Almighty Calculator

Firewood Cord and Face Cord Calculator

A full cord is 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked wood (4 ft × 4 ft × 8 ft); a face cord is one 4 ft × 8 ft face at whatever log length you cut.

ft
ft
in
Full cords
0.667cords
Face cords (4 ft × 8 ft face)2 face cords
Stacked volume85.3 ft³

Delivered "loose" (thrown) wood needs roughly 1.2–1.4 times the volume to make one stacked cord's worth of wood.

Show the math

Stack volume = 16 ft × 4 ft × 16 in ÷ 12 = 85.33 ft³
Face cords = 16 × 4 ÷ 32 = 2
Full cords = 85.33 ÷ 128 = 0.667

Rounded the same way as the result above.

How it works

A standard full cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood, the volume of a 4 ft × 4 ft × 8 ft pile. The wood itself is only about 60–80% of that volume; the rest is air between splits.

A face cord (also called a rick or a run) is a stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long, but only one log deep. Its depth is your log length, so it is only a fraction of a full cord: a 16-inch face cord is one third of a cord.

Enter the length, height, and log length of your stack. The calculator gives the stacked volume, the fraction of a full cord, and the number of face cords.

Stacked volume (ft³) = length ft × height ft × log length in ÷ 12 Full cords = volume ÷ 128 Face cords = (length ft × height ft) ÷ 32

Worked example

A stack 16 feet long and 4 feet high, built from 16-inch splits:

  1. Stack volume = 16 ft × 4 ft × 16 in ÷ 12 = 85.33 ft³
  2. Face cords = 16 × 4 ÷ 32 = 2
  3. Full cords = 85.33 ÷ 128 = 0.667
InputValue
Stack length16 ft
Stack height4 ft
Log length (stack depth)16 in
ResultValue
Full cords0.667 cords
Face cords (4 ft × 8 ft face)2 face cords
Stacked volume85.3 ft³

Assumptions and limits

  • Wood is stacked neatly, split side up or down, with splits parallel. Loose or crooked stacking holds less wood.
  • Face cord definitions vary by region and seller. This tool uses a 4 ft × 8 ft face and your actual log length.
  • Volume is the outer stack volume, not solid wood volume.

Common questions

How many face cords are in a full cord?

With 16-inch logs it takes three face cords to make a full cord (48 ÷ 16). With 24-inch logs it takes two, and with 12-inch logs it takes four.

How much is a cord of firewood in pounds?

It depends on species and moisture. Seasoned hardwood such as oak or hickory runs roughly 3,500–4,500 lb per cord; seasoned aspen or pine is closer to 2,000–2,500 lb.

Is a rick the same as a face cord?

Usually, yes. "Rick" and "run" are regional terms for a 4 ft × 8 ft stack one log deep, but always confirm log length with the seller.

Sources

  • Cord: 128 cubic feet of stacked wood (4 ft × 4 ft × 8 ft), as defined in NIST Handbook 130 and used in most state weights-and-measures laws.
  • 'Face cord' and 'rick' are not legally standardized. This tool uses a 4 ft × 8 ft face at your log length.

Updated 2026-09-30