Your heating details
Heat values: University of Maryland Extension publication FS926 (Wood Fuel), Table 1 — potential available heat per standard cord of air-dried wood at 100% efficiency. Values cross-checked against the widely published Chimney Sweep Online firewood BTU comparison chart.
Estimated firewood for the heating season:
0 cords
What counts as a cord?
A standard (full) cord is a neatly stacked pile 4 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet long: 128 cubic feet of stacked wood. A face cord (sometimes called a rick) is one third of that: a stack 4 feet high and 8 feet long but only one log-length deep, about 42 to 48 cubic feet.
Watch out for loose or "thrown" cords. Firewood tossed loosely into a truck takes up about 175 to 185 cubic feet to equal one 128-cubic-foot stacked cord, because of the air gaps. If a seller quotes you a loose cord price, divide by about 1.4 to compare it fairly with a stacked-cord price.
Guides
How to Tell If You Are Actually Getting a Full Cord of Firewood
The 4x4x8 stack test, face-cord math, the loose truckload trap, and how to compare prices in dollars per stacked cubic foot.
How Long Does Firewood Take to Season? A Species-by-Species Chart
Oak needs 18 to 24 months, pine 6 to 12. Seasoning times by species, what speeds drying up, and how to know your wood is ready.
Firewood heat value by species
Million BTU per standard cord of air-dried wood (about 20% moisture), sorted highest to lowest. Denser hardwoods hold far more heat than softwoods.
| Species | Million BTU / cord |
|---|---|
| Osage orange | 30.7 |
| Hickory, shagbark | 29.1 |
| Locust, black | 28.1 |
| Oak, white | 27.0 |
| Oak, red | 25.3 |
| Maple, sugar | 25.0 |
| Ash | 23.6 |
| Walnut, black | 21.8 |
| Hackberry | 21.6 |
| Elm, red | 21.4 |
| Maple, silver | 20.8 |
| Sycamore | 20.7 |
| Elm, American | 20.1 |
| Pine, shortleaf | 19.0 |
| Red cedar | 18.9 |
| Box elder | 17.5 |
| Cottonwood | 16.1 |
| Basswood | 14.7 |
Source: University of Maryland Extension publication FS926 (Wood Fuel), Table 1, potential available heat per standard cord of air-dried wood at 100% efficiency. Real delivered heat is this figure multiplied by your stove efficiency. Values vary with seasoning, region, and moisture content; always burn wood seasoned to 20% moisture or less.
Frequently asked questions
How many cords of firewood do I need for winter?
Most homes that heat primarily with wood use between 2 and 6 full cords per heating season. A 1,800 square foot average-insulation home in a 4,000 HDD climate burning seasoned hickory in a modern 75% efficient stove needs roughly 2.4 cords. Colder climates, larger homes, poor insulation, low-efficiency fireplaces, and low-BTU softwoods all push the number higher. Use the calculator above with your own numbers instead of a generic rule of thumb.
What is the difference between a cord, a face cord, and a rick?
A full (standard) cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood, typically 4 by 4 by 8 feet. A face cord, also called a rick in some regions, is a single row of that stack, 4 feet high by 8 feet long, roughly 42 to 48 cubic feet depending on log length. Three face cords of 16-inch logs equal about one full cord. Always confirm which unit a seller is quoting before comparing prices.
How does stove efficiency change how much wood I need?
Dramatically. An open fireplace delivers only about 15% of the wood's heat into the room, so it can require four to five times more wood than a modern EPA-certified stove at 75% efficiency to produce the same warmth. Older non-certified stoves run near 60%, and EPA fireplace inserts near 70%. Upgrading the appliance is the single biggest lever for cutting firewood consumption.
Which firewood species gives the most heat?
Dense hardwoods top the list: osage orange (30.7), shagbark hickory (29.1), black locust (28.1), and white oak (27.0 million BTU per cord). Softwoods like pine, cedar, cottonwood, and basswood run 14 to 19 million BTU per cord, so you need roughly half again as much wood for the same heat. Just as important as species is seasoning: green wood can waste a quarter of its energy boiling off water, so burn only wood dried to 20% moisture or less.
Why do heating degree days matter?
Heating degree days (HDD) measure how cold and how long your heating season is: each degree the daily average temperature falls below 65°F counts as one degree day. A home in Minneapolis (about 8,000 annual HDD) needs roughly twice the heating energy of the same home in Atlanta (about 2,500 HDD). The calculator multiplies your home size by your zone's HDD so the estimate reflects your actual climate, not a national average.
Should I buy stacked or loose firewood?
Buy stacked when you can compare prices per stacked cord, since 128 cubic feet stacked is the standard unit. A loosely thrown truckload needs about 175 to 185 cubic feet to contain the same amount of wood as a 128-cubic-foot stacked cord. If a seller only offers loose volume, expect to need roughly 1.4 loose cords for every stacked cord you want.
Tips for buying and burning
- Season wood 6 to 12 months (oak can take up to 2 years) and check it with a moisture meter; burn at 20% moisture or below.
- Cover the top of the stack but leave the sides open to airflow.
- Dense hardwoods like oak, hickory, and locust burn longest and make the best overnight coals.
- Softwoods like pine light easily and are fine for kindling or milder climates, but you will burn through more volume.
- Have your chimney swept every year before heating season.
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