Firewood Cord Calculator: Measure Your Woodpile

Master Your Firewood Measurements with Our Free Online Calculator

Accurately determining the volume of your firewood stack is crucial for both purchasing and selling. Our intuitive cord of wood calculator simplifies this process, utilizing the standard cord unit common in the US and Canada, as well as the smaller face cord measurement. Simply input your stack's dimensions, and this free calculator will instantly reveal the total volume. You can even enter your local price per cord to assess the monetary value of your woodpile instantly.

Understanding the Cord: A Standard Unit of Volume

For those new to firewood measurement, a cord is a standardized unit for quantifying stacked wood of uniform length with minimal gaps. By official definition, a full cord measures 8 feet in length, 4 feet in width, and 4 feet in height. This configuration yields a total volume of 128 cubic feet (approximately 3.62 cubic meters). The term "cord" is historically believed to originate from the use of a cord or string for measuring log piles.

Step-by-Step Calculation: How to Determine Cords of Wood

The mathematical formula for converting your stack's dimensions into cords is straightforward. For measurements in feet, apply the following calculation:

number of cords = (length (ft) × width (ft) × height (ft)) / 128 ft³

If you are using metric measurements, the equivalent formula is:

number of cords = (length (m) × width (m) × height (m)) / 3.6246 m³

Practical Example: Applying the Formula

Consider a large woodpile in your yard measuring 15 feet long, 6 feet deep, and 7 feet high. By inserting these figures into our formula, the calculation becomes:

number of cords = (15 × 6 × 7) / 128 = 4.9 cords

This result means your stack is equivalent to nearly five full cords of firewood.

What Exactly is a Face Cord?

A common alternative measurement is the face cord. This typically refers to a stack of standard 16-inch long logs that is only one log deep. Therefore, a face cord is usually 8 feet long, 16 inches deep, and 4 feet high—a common sight stacked against a cabin wall. Importantly, a single face cord represents about one-third of the wood volume found in a full cord.

Calculating Face Cords with Ease

The formula for face cords is similar to the full cord formula, with a fixed depth of 16 inches (or 1.33 feet):

number of face cords = (length (ft) × 1.33 (ft) × height (ft)) / 42.67 ft³

The metric conversion for this calculation is:

number of face cords = (length (m) × 0.406 (m) × height (m)) / 1.208 m³

For instance, a stack measuring 7 feet long and 4 feet high using standard 16-inch logs would be:

number of face cords = (7 × 1.33 × 4) / 42.67 = 0.875 face cords

How to Use Our Free Firewood Calculator Efficiently

Our online calculator is designed for simplicity and precision. Follow this easy guide:

1. Input your woodpile's length, width, and height into the first three fields. You can change the unit of measurement to match your data.
2. Alternatively, if you already know the total volume, enter it directly into the dedicated volume field.
3. The tool will automatically compute and display the number of full cords and the equivalent percentage of a single cord.
4. For a face cord calculation, ensure the width is set to 16 inches. The calculator will then provide the number of face cords.
5. To evaluate cost, enter your local price per cord to see the total value of your stack.

Frequently Asked Questions About Firewood Cords

number of cords = (6 ft × 4 ft × (16/12) ft) / 128 ft³ = 1/4