Firewood Calculator
Woodpile volume in cords, face cords and cubic metres, with heat.
About this tool
Enter the stack's length, height and depth in feet or metres, the log length for face cords, the price per cord and optionally the wood type. The tool converts the volume between units, works out the value and estimates the heat content.
How firewood is measured
A full cord is a tightly stacked pile 4 ft high, 4 ft deep and 8 ft long: 128 cubic feet, about 3.6 mΒ³. A face cord (also called a rick or rank) is 4 ft high and 8 ft long but only one log deep, so with 16-inch logs it's a third of a full cord. Much of Europe sells by the stacked cubic metre (stΓ¨re). Because logs don't pack perfectly, only about 70% of a stacked volume is actual wood. Measuring your stack lets you check you received what you paid for: a 4 Γ 4 Γ 8 ft pile is exactly one cord. Heat content depends on wood density. Seasoned hickory or white oak gives about 25β28 million BTU per cord, red oak, beech and sugar maple about 24, and softwoods like white pine or aspen about 15. So a cord of oak gives roughly half as much heat again as a cord of pine. Honest limits: loosely thrown wood occupies more space than stacked wood, heat values are approximate for wood seasoned to about 20% moisture (wet wood gives far less), and cord definitions and laws vary by region. The board foot calculator and the BTU calculator are related.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a cord of wood?
4 ft Γ 4 ft Γ 8 ft of stacked wood: 128 cubic feet, about 3.6 mΒ³.
What is a face cord?
A stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long but one log deep; with 16-inch logs it's a third of a cord.
Which firewood gives the most heat?
Dense hardwoods such as hickory, oak, beech and sugar maple, at about 24 to 28 million BTU per cord.
How much actual wood is in a cord?
About 70%, roughly 85 to 90 cubic feet of solid wood; the rest is air between logs.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser, and nothing is stored or sent.