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A long bed truck filled to the top of the bed rails is approx 1/2 cord,or one face cord.You need side racks and darn stout springs to get a full cord on a 1/2 ton truck. (Right?)
 
dam good site aint it pea .when u are
finished reading that link mentioned and others . u will know more than many folks thats been cutting firewood for yrs.
the book learning part of it anyway.:)
 
a face cord is 1/3 of a cord. 4' high, 8' long, and 16 inches deep, or 1 log length. 3 logs at 16" = 4 ft. This is also, in my area vernacular, known as a rick. A lot of people quote a rick as a cord and unknowing homeowners are surprised when it shows up. They also have a cow when I quote them a cord price, unknowing it is 3 times what they get form someone else.

Hope that is helpful.
 
tony marks,
Yes sir it is a fine web site. You can get most any question answered. There is a lot of knowledge here.
 
I find it amazing that so many people have different opinions on what a cord of wood is. I know people who say a cord and they are talking about a face cord. Some firewood guys even advertise as a cord but they deliver a face cord.
Sorry, just some ranting about people I have come across.
 
The different opinions are worth what they cost.

A cord is 4 x 4 x 8 ft. A face cord is 4 x 8 by 16 inches, or variously 4 x 8 by stove length. A face cord is not as exact a term.

But then a full cord is not exact either because of piling density differences.

Then would you rather have a cord of wet soft Maple or a cord of dry Ash?
 
No, a cord does not vary. It is 4x4x8 of -tightly- stacked wood. In states with regulations on firewood, the only legal way to sell wood is by the cord or fraction there of.

Best way measure a cord (or fraction) when selling is to split and (again) tightly stack a measured cord (or fraction). Then throw it loose on the truck. Note what the load looks like. To be sure you aren't shorting the customer, do it two or three times. From then on you only need to throw it on loose to make the same size load. Saves all the stacking etc. If the customer insists it isn't a cord, either stack it for him or let him stack it.

The term rick is variable. A rick, by definition is a pile of wood one stick width by however long and high you care to stack it. There may be regional agreements on another definition.

Interestingly, when buying wood you will get more wood by buying it in the round rather than split. A given size pile of wood in the round will gain about 10% volumn after splitting.

I will now duck before the war starts.

Harry K
 
One cord = 128 cubic feet tightly stacked any ???? way you want. It can be split, round or even treelength.:D

Illegal to sell wood by the cord in Mass. Must be by cubic feet.
 
Here in New York state a cord is 4x4x8 as previously stated but any quantity that measures less than 4' wide when stacked 4' tall X 8' long is considered a face cord. 16", 18", and 24" face cords are common. Tightly stacked is also part of the equation. The way things are looking with the campfire wood market it looks like wood will be sold by the cubic foot for all uses soon. All bundles are supposed to be clearly marked with the quantity and producers name but you can still charge $500 a cord if you want, LOL.

Russ
 
Here in Ontario what is advertised as a "cord" is actually a face cord (or rick as someone called it). In Quebec I also have seen face cords called running cords or "runs". My aunt used to burn 16 runs of hardwood in her furnace every winter. I know, I used to stack the ^%$#@! stuff in the cellar for her.
 
Also depends on the type of wood. A cord of dry, split oak, maple or similar will command top dollar while mixed hard and softwoods or green or unsplit wood is less. Broken pallets around here are free and I know a fair number of people that burn them in their stoves in the fall and spring when you do not need a really hot continuous fire. Going rate around here is $150 a full cord and up. Also depends on how much you order and whether delivery/stacking is involved as well.
 
What length does everyone cut to?

It looks like the standard is probably 16" but I imagine some people like longer and shorter lenghts depending on what they are burning it in. What do the guys doing commercial firewood cut to?

I've got a few cords of walnut that I have to cut up to clean up after the loggers here and bunch of oak, ash, elm, and walnut at my dad's that need cut down and cleaned up. Thought about trying to sell the wood this fall. I don't think I'll be able to get $150 a cord for it though since most of the guys that burn wood exclusively cut their own.

Don S
 
Here in south central PA it goes about $100 a cord. According to the law it has to be sold by the cord as a unit of measurement when advertised. (1/2 cords are alright too). Broke/odd size pallets are always free...Rick/Creep
 
Up here in Ma I'm selling cords for 165.00 dry and 145.00 green.
My buddy who sells firewood outta Foxboro MA is getting 180.00
locally and 225.00 in the burbs of Boston (Yuppie wood). I guess it is location, location, location.

Woodho
 
But Jumper, that is is north of the border dollars, so really only about $57 us ??

I get all kinds of prices depending who I am selling it to. Sometimes $50 a cord to the widows and elderly, and then make it up at $185 a cord to yuppy neighborhood fellas. Everyone is happy, and I sleep pretty darn good at night. I average about $160 a cord delivered to town and dumped. When I run out, or can't make time to go cut my own, the tree guys up by me will load it on my truck or trailer with their loader for $35 a cord. They just want to get rid of it and do not want to waste gas and man hours driving to town.

Thankfully I have to drive into town for work, because near my house you can not sell a cord for $50. It is still nice to live up in the woods!
 

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