What’s in a Cord of Wood?

Considering the time of year this may be a very important question to know the answer to right now.  How much is a cord of wood and how do you make sure you get what you’re paying for when buying wood for your wood burning stove?

Simply put, a cord is a unit of measure.  One cord is 128 cubic feet or in terms of wood that would be a pile 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet high, STACKED.  If your wood is cut to 16 inches in length, that would mean three rows 8 feet long and 4 feet high.

It’s important to remember this is measured with the wood normally stacked, not heaped in a pile – the difference can be significant.

Most firewood suppliers want to give you what you are paying for.  They’ll usually deliver slightly more than what you pay for to cover themselves.  No one wants a bad reputation.  If after you stack your wood you feel you’ve been shorted let the seller know.  Most of the time they will deliver some wood to make up for it before you can hang
up the phone. And, keep a record of who you purchase from.  Stick with the folks who treat you well.

One more side note:  If the wood hasn’t been stacked and split for a year, it isn’t seasoned.  An honest seller will sell anything less as “semi-seasoned.”