The range, species by species
A cord is a volume measure, 4 by 4 by 8 feet, 128 cubic feet, and weight is a different question entirely. The same 128 cubic feet of pine and oak can differ by nearly two tons. Here are the working numbers, green versus seasoned, compiled from firewood weight guides:
| Species | Green (per cord) | Seasoned (per cord) |
|---|---|---|
| Oak | 5,500 lb | 4,000 lb |
| Hickory | 5,200 lb | 4,100 lb |
| Maple | 4,600 lb | 3,400 lb |
| White oak | 2,880 to 3,710 lb | |
| Douglas fir | 2,400 to 3,075 lb | |
| Pine | 3,500 lb | 2,200 lb |
| Cedar | 2,900 lb | 2,100 lb |
| Alder | 2,000 to 2,600 lb |
The pattern is simple: hardwoods are dense and heavy, softwoods are light, and everything gets dramatically lighter as it dries. A mixed cord, the most common thing people actually buy, lands around 3,500 pounds seasoned. A face cord, roughly a third of a full cord, runs about a third of these numbers: 700 to 1,300 pounds seasoned.
Why the range is so wide
Three things move the number. The first is water. Freshly cut wood holds up to 50% of its weight as water, which is why a green cord of oak weighs 5,500 pounds and the same wood seasoned weighs 4,000. Seasoning is mostly a dehydration project: get the moisture content under 20% and you have burned off over a ton of water weight before a single log reaches the stove. This is also why buying green wood in spring and seasoning it yourself is the cheapest way to heat with wood, if you have the space and the patience.
The second is species density. Oak and hickory pack more wood fiber per cubic foot than pine or cedar, so they weigh more, burn longer, and throw more heat per cord. The BTU chart and the weight table are telling the same story from two angles: density is heat, and density is weight.
The third is how the cord is stacked. A cord includes air: roughly 25% of a stacked cord is empty space between the logs, more if the pieces are crooked or unsplit. A tightly stacked cord of split wood weighs close to the table numbers. A loosely thrown truckload advertised as a cord weighs less per "cord" and contains less wood, which is the loose-load trap worth knowing about before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cord of firewood weigh?
A seasoned full cord weighs 2,000 to 4,000 pounds depending on species, roughly the weight of a car. Green hardwood cords can weigh 4,500 to 5,500 pounds because freshly cut wood holds up to 50% water by weight.
How much does a cord of oak firewood weigh?
A seasoned cord of oak weighs about 4,000 pounds, toward the heavy end of the scale. Green oak runs about 5,500 pounds per cord. Oak's density is why it burns so long and why it is the hardest common firewood to haul.
How much does a face cord of firewood weigh?
A face cord is roughly one-third of a full cord, so divide the full-cord numbers by three: about 700 to 1,300 pounds seasoned, depending on species. Seasoned pine runs near the bottom of that range; seasoned oak near the top.
Can a pickup truck carry a full cord of firewood?
By volume a full cord fits an 8-foot bed stacked level, but weight is the real constraint. A seasoned cord at 2,000 to 3,000 pounds is within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's capacity; a green hardwood cord at 4,500-plus pounds is not. Most people haul a cord in multiple trips or pay for delivery.
Size the load before you buy it
Know your winter demand with the firewood calculator, then match the species to your hauling capacity using the table above. Read what a cord costs in 2026 and how long each species takes to season, because the cheapest cord is the green one you dry yourself, and the heaviest cord is the green one you try to haul in one trip.
The delivery fee is not a luxury charge. It is the price of moving two tons of water and wood with a forklift instead of your back. For more firewood guides, subscribe to the newsletter, it is free.