Estimating Cords of Firewood

[bob gresko]

Does anyone know of a formula or method used for estimating the amount of chords of firewood in a standing or downed tree?

Thanks
Bob

 

[blackdiesel]

Method? Cut LOTS of wood, and your eye will train its self to know how much is in a given tree.

or cut it, split it, and stack it and see how much was really there

 

[Stihl051master]

If you do a search there are a few posts on here that show a formula.

There is 128 cubic feet of wood in a stacked cord. You can make a "guestimation" by using the formula for volume of a cylinder.

pi x r squared x length. pi is about 3.14159, and be sure to convert to feet for all your measurements. (ex.- a 24" diameter tree would have a 1 foot radius).

Keep in mind also that trees usually taper down from the base and aren't usually perfectly straight, plus you'd have to do the calculation again for each limb, but it should at least get you a ballpark estimation.

 

[Husky137]

There is 128 cubic feet of wood in a stacked cord. You can make a "guestimation" by using the formula for volume of a cylinder.

No there isn't. A stacked cord of cut,split fiewood measures 128 cubic feet, but there is not 128 cubic feet of wood. Lots of air spaces. So there really is no correlation between the volume of a cylinder and the volume of a cord.

http://www.timberbuyer.net/bfc.htm

This calculator may be of more practical help. 500BF international scale will roughly equate to a full cord of cut,split,stacked firewood.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I reffer back to this document that I found in the quote below.

Quality of firewoods including BTU's produced per cords ... is in the chart on this page:

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1554/build/g1554.pdf

It also includes weight of wood dry and wet per cord as well as ease of splitting, smoke, sparks, coals, fragrance and overall rating.

there is also a chart comparing wood to other heating fuels.

The document also shows a chart with a range of how many standing trees of differening sizes are required to make a cord of firewood.

 

[Stihl051master]

No there isn't. A stacked cord of cut,split fiewood measures 128 cubic feet, but there is not 128 cubic feet of wood. Lots of air spaces. So there really is no correlation between the volume of a cylinder and the volume of a cord.

http://www.timberbuyer.net/bfc.htm

This calculator may be of more practical help. 500BF international scale will roughly equate to a full cord of cut,split,stacked firewood.

Yes, that is correct - there is going to a lot of air space in your stack. This can vary a lot also depending on how tightly the wood is stacked. There is a correlation of the volume of a cylinder and the volume of a cord, albeit it isn't going to be exact when you take into account the air space in a stacked cord.

The OP asked for an estimation. That's really all any formula is going to give- a rough estimate.

The only way you're going to know for sure is to cut it, split it, and stack it. Once you've done it enough you'll be able to just look at a tree and estimate how much firewood you'll get out of 'er. Good luck and stay safe.

 

[Suz]

Does anyone know of a formula or method used for estimating the amount of chords of firewood in a standing or downed tree?

Thanks
Bob

Never as much as you think there is before the tree is cut and split!!

 

[jkupcha]

Could someone post a nice picture of a tree that they think as 1,2, or 3 cords in it? Any picture with a rough guess would be fun

 

[LTREES]

I think there is 2 cord in this ash. The top is blasted out of it, along with 1 major lead off the left side. I chipped for @ two minutes so the brush was minimal. The whole tree is on the truck. (1 ton)

 

[blackdiesel]

If that's a 1-ton truck, and the springs don't even look bottomed out, then I doubt you have two cords of ash.

Green, white ash weighs 3840 a cord (3.84 tons for two cord), and even at 20% moisture content two cords would still weigh in at 3.28 tons. That would be a lot of weight for a 1-ton.

i will agree with you on your first point. I dont think there was two cords in that tree. that would have to be a MONSTER to get two cords. i've never cut a full cord out of a tree before (and i've cut nearly a thousand cords. granted, i dont cut the tops...)

However, 3 ton on a one ton pickup isnt "a lot of weight". i haul 3 rick of green oak & hickory daily which will be close to 3 tons with no problem. the springs on my 02 dodge diesel arnt bottomed out either.

Have hauled as much as 5 rick, which would be 5 ton. Then your starting to talk about a little bit of weight lol

 

[drmiller100]

i can't tell by the log, but what you have in that one ton is a little over one cord, if it is loose stacked all the way through.

and by a little over one cord, I mean 1.2 cords. No way is that a cord and a half.

 

[CowboyAndy]

i will agree with you on your first point. I dont think there was two cords in that tree. that would have to be a MONSTER to get two cords. i've never cut a full cord out of a tree before (and i've cut nearly a thousand cords. granted, i dont cut the tops...)

However, 3 ton on a one ton pickup isnt "a lot of weight". i haul 3 rick of green oak & hickory daily which will be close to 3 tons with no problem. the springs on my 02 dodge diesel arnt bottomed out either.

Have hauled as much as 5 rick, which would be 5 ton. Then your starting to talk about a little bit of weight lol

if by a rick you mean a 1/3 of a cord, and 1 cord of green hickory weighs in around 4500lbs, that is NOT 3 tons.

 

[blackdiesel]

if by a rick you mean a 1/3 of a cord, and 1 cord of green hickory weighs in around 4500lbs, that is NOT 3 tons.

Whatever man, your wood must be smaller than average.

 

[blackdiesel]

http://www.anycalculator.com/logscordweight.htm

Here, check this out.

It says red oak and hickory both weigh in at 5700 lbs. but it also says white oak is 5600 lbs. which white oak is heavier than red oak, no matter how you stack it. Who knows the truth. i need to run my truck across the scales one of these days...

 

[LTREES]

See, aint this fun? I have 13 leafs in the springs (came that way from a concrete co.) That truck has had alot of weight in it. Oh well, IMO that is close if not 2 cord. I will have to measure one day to be exact cause you got me wondering. The wood is stacked in the truck, I was the stacker. However got a little lax-ed in the end.

 

[blackdogon57]

However, 3 ton on a one ton pickup isnt "a lot of weight". i haul 3 rick of green oak & hickory daily which will be close to 3 tons with no problem. the springs on my 02 dodge diesel arnt bottomed out either.

Have hauled as much as 5 rick, which would be 5 ton. Then your starting to talk about a little bit of weight lol

Why not stop posting such crap ?? 5 tons on a 1 ton truck. Yeah sure dude.

 

[blackdiesel]

Why not stop posting such crap ?? 5 tons on a 1 ton truck. Yeah sure dude.

i dont care if you believe me, i didnt post it to try to earn your "respect". i'm just stating what i've hauled before.

 

[blackdogon57]

I think its obvious from all the BS you post on this board and the lack of respect that you show other members that you care little what others think of you.

Just trying to keep it real.

 

[blackdiesel]

I think its obvious from all the BS you post on this board and the lack of respect that you show other members that you care little what others think of you.

Just trying to keep it real.

bs? just what exactly are you trying to "call my hand" on?

You could take this to pm's if you'd like, i'm sure the mods wont appricate us arguing in the forum

 

[LTREES]

Could someone post a nice picture of a tree that they think as 1,2, or 3 cords in it? Any picture with a rough guess would be fun

This is supposed to be fun :agree2:

LT...

PS. show me your pics