I'm mildly confused...

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

hamradio

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
217
Reaction score
5
Location
US
Ok. Someone clear this up-
I've read about face cords of wood, fireplace cords of wood, etc. What the heck does it all mean? All I know a cord of wood by is a pile that is 4x4x8'.
 
A face is half that. wood cut 24" long. stacked 4 high, and 8 long. 1 row (2 ft wide)
4X2X8
-Ralph
 
I am not sure what your question is but I will try my best to answer it.

A face cord is a cord that is only 2 feet deep so 4 high by 8 foot long but only 2 feet deep so half a cord basically

A stove cord or fireplace cord is one log deep which can be anything from 12 inches to 24 inches so it is 4 high by 8 foot long but maybe only 18 inches deep (very common fire box size for stoves (boiler can be bigger)) with an 18 inch long log you only get 48 cubic feet of wood or only 1/3 of a cord.
 
As I understand it, a face cord is a pile that would stack 8' long by 4' high by however long the lengths are cut at. For example if they are cut at 16", then you have a 16" face cord and 1/3 of a cord total, and if cut at 24", you have a 24" face cord and half a cord total.
 
Face cord

I always thought a face cord was 4ft high 8ft long 16 inches wide , thats what I was tought long ago , takes 3 face cord to make a full cord . Ted MI.
 
tdb said:
I always thought a face cord was 4ft high 8ft long 16 inches wide , thats what I was tought long ago , takes 3 face cord to make a full cord . Ted MI.

You are correct. But some states allow different interpretations of the length of the stick of wood. Also, some states allow using the terminology to sell wood. Check with The Bureau of Weights and Measures of the state you need the information.
 
Schultzz said:
You are correct. But some states allow different interpretations of the length of the stick of wood. Also, some states allow using the terminology to sell wood. Check with The Bureau of Weights and Measures of the state you need the information.

He's only correct in the sense that a 16" face cord is 1/3 of a cord. You should also check the law in your own state's weights and measures dept. It is illegal in PA to sell a "face cord", you have to sell by the cord or some fraction of the cord, i.e. 1/2...1/3...1/4..etc. cord. Now whether that's enforced or not I don't know.

Google "face cord" and you will see the definition is mostly what I said in my previous post. I say mostly, because there seems to be a few other interpretations as well.

Anyway, we all agree on the 4'x8' part of the equation, so I guess what's important if you are buying a face cord, is to make sure you ask what the third dimension is.
 
CaseyForrest said:
Here a face cord is advertised as 4'x8'x16", or 1/3 of a full cord.


And it should be :D because a face cord that measures 4'x8'x16", is in fact, 1/3 of a full cord.

Face cord -Sometimes used in measuring firewood, a face cord is 4 feet high by 8 feet long but only as deep as the length of the individual firewood pieces. Thus a face cord may be 4 feet by 8 feet by 16 inches and contain one-third the wood volume of a pulpwood or standard cord

That definition from the Michigan Loggers and Timberbuyers site http://www.timberbuyer.net/glossary.shtml
 
We call it a "rick" around here, usually stack it higher on the mixed wood and not on the hardwood. We try to cut 16"-18" lengths unless the customr really want's longer.
Andy
 
trimmmed said:
And it should be :D because a face cord that measures 4'x8'x16", is in fact, 1/3 of a full cord.

Face cord -Sometimes used in measuring firewood, a face cord is 4 feet high by 8 feet long but only as deep as the length of the individual firewood pieces. Thus a face cord may be 4 feet by 8 feet by 16 inches and contain one-third the wood volume of a pulpwood or standard cord

That definition from the Michigan Loggers and Timberbuyers site http://www.timberbuyer.net/glossary.shtml


Well, I should clarify....they dont put in "1/3 of a cord."

Add usually reads..."$65 face cord picked up, $75 delivered."
 
Casey, I know what you meant(that's not the point,lol) :)

Anyway, a face cord here has always meant pretty much the same thing as what you're saying, 1/3 of a cord or more. But............


A standard cord of wood is a well-stacked pile of logs 4 x 4 x 8 feet. However, since four or eight foot logs are too large for most fireplaces, most firewood is cut by "face cords." A face cord is a 4 x 8 stack of wood with logs cut to the desired length. Your permit allows you to cut up to five (5) cords of wood for your personal use. If the wood is cut to 12", then the face cord is about one-quarter of a cord. If the wood is cut to a 16" length, then it is about one-third of a cord.

That from here http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hmnf/pages/firewood.htm (michigan)
 
As can be seen by the various posts, there is no standard "face cord", "rick", "pile", "load", etc. They vary according to local useage. Even the definitions of 'face cord' that were quoted are obviously refering to local useage, not legal definitions. Basically if you buy a 'face cord' you get whatever the guy wants to call a 'face cord'.

Harry K
 
turnkey4099 said:
As can be seen by the various posts, there is no standard "face cord", "rick", "pile", "load", etc. They vary according to local useage. Even the definitions of 'face cord' that were quoted are obviously refering to local useage, not legal definitions. Basically if you buy a 'face cord' you get whatever the guy wants to call a 'face cord'.

Harry K

Bingo!
 
turnkey4099 said:
As can be seen by the various posts, there is no standard "face cord", "rick", "pile", "load", etc. They vary according to local useage. Even the definitions of 'face cord' that were quoted are obviously refering to local useage, not legal definitions. Basically if you buy a 'face cord' you get whatever the guy wants to call a 'face cord'.

Harry K

Ill echo trimmed...Bingo!!!

Thats why the face cord is most places is an illegal measurement.
 
Don't forget this one

Everyone's made some true and accurate statements on the subject. But don't forget the "jag". It's the top layer off the stack (cord). Grandpa ran that one by me many years ago and I'll bet some of you have the same look on your face I did back then! Has anyone heard of it or did Grandpa make up some new terminology? Wish he was here to ask....sorry.
 
Woodpile said:
Everyone's made some true and accurate statements on the subject. But don't forget the "jag". It's the top layer off the stack (cord). Grandpa ran that one by me many years ago and I'll bet some of you have the same look on your face I did back then! Has anyone heard of it or did Grandpa make up some new terminology? Wish he was here to ask....sorry.

I haven't seen it in that meaning. Here (SE WA, N ID), or at least it was back ummm years ago, a "jag" was a small load as in "I brought in a jag of wood yesterday".

Harry K
 
I've heard it "jig", but no real definition thereof. Pretty much "a goodly amount" to suit a particulat purpose. A jig of wood to feed a night's campfire would be a different quantity than a jig you'd haul to a freind for a weekend's fireplace use. Not saying the term was used correctly, just how it was used.

A "face cord" here is just that - a 2-dimnesional measure of the face 4'x8' - the 3rd dimension "is what it is".
 

Latest posts

Back
Top