces. That’s a big reason why firewood is typically bought and sold in face cords vs. full cords.
I think face cords are also more common because it’s easier to transport in a standard truck bed, which we’ll dig into more in the next section.
How Much is A Pickup Truck of Firewood?
A small 1/4 to 1/2 ton pickup truck can haul about half a cord of firewood. Larger trucks and trucks with racks around the truckbed can haul one to two cords of wood.
However, it’s also important to consider the terminology that’s used in the real world. If you’re buying firewood, then it’s really common for firewood sellers to call however much firewood they can pile in a truck a “face cord”.
That means that the actual amount of firewood will depend on the size of their truck, and how they stack or pile the wood in the truck bed. This is usually just out of convenience, and not out of any ill intentions on the part of the sellers.
How Many Cords Do I Need for Winter?
This is a case-by-case situation, and will vary depending on a number of factors, including the type of wood stove, insulation, and type of firewood being used.
But in my experience, you can typically expect to burn 1.5-3 cords of wood during the winter. A full cord of wood typically lasts 6-10 weeks when used as the primary heat source for a home.
As a word of caution, you should always be prepared with more wood than you expect to need. It’s better to have too much than to run out during a blizzard!
You can learn more about estimating the amount of firewood you’ll need for winter, including a real example, in this article.
Related Questions
What is Seasoned Firewood?
Seasoned firewood is wood that has been dried to a moisture content of below 20%. The opposite of seasoned firewood is “green” wood, which has a moisture content of 60% or above. When firewood is stacked properly, it takes at least 6 months (e.g. a season) for it to become properly seasoned.
How Much is a Rick of Wood?
A rick of wood is an informal measure of firewood, and it’s typically 1/3 the size of a cord. A typical rick would be a stack of wood measuring 4 ft. X 8 ft. X 16 in., with a volume of roughly 43 cubic feet. The exact size does vary though because it’s a general term. The typical price of a rick is $50-80.
