How much wood fits in a truck?

I'm still in the stage of researching whether we'll buy a wood stove to supplement our heat. It sure looks fun, I can say that. My question is about the ads of Craigslist for a "pickup load of wood." 1. If it is stacked neatly would this be around a half cord in a full size truck? 2. What if it is just thrown in? How much would this be? 3. Should I insist on buying by the cord, or fraction of a cord even if they advertise by a different measurement? Thanks for your help!

If stacked neatly, 1/2 cord will fit into the back of a full-size pickup. Something mid-size, like a Dodge Dakota will hold a third of a cord. If you just randomly throw the wood in, it will fit considerably less in either case.

The laws tend to vary by state as far as what constitutes a legal sale of firewood, but the sale should be made on some measurement based on the cord (face/half/full).
Buy whatever you are comfortable with. You can always measure it stacked and find out how much it is. Here is a link to a handy cord calculator:

http://www.state.me.us/ag/firewood.html

Just for reference, I have a ford ranger and I was able to neatly stuff a little over 1/3 cord (split already) in my bed. It was rounded over a little and like I said, I very strategically stacked the splits in the bed. You should be able to get a 1/2 cord or much better in a full size with an 8ft bed. Depends how it is stacked and if it is split.

I fit (and have measured) 1/2 cord in a fullsize Dodge with the 6.5 foot bed. Thats neatly stacked of course.

A typical longbed is 8x6x1.5 which is 72 cu ft or just over half a cord. I can't do the math to account for the inevitable mounding but 3/4 of a cord is not an unreasonable expectation.

I have a Toyota. I put in 1/3 with using some splits as "steak sides" to mound it up. In this small of a truck it is a big load but effective. Also the guy I buy from is absolutely trust worthy; stacking all splits sold in 1/3 boxes which usually are more than full... So that means I get at least 1/3 or a touch more with it measured out and always get a strong true cord.

All I can say is that it is indeed Great fun, exercise and a good excuse to get out of the house. But be fair warned, it is also hard work. Espically if you get addicted to it like many of us have. I have a half ton F-150 with a cap on the back. I can easily get 3/4 cord on it. Mind you the truck is darn near dead and I am getting ready to get rid of her. Sad times.

I think it is OK to buy by any measurement - 1/2 cord, truckload, face cord, s10 cord, armful - as long as you know what you're getting for the price you are paying. I don't see much point in arguing with every wood seller that their measurement, which they have used for 55 years and everybody else is fine with, is not legal or correct. You waste your time and irritate them. Count on the wood not being very well seasoned when you buy it, so plan to buy ahead and stack it in the sun and wind for a year or two.

There's a term I heard, that is used to define a "truck load" of wood, but for the life of me,..........I can't recall what that term is, right now. (dang it). I remember hearing it and wondering what the heck that term meant.

-Soupy1957

A truck or trailer load is what any given guy on any given day expects to be paid for when he dumps it in your driveway. I bought two trailer loads year 1 and they both ended up being 2/3 of what I was told they were. At least the propane man was straight up that he was taking advantage of us.

Ford Ranger: split, stacked responsibly, and mounded is about 1/3 of a cord. Bucked rounds and sticks yields slightly less than that.

When my buddy and I fill his 6 1/2 bed on his pick-up . . . rounds . . . tossed in . . . mounded . . . we figure about 1/3 of a cord of wood.

I can fit slightly over 1/2 cord in my F150 6.5 foot bed when I stack rounds in tight heaped in the middle about halfway up the back glass. Note: this is with standing dead wood. If you tried this with green you would have your hands full driving.

I get one full cord tossed in my Dodge pretty easy. It has a 8' x 9' flatbed.

+1

+2

Have done this many times. Jeep Comanche/Chevy S10 tossed in = 1/6 of a cord. Full size pickup tossed in = 1/3 of a cord.

Neatly stacked you will haul more of course, but I never neatly stack so can't speak from experience there!

I can say that I have had nearly a full cord of rounds on my shortbed GMC truck before. It was mounded high (at least a full foot higher than the top of the cab) but I was only going 1 mile with it and felt that I could do that safely.

You certainly wouldn't be able to get away with that in some locations, and I'm sure that if the wrong LEO saw me he would have stopped me and said something, so be careful doing that. If you want to get more than 1/2-3/4 cord on a truck you better build some sides for it. I've often been tempted to do so but normally I can strategically stack it high enough that I'm more worried about the tire load capacity than getting it all on so I haven't bothered with sides yet.

Me too.

Stacked nicely in a 6.5ft bed I get almost exactly 1/3 cord when it's even with the rails.

The thing with filling your trucks bed is that it isn't only about the size of the load but also the weight. Load up the bed of you pick up with some wet oak and you are WAY over the recommended weight capacity for the bed. I seem to remember reading a cord can weigh up to about 7,000 pounds when green if it is locust or oak.

Here is picture of 1/2 cord in a full size truck that I copied from a Craig's List ad. It is a pretty good reference.

I load until I can't fit any more wood without it falling off, or the rubber bump stops are on the axle. which ever comes first. I don't know of anyone that does it any different. Just don't use one of those wimpy new pickup's (more like a car with a bed), you need something old

Between my brotheres F-150 and my Tacoma we got 1 cord loaded, I have a cap on mine but I was really pushing the weight on it, luckily we didnt have far to travel but I only did that once. Id rather make an extra trip and save the truck. His truck did over 1/2 cord no problem.

IIRC 6400 for green Osage Orange, Green oak is just under 6k, I'm not sure on locust.

Most trucks are made to handle a LOT more than their actual ratings. The thing you want to watch most is the load rating on the tires and how the truck handles. If you have a long way to go on overloaded tires you will likely do some permanent damage to the tires, or worse yet, you may experience a blowout. And don't forget that overloaded vehicle handle much differently than when empty. When I load my truck heavy I go slow. I rarely ever get over 45 mph, and sometimes I'll keep down around 30-35mph.

I need to invest in stake sides for my truck-though I can very comfortably haul in excess of 3000lbs (I always buy E load range tires) my toolbox is the limiting factor as it essentially turns my fullsize into a shortbed. I was pondering this question recently since the walnut, ash, and pin oak I just came into will probably be 2 cords but it's 40 miles away at my parents' house. Plus my dad has a split cord for me already. We're going to split it all there but it's going to add up to a lot of trips unless I can figure a way to safely stack more in the truck. I suppose I could make some stake sides.

Heres the ranger with coil over shocks... More then a face cord but less then a half cord.