How much is a cord of wood?

Figures checked Nov. 10, 2026

There is no single price for a cord of wood: it changes with the seller, the wood and what the price includes. We don't list prices. Type the seller's price and the amount, and the checker works out the price per full cord of 128 cubic feet, so you can compare offers like for like.

Amount sold	Share of a full cord
Full cord	All of it (128 cubic feet)
Half cord	Half (64 cubic feet)
Quarter cord	A quarter (32 cubic feet)
Face cord or rick	Depends on log length: one third with sixteen-inch logs
Cubic feet	The cubic feet divided by 128

Price per full cord

The sums behind this tool are tested against 9 checks, including the limits where it gives no number.

Average price of a cord of wood

None of the official sources we use publishes a national firewood price, so we don't give one. An average from somewhere else could be far from what sellers charge near you.

Instead, gather a few local offers and run each one through the checker. The lowest price per full cord is the cheapest wood, whatever unit the seller uses.

To go one step further, compare cost per million Btu. A cord of red oak holds about 24 million Btu, while a cord of eastern white pine holds about 14.3 million. The fuel cost comparer does that sum.

Price of a half cord or quarter cord

A half cord is 64 cubic feet and a quarter cord is 32 cubic feet. Choose either one in the checker and it scales the price up to a full cord.

Small bundles work the same way. If a bundle's label gives its volume in cubic feet, choose cubic feet in the checker and type that figure.

Face cord and rick prices

A face cord or rick is one row of logs, so its size depends on log length. The checker asks for the log length and does the rest.

This matters more than it looks. Indiana's forestry division says: A face cord of 16" pieces is actually one third of a standard cord. For example, a face cord of 24-inch logs holds half a cord. The same price can buy very different amounts of wood.

Seasoned vs green, and kiln-dried firewood

The EPA says: Wood burns best at a moisture content of less than 20 percent. Green wood is freshly cut, and wood that isn't fully dry weighs more.

Whether wood is sold as seasoned or kiln-dried, ask the seller for the moisture content. The EPA's advice is simple: "Test wood with a wood moisture meter before you burn it."

Also ask which species you are getting. Dense hardwoods give more heat per cord; see best firewood for the figures.

Delivery and stacking charges

Ask whether the price includes delivery and stacking, and whether the wood arrives stacked or dumped loose. A legal cord is measured as a tidy stack, not a heap.

Add any extra charges to the price before you use the checker. Then every offer is compared on the same terms.

Where to buy firewood

We don't sell firewood or list sellers. Whoever you buy from, ask for the amount in cords or a fraction of a cord. Washington's agriculture department says: The legal measure for firewood in Washington is the cord or a fraction of a cord.

Rules differ by state. Massachusetts, for one, says: Wood cannot by advertised or sold by the “cord.” Your state's weights and measures office can tell you the local rule.

How to avoid being short-changed

Stack the wood tightly when it arrives and measure it. The stack calculator turns length, height and depth into cords.

Take care with sellers who quote in units the national handbook bans. Washington's agriculture department says: Sellers may not legitimately use terms such as "truckload," "face cord," "rack" or "pile." Ask for the size in cords or cubic feet before you pay.

If the stack comes up short, contact the seller first. If that doesn't settle it, your state's weights and measures office can help.

Questions people ask

How much is a face cord of wood?

It depends on the seller and on the log length, which sets how much wood a face cord holds. Type the price and log length into the checker to see the price per full cord.

How much does a quarter cord of wood cost?

We don't list prices. A quarter cord is 32 cubic feet; choose quarter cord in the checker to compare its price with full-cord offers.

Is kiln-dried firewood worth the extra cost?

Compare it by price per full cord, then check the moisture. The EPA says wood burns best under 20 percent moisture.

How do I compare firewood prices?

Turn every offer into a price per full cord with the checker, after adding delivery and stacking charges. Then you are comparing like for like.

Before you light it

Carbon monoxide (CO) can kill. US Consumer Product Safety Commission (Official): “Fuel-burning heating systems, including furnaces and fireplaces, can produce CO, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas.” Source(opens in a new tab)
Fit CO alarms and test them. US Consumer Product Safety Commission (Official): “CO alarms should be placed on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas.” “Test the alarms every month to make sure they are working.” Source(opens in a new tab)
Have appliances checked every year. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Official): “Have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.” Source(opens in a new tab)
Chimneys and vents too. US Fire Administration (Official): “Have chimneys and vents cleaned and inspected at least once a year.” Source(opens in a new tab)
If a CO alarm sounds (US: call 911): US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Official): “If the detector sounds leave your home immediately and call 911.” Source(opens in a new tab)
Know the signs. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Official): “The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.” Source(opens in a new tab)
Keep things that can burn away from the stove. US Fire Administration (Official): “Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources” Source(opens in a new tab)

Sources for this page

7 figures and 2 wood types, each with its source

Every figure on this page, with its source. Open one to see the exact words on the source page and how it was checked.

Legal cord (volume of ranked and well-stowed wood): 128 cubic feet Official
From Connecticut Dept. of Consumer Protection: Firewood and Stove Wood Regulations (quotes NIST Handbook 130, 2016), which says: “The amount of wood that is contained in a space of 128 cubic feet when the wood is ranked and well stowed.” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check re-opened the source page and matched it on Nov. 9, 2026. A blind check looked it up again on Nov. 10, 2026 without seeing our figure: the two agreed.
Face cord of 16-inch logs as a fraction of a cord: 0.33 cords Official
From Indiana DNR Division of Forestry: Heating With Firewood (Stewardship Notes), which says: “A face cord of 16" pieces is actually one third of a standard cord.” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check re-opened the source page and matched it on Nov. 9, 2026.
Half cord: 64 cubic feet Official (worked out)
From Connecticut Dept. of Consumer Protection: Firewood and Stove Wood Regulations (quotes NIST Handbook 130, 2016), which says: “The amount of wood that is contained in a space of 128 cubic feet when the wood is ranked and well stowed.” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check re-opened the source page and matched it on Nov. 9, 2026.
Sales terms NIST Handbook 130 says not to use: face cord, rack, pile, truckload (and similar) Official
From Washington State Dept. of Agriculture: Firewood Information, which says: “Sellers may not legitimately use terms such as "truckload," "face cord," "rack" or "pile."” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check re-opened the source page and matched it on Nov. 9, 2026.
Quarter cord: 32 cubic feet Official (worked out)
From Connecticut Dept. of Consumer Protection: Firewood and Stove Wood Regulations (quotes NIST Handbook 130, 2016), which says: “The amount of wood that is contained in a space of 128 cubic feet when the wood is ranked and well stowed.” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check re-opened the source page and matched it on Nov. 9, 2026.
Moisture content of seasoned firewood: 20% (less than) Official
From US EPA Burn Wise: Best Wood-Burning Practices, which says: “Wood burns best at a moisture content of less than 20 percent.” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check re-opened the source page and matched it on Nov. 9, 2026. A blind check looked it up again on Nov. 10, 2026 without seeing our figure: the two agreed.
Massachusetts: firewood not sold by the 'cord': sold by volume, not the word 'cord' Official
From Mass.gov: Firewood Sales, which says: “Wood cannot by advertised or sold by the “cord.”” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check re-opened the source page and matched it on Nov. 9, 2026.
Red oak: 24 million Btu per cord; 3,757 lb seasoned; 4,888 lb green Official
Heat: from Virginia Tech (Bond & Downing): Firewood, Facts, Follies and Forest Management (Woods & Wildlife 2013), which says: “Red oak | 3,757 | 24” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Weight: from Virginia Tech (Bond & Downing): Firewood, Facts, Follies and Forest Management (Woods & Wildlife 2013), which says: “Red oak | 3,757 | 24” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Green weight: from Utah State University Extension Forestry (Kuhns & Schmidt): Wood Heating, Table 1 Firewood Facts, which says: “Oak, Red | 4888 | 3528 | 24.6” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check matched this wood's row against the published table, cell by cell, on Nov. 9, 2026.
Eastern white pine: 14.3 million Btu per cord; 2,250 lb seasoned Official
Heat: from Virginia Tech (Bond & Downing): Firewood, Facts, Follies and Forest Management (Woods & Wildlife 2013), which says: “White pine | 2,236 | 14.3” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Weight: from Utah State University Extension Forestry (Kuhns & Schmidt): Wood Heating, Table 1 Firewood Facts, which says: “Pine, White | (blank) | 2250 | 15.9” Open the source (opens in a new tab)
Checked Nov. 9, 2026. A second check matched this wood's row against the published table, cell by cell, on Nov. 9, 2026.