How to Use Firewood Calculator
The Firewood Calculator converts a measured pile into common firewood volume units. It is designed for buyers and sellers who need to compare a physical stack with quoted cords, face cords or cubic-volume pricing.
- Pick a unit — feet or meters.
- Enter length, height and depth of the pile.
- Select stacking style — loose stacks lose ~15% volume.
- Read the conversions — ft³, m³, cords and face cords.
- Compare with quoted seller volumes to spot under-deliveries.
Formula & Theory — Firewood Calculator
The Firewood Calculator first converts the stack dimensions to feet, calculates cubic feet, then applies a loose-stack factor if selected. A full cord is defined as 128 ft³ of tightly stacked wood, while a face cord is approximated as one third of a cord.
volumeFt3 = length × height × depth
fullCords = volumeFt3 / 128
faceCords = volumeFt3 / (128 / 3)
looseVolume = tightVolume × 0.85| Unit | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cubic feet | Raw stack volume after tight/loose adjustment |
| Full cord | 128 ft³ tightly stacked |
| Face cord | About 42.67 ft³, assuming 16 in logs |
| Cubic meters | Metric volume equivalent |
Assumptions and Limits
Moisture content, log shape and air gaps affect usable heat, not just volume. A loosely thrown pile can contain far less wood than a neatly stacked pile of the same outer dimensions. If buying by face cord, confirm the log length because regional definitions vary.
Use Cases for Firewood Calculator
The Firewood Calculator is useful for:
- Delivery checks — Measure a stack after unloading and compare with the invoice.
- Woodshed sizing — Plan storage for one winter or one heating season.
- Supplier comparisons — Convert face-cord and full-cord prices to the same basis.
- Season planning — Estimate whether an existing pile will last through cold months.
For heating budgets, combine the volume result with wood species and moisture content, since dry hardwood delivers much more heat per cord than wet softwood.