Quick answer: cords = length × height × depth (ft) ÷ 128. A full cord is 8 ft × 4 ft × 4 ft of tightly stacked wood.
How to measure firewood in cords
- Stack the wood neatly, with the pieces parallel and the gaps small.
- Measure the length and the height of the stack, and its depth (the log length), in feet.
- Multiply them for cubic feet.
- Divide by 128 for cords.
Cords = L (ft) × H (ft) × D (ft) ÷ 128
What this measures: the outside volume of the stacked pile, including the air between the pieces, which is how a cord is defined. It is not the volume of solid wood: a cord holds noticeably less solid wood than 128 cubic feet, and how much less depends on the size and shape of the pieces and how well they are stacked.
The 128 cubic feet comes from the definition in NIST Handbook 130, which most US states adopt for the sale of firewood: “the amount of wood that is contained in a space of 128 cubic feet when the wood is ranked and well stowed”, as quoted in Connecticut’s firewood regulations.
Cord sizes
| Amount | Cubic feet | Example stack (L × H × D) |
|---|---|---|
| Full cord | 128 | 8 × 4 × 4 ft |
| Half cord | 64 | 8 × 4 × 2 ft |
| Quarter cord | 32 | 8 × 4 × 1 ft, or 4 × 4 × 2 ft |
| One row of 16 in logs, 8 × 4 ft | 42.7 | 8 × 4 × 1.333 ft (⅓ cord) |
Face cords and other terms
Outside the US
In metric countries the calculator shows the stacked volume in cubic meters. Wood stacked this way is often sold as a stere (in German, a Raummeter): 1 m³ of stacked wood. Rules on how stacked wood must be measured and sold differ by country, region and seller, and the stere is not the same as a cubic meter of solid wood (Festmeter) or of loosely tipped wood (Schüttraummeter). Ask your supplier which measure they use.
A “face cord” usually means one row 8 ft long and 4 ft high, as deep as one log. Its size depends on the log length: about ⅓ of a cord for 16 in logs, ¼ for 12 in logs and ½ for 24 in logs. The calculator shows face cords of 16 in logs. Connecticut’s regulations, taken from NIST Handbook 130, say the terms “face cord”, “rack”, “pile” and “truckload” shall not be used when selling firewood, so ask the seller for the amount in cords or cubic feet.
- Building a woodshed or rack? The lumber calculator works out the boards to buy. For any other volume, use the cubic feet calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a cord of wood?
A cord is 128 cubic feet of wood that is stacked tightly in a neat pile (“ranked and well stowed”). The classic shape is 8 ft long, 4 ft high and 4 ft deep.
How do I measure a stack of firewood in cords?
Multiply the length, height and depth of the stack in feet and divide by 128. A stack 16 ft long, 4 ft high, with 16 in logs (1.333 ft deep), is 16 × 4 × 1.333 = 85.3 cu ft, or 0.67 cords.
What is a face cord?
An informal term, usually a single row 8 ft long and 4 ft high, as deep as one log. With 16 in logs that is 42.7 cu ft, one third of a cord. It has no fixed size, and states that follow NIST Handbook 130 do not allow firewood to be sold by the face cord, rick, rack or truckload.
How many cubic feet is half a cord?
64 cubic feet, for example a stack 8 ft long, 4 ft high and 2 ft deep. A quarter cord is 32 cubic feet.
Should I measure loose or stacked wood?
Stacked. A cord is defined for wood that is neatly stacked, with the pieces parallel and the gaps kept small. Loosely thrown wood takes up much more space for the same amount of wood, so measure it after stacking.
How many cords fit in a pickup truck?
Measure the bed: a typical full-size 8 ft bed is roughly 8 × 5 × 1.75 ft, or about 70 cu ft, so it holds about half a cord when stacked level with the sides. Short beds hold less. Wood thrown in loosely holds less still.
Is this cord of wood calculator free to use online?
Yes. The CalcWall Cord of Wood Calculator is completely free and works online in any browser, on a phone, tablet or computer. There is nothing to download and no account to create, and the math runs right in your browser, so results appear as you type.