How to measure wood or firewood for burning

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By Amy Kuncaitis
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measurements of firewood

With the cost of fuel prices soaring, more and more people are turning to wood burning to heat their homes. There are many ways to use firewood as a heat source. There are some things to keep in mind when doing so to remain safe, clean, efficient, and environmentally friendly.
One way to get good burning hardwood is to have it delivered to you. There are many tree cutting services who will drop a load to you for a various rate. It is important to know the terms used when measuring firewood so you know how much wood you will be getting.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

to review this article
a basic knowledge or idea of the amount of wood you would like

Step 1

8X4X4= a cord of wood

A standard Cord of firewood. A standard cord is 8 X 4 X 4 - 8 foot long by 4 foot high by 4 foot deep
Step 2

a face cord is equal to 1/3 full cord

A Face cord. A face cord is generally 4 foot high X 8 foot wide and as wide as the individual piece of firewood (16" average). The average face cord is equal to 1/3 full cord.
Step 3

3 ricks of wood to equal 1 full cord

A Rick of wood. A Rick of wood is another term for a face cord. Again, you would need 3 ricks of wood to have a full cord.
Step 4

foot, gallon, or ton are terms that should not be used

A 'foot, gallon, or ton' of wood. If someone is selling using these terms, they may be trying to scam. These are not legal terms for selling firewood and should not be considered when purchasing.

Tips & Warnings

When purchasing firewood, always look for the term "cord" as this is the standard measurement
Try to get the name, address, and phone number of the company delivering your wood incase there is a problem or for more wood in the future.
Do not buy wood from a company you know nothing about
request all hardwoods if you are using the wood for home heating