A cord of wood

A cord of wood is 4ft X 4ft X 8ft stacked or 128 cubic feet.

Another common measure wood is sold in is a Face cord. sized 4' x 8' x 16" and 3 face cord equal 1 full cord.
Be aware one of the most common ways to short a buyer is cutting 12" or 14" lengths instead of 16" , does not seem significant but 12" will leave you 25% short.

if the stack is in some sort of rectangular shape, you can measure length, height, and width of the stack, multiply the three together and you get the cubic feet of wood. 128 cubic feet is a cord, provided the wood is stacked nicely (not too much air space). If the wood is stacked too loosely, piled up randomly, etc., you might not have a full cord. I do not think it is possible to stack TOO tightly - the definition of a cord usually includes wording such as 'stacked tightly.'

twitch said:

A cord of wood is 4ft X 4ft X 8ft stacked or 128 cubic feet.

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+1

All three dimensions of the truck bed need to be known.

twitch said:

A cord of wood is 4ft X 4ft X 8ft stacked or 128 cubic feet.

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+2 . . . no ifs, ands or buts . . . no such thing as a face cord for me . . . or a "chord" . . . well other than in relation to music . . . to me a cord of wood is just what twitch said . . . 4 x 4 x 8 (or similar measurement equaling 128 cubic feet.)

I saved these pictures of 1/2 cord stacked in a fullsize pickup from a Craig's List ad. It is a pretty good idea of just how big a cord of wood is.

Flatbedford said:

I saved these pictures of 1/2 cord stacked in a fullsize pickup from a Craig's List ad. It is a pretty good idea of just how big a cord of wood is.

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Nice example Steve! If it was just tossed in there, you wouldn't get too much more than 1/3 of a cord. Stacking makes a difference.

Thanks. I thought it would be worth saving as a good reference. Kinda puts the cord of wood delivered in pickup myth into perspective.

If You are ever in doubt as to how close to a chord You may have , try this site .
http://maine.gov/ag/firewood.html

Flatbedford said:

Thanks. I thought it would be worth saving as a good reference. Kinda puts the cord of wood delivered in pickup myth into perspective.

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I was just gonna post that pic when he asked if a cord would ft in a truck! Glad that pic comes in handy

Don't forget, it is a stacked pile 4' wide X 4' high X 8' long = 128 cubic feet
but there is spaces between the wood.
Somewhere I think I read it is really 98 (or something close) cubic feet of wood, the rest is air (30 cubic feet of air).
http://www.woodheat.org/firewood/cord.htm
I think you get more wood in rounds, but some say it stacks tighter in splits. (I may test that some day, but then it would depend on the wood & the stacker)
Regardless, you need the spaces so it gets air circulation to help it season.

bogydave said:

Don't forget, it is a stacked pile 4' wide X 4' high X 8' long = 128 cubic feet
but there is spaces between the wood.
Somewhere I think I read it is really 98 (or something close) cubic feet of wood, the rest is air (30 cubic feet of air).
http://www.woodheat.org/firewood/cord.htm
I think you get more wood in rounds, but some say it stacks tighter in splits. (I may test that some day, but then it would depend on the wood & the stacker)
Regardless, you need the spaces so it gets air circulation to help it season.

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As everyone has stated a chord is 4' wide X 4' high X 8' long = 128 cubic feet but I typically see that as equivalent to 80 cu. ft of solid wood.

Also from California Department of Energy web site http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/firewood.html
they use 70 cu.ft. as the low range and 90 cu. ft. as the high range.

I have also seen 176' cu. ft. used to define a chord without stacking, another words just tossed in.

Incidentally from State of Oregon

2.4.1.2. cord
The amount of wood that is contained in a space of 128 cubic feet, when the wood is ranked and well stowed. For the purpose of this regulation,"ranked and well stowed" shall be construed to mean that pieces of wood are placed in a line or row, with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other, and stacked in a compact manner.

2.4.4. prohibition of terms
The terms "face cord", "rack", "pile", "truckload", or terms of similar import shall not be used when advertising, offering for sale, or selling wood for use as fuel.

how much you figure is on this load of 16"???

I guess 4 cords.

Flatbedford said:

I guess 4 cords.

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+1

That pick-up truck photo is a good reference. Most small trucks like that will run out of weight capacity before they run out of space. With a few stakes at the head end and tailgate, that truck could carry much more volume, but it is probably close to the weight limit.

As for the big dump truck - looks like it was carrying exactly one "big A*$ pile" of wood.

............fyrwoodguy i dont know how much is on that chevy. but its a dam good lookin truck

Flatbedford said:

I guess 4 cords.

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I'll say 1/2 that.... A very good 2, but....

raven said:

............fyrwoodguy i dont know how much is on that chevy. but its a dam good lookin truck

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+1
Really sweet truck.

thanks for the compliments on the truck. the load is what i call 2 cords loose. 2 complaints on scale since'89 one was 1/2 cord short :-/

fyrwoodguy said:

thanks for the compliments on the truck. the load is what i call 2 cords loose. 2 complaints on scale since'89 one was 1/2 cord short :-/

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Dude......in the words of "The Donald", You're Fired!.
Seriously though, enviable record. You're obviously one of the good guys.