What is a cord of firewood?
A full cord is a stack of wood measuring 128 cubic feet, including the air space between pieces when the wood is stacked tightly and in line. The classic picture is a stack 4 feet high, 4 feet deep and 8 feet long (4 × 4 × 8 = 128). With 16-inch pieces, that is three rows of wood, each 4 feet high and 8 feet long.
Smaller fractions follow the same math. A half cord is 64 cubic feet, roughly a 4 × 4 × 4 stack. A quarter cord is 32 cubic feet, about a 4-foot high, 4-foot long stack that is one 16-inch piece deep.
| Size | Cubic feet | Example stack (16" pieces) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full cord | 128 | 4' high × 8' long × 3 rows deep | Wood stove, primary heat |
| Half cord | 64 | 4' high × 8' long × 1.5 rows deep | Regular fireplace use |
| Quarter cord | 32 | 4' high × 4' long × 2 rows deep | Occasional fires, fire pits |
What about a "face cord", "rick" or "truckload"?
These are not legal units in California. The state's weights and measures regulations (Title 4, California Code of Regulations §4530–4536.2) require firewood to be sold and advertised by the cord or a fraction of a cord, and they specifically prohibit terms like "face cord", "rick", "rack", "tier", "pile" and "truck-load". A seller who quotes you a "truckload" price is leaving you with no way to know how much wood you are getting.
When you buy from Mountain Man Firewoods, every load is sold as a quarter, half or full cord, and your receipt states the quantity in those terms. If you ever want to check a delivery, stack it tightly and measure: length × height × depth in feet, divided by 128, gives you the fraction of a cord.
How much does a cord of firewood cost in Southern California?
Prices depend on species, seasoning and delivery distance. In the Inland Empire and the mountain communities of Riverside County, seasoned oak typically runs $700 to $900 per full cord delivered, and mixed hardwood or softwood blends run less. Our current prices are $777 for a full cord of seasoned oak and $655 for a full cord of oak/cedar mix, with free delivery in our service area.
Watch for two things that change the effective price: delivery fees (some suppliers add $40 to $100 per trip) and green wood sold as seasoned. Green oak can lose a third of its weight as it dries, and until it does it will smolder and smoke. Ask how long the wood has seasoned.
How much firewood do I need?
- Occasional evening fires, a few nights a month: a quarter cord usually covers the season.
- Fireplace fires most winter nights: a half cord, sometimes a half plus a quarter later in the season.
- Wood stove as a supplemental heat source: one to two full cords for a mountain winter.
- Wood stove as primary heat in Anza, Idyllwild or Garner Valley: three to five full cords, depending on the house and the winter.
How to store a cord of firewood
Stack it off the ground on pallets or rails, in a single row if possible, with the top covered and the sides open so air can move through. Keep the stack a few feet from the house to discourage pests, and bring in a day or two of wood at a time so it is dry and room-temperature when you light it.
Ready to order?
See our current firewood prices for seasoned oak and oak/cedar mix by the quarter, half and full cord, delivered free in our service area.