Rick of Wood: Definition, Size, and Cost


What is a rick of wood? What’s the size of a rick compared to a cord? How much is a rick of wood? If you’re looking for answers to any of these questions, then you’re in the right place. Let’s jump-in with a quick overview:

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.

That’s the rule of thumb answer for you, but there’s a bit more too it than that, especially if you’re looking to buy firewood that’s measured in ricks. Keep reading to find answers to common questions about measuring firewood in ricks.

You can also use the links below to jump to each section:

What is a Rick of Wood?

Alright, we mentioned the technical answer to this question above. A rick of wood is 1/3 the size of a cord of wood, and this comes out to about 43 cubic feet of firewood. But, the definition of a rick of wood is a bit more tricky than that.

This is because “rick” doesn’t have an official text-book definition as a unit of measure. A helpful way of thinking about this is by comparing “rick” with a term like “dash” as it’s used in cooking. For example, if you’ve ever received cooking instructions from your grandma, she may have told you to add a “dash of salt” rather than 1/2 a teaspoon (or some other official unit). 

In the same way, when a firewood supplier says “rick” they know what this means to them, but it might be a little less clear to you. To make matters worse, a “rick” is often different depending on who you talk to. 

For example, firewood suppliers tend to measure a rick in one of 3 ways:

  1. A stack of wood
  2. A pile of unstacked wood
  3. A pickup truck full of wood 

Which of these 3 is used, is usually just dependent on convenience and efficiency. For example, if a supplier does a lot of home deliveries, they are often going to use the size of their truck bed to measure a rick. Let’s briefly touch on each of these 3 ways of measuring a rick.

1. A Stack of Wood

If you’re dealing with a stack of wood, then a rick would be a 4 foot high stack, that is 8 foot long. That’s assuming that the wood is cut into 16 inch pieces, which is pretty standard for firewood, because 16 inch pieces fit inside most wood stoves and fireplaces.

This is the easiest way to measure a rick. If you need to be really precise, you can even take a tape measure and find out if a particular stack of firewood matches these dimensions. If it doesn’t match, that doesn’t necessarily mean a supplier is being dishonest, it just means that their pile sizes are a bit different than the “typical” size. 

One other thing to keep in mind, is that some folks do cut their logs into 24 inch pieces or other variations, so you should always double check the length. This can affect the volume of the wood you receive AND will also determine if the wood will actually fit in your fireplace!

2. A Pile of Unstacked Wood

When firewood is in an unstacked pile, it’s harder to be precise with the measurement of a rick, due to the natural air pockets and inconsistencies of a pile. Some suppliers might have a rough pile size that they eye-ball, and label as a rick. 

To be honest, the best way to measure unstacked wood, is to buy a single rick so that you can stack it at home to find out how much is really there. 

3. A Pickup Truck of Wood

Buying wood that’s piled in a pickup truck is similar to the unstacked pile, it’s really tough to know the volume of wood you’re getting. This is true for all the same reasons, plus you may not know how big their truck bed is.

It’s helpful to be a little strategic, and to shop around if you’re looking for a long-term firewood supplier. And you should always go see the wood in-person, the first time you buy from a supplier. 

It can also be helpful to buy one rick from multiple suppliers to evaluate the quality and quantity of what they deliver. With that said, let’s now discuss how much you should expect to spend on a rick of wood.

How Much Does a Rick of Wood Cost?

If you plan to buy your firewood, then the next most important question for you will be the cost.

There’s a lot of variables that can affect the cost 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, for one rick of mixed firewood you’re usually going to pay $50-$80. Which would mean the price you’re paying for a full cord of firewood, is somewhere around $150-$250.

That should help you as a start-point. Just keep in mind that the above variables can drive up prices, and it’s possible for costs to go as high as $175 for a rick.

How Does the Cost Compare to Electric/Gas?

To put the cost of a rick into a bit more perspective, let’s compare the cost of firewood to the cost of heating with other common fuels. 

According to Bill Cook of Michigan State University, if you can get firewood for ~$150/rick (e.g. $450/cord) or less, it’ll be cheaper than both propane and fuel oil.

And, as we mentioned above, you can often buy a rick of wood for less than $80. As a result, if you have the ability to heat your home with wood, you could save a decent chunk of money.

Now let’s take this further by looking at it a different way. Let’s assume that it’ll take 6 ricks of wood to heat your home through the winter. That’s roughly $500 in wood costs. 

Let’s compare that estimate to averages for other heating methods in the US (Note: excluding the firewood numbers, all heating cost data comes from U.S. Energy Information Administration).

Fuel Type Average Cost/Year $ More than Firewood
Firewood (6 ricks) $500 $0
Natural Gas $644 $144
Heating Oil $1,462 $962
Electricity $980 $480
Propane $1,661 $1,161

Using firewood could save you over $1,000 in annual heating costs. Sure, not everyone can heat with firewood, and not everyone would get that kind of cost savings. But, the point is still valid.

Heating with firewood can be a good, and very cost effective option. Not to mention the fact that anyone who owns forest land, and some basic equipment, can gather their own firewood almost for free.You’d just have to pay for fuel and any maintenance for a chainsaw, axe, and maybe a truck if you need to move it.

Even if you don’t own land, you can actually gather firewood for personal use at most National Forests. For example, Hoosier National Forest allows you to cut and gather up to 2 cords of firewood, with a $20 firewood permit.

That’s a pretty great deal if you’ve got the ability to do it. 

How Long Does a Rick of Wood Last?

If we assume that one rick of wood, is exactly 1/3 of a full cord, then a rick will typically last 2-4 weeks when used as the primary heat source for a home in the winter.

Exactly how long wood will last depends on a number of factors, and you should always be prepared with more wood than you expect to need.

The 8 biggest factors that will affect how long your wood lasts, are follows:

  1. Is firewood your primary heat source?
  2. How big is your home?
  3. Burn all day, or just evenings?
  4. How good is your insulation?
  5. How efficient is your wood stove?
  6. Where do you live (e.g. how cold)?
  7. Hardwood vs. softwood firewood?
  8. Is the wood seasoned?

You can actually learn a lot more about each of these 8 points, and see real example from the farmhouse I grew up in, within this post. Hint: it’s an old 1,900 square foot farmhouse, that burns about 6 ricks per winter.

Related Questions

1. 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. You can learn more details about seasoned firewood, here.

2. What is Ranking Wood?

Ranking firewood is the process of properly stacking it, in parallel rows without space in between, which allows the volume of firewood to be correctly measured. For example, if you want to perfectly measure an official cord of wood, your first step is ranking the firewood. 

To rank a cord of firewood, you would build a 4-foot high by 8-foot long stack, and then add parallel stacks until the depth of the wood is also 4-foot (usually about 3 stacks total). 

When adding the parallel stacks, there should not be any space separating them. The objective is to remove as much empty space as possible. When the ranking is done properly, the end result is an official cord that measures 4′ X 8′ X 4′ and 128 cubic feet.

JJ

JJ is a firewood enthusiast, an Eagle Scout, and an avid learner and teacher of outdoor skills.

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