Fire Wood - the Cord

Calculate the number of cords in a pile of firewood by measuring length, width, and height. A cord is a standardized unit of stacked wood volume: 128 cubic feet or 3.62 cubic meters.

Fire Wood - the Cord

The cord is the most commonly used measurement unit for purchasing fuel wood.

A cord is a stacked unit volume of wood where:

  • 1 cord = (4 ft) × (4 ft) × (8 ft) = 128 cubic feet
  • 1 cord = (1.22 m) × (1.22 m) × (2.44 m) = 3.62 m³

This volume includes bark and air space. Due to the irregular shape of wood, the air space in the cord can be as high as 40%. The net cord volume can therefore be as low as 75 cubic feet, with typical ranges of 80-100 cubic feet.

How to Calculate the Cords

Measure the length (l), width (w), and height (h) of the pile. Calculate the volume and divide by:

  • 128 if using feet
  • 3.62 if using meters
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Results

Total Volume-- cubic feet / m³
Number of Cords--
Firewood TypeClassificationQuality & Notes
Ash, whiteHardwoodGood firewood
BeechHardwoodGood firewood
Birch, yellowHardwoodGood firewood
ChestnutHardwoodExcessive sparking, can be dangerous
CottonwoodHardwoodGood firewood
Elm, whiteHardwoodDifficult to split, burns well
HickoryHardwoodSlow steady fire, best firewood
Maple, sugarHardwoodGood firewood
Oak, redHardwoodSlow steady fire
Oak, whiteHardwoodSlow steady fire
Pine, yellowSoftwoodQuick hot fire, smokier than hardwood
Pine, whiteSoftwoodQuick hot fire, smokier than hardwood
Walnut, blackHardwoodGood firewood