Firewood Calculator
Turn a firewood stack's measurements into cords and face cords — and an honest estimate of how many pieces of split wood are in it.
What a cord of wood actually is
A cord is a volume, not a pile shape: 128 cubic feet of stacked wood — the classic 4 × 4 × 8 ft stack. A face cord is one stack face of 32 sq ft (usually 8 ft long × 4 ft high) at whatever log length is being sold — at the standard 16 in split that is 42.7 cu ft, exactly a third of a cord. The calculator measures your stack all three ways and adds a piece estimate, because "how many pieces" is what a winter of fires is really counted in.
Cords = stack length × height × log length ÷ 128 · Face cords = stack face area ÷ 32 · Pieces ≈ volume ÷ piece volume (6 in average diameter)
Example: an 8 ft long, 4 ft high stack of 16 in logs is 42.7 cu ft — exactly 1 face cord, a third of a full cord (0.33), and about 163 pieces of split wood.
Piece counts are estimates and the calculator says so: split wood is not round, and a cord of chunky 8 in splits holds far fewer, bigger pieces than a cord of 5 in splits. The 6 in average used here lands in the middle of the range most mixed deliveries fall in — a full cord typically runs 400–600 pieces depending on split size.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cord and a face cord?
A cord is 128 cu ft of stacked wood, full stop. A face cord is a single 8 × 4 ft face of a stack — its volume depends on log length: 42.7 cu ft at 16 in logs, 64 cu ft (half a cord) at 24 in. Always ask the log length when buying a face cord; the term 'rick' means the same thing in many regions.
How much wood fits in a pickup truck bed?
A standard 8 ft bed with the wood stacked neatly to the top of the bed walls holds about half a cord; a short bed around a third. Thrown in loose rather than stacked, the same volume of wood takes roughly 30% more room — loose loads always look bigger than they are.
How long does firewood take to season?
Most hardwoods need 6–12 months stacked off the ground with air moving through, split face exposed, to reach the under-20% moisture that burns hot and clean. Softwoods season faster, dense woods like oak slower. A moisture meter reading on a fresh split face settles any argument.
Is a cord measured stacked or loose?
Stacked — the 128 cu ft standard assumes the wood is stacked tightly enough that the stack measures like a solid block with its normal air gaps. That is why a delivered cord, restacked carefully, sometimes 'shrinks': loose stacking at delivery inflates the apparent volume.
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