A cord is not just a pile of wood

[dave7965]

I respond to an ad for 2 cords of wood. I tell the guy on the phone that I need to be assured that they are full cords. He said "don't worry I've been doing this for 30 years". "Great", I said still unconvinced. He said that he bulk loads a 10 ft dump truck that can hold up to 2 and a half true cords. I asked him what the bed measurement was (by this time he has probably realized he's dealing with a maniac) and he told me 10x7x4...280 cu ft. I said " Dude, even it was stacked tightly to the gills that's barely over 2 cords...at best you've got a cord and a third bulk loaded". CLICK.....conversation over. A CORD IS NOT JUST A PILE OF WOOD !
thank you and goodnight

 

[LLigetfa]

I bet they really hate informed consumers.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

One time when I sold some standing firewood two of the workers told me they could haul almost 5 face cords on their truck. A couple days later I was talking to the owner of the operation and he told me the truck held 6 face cords and that is how they sold it. At that time he was getting $55 per face cord. That was a handy way for the guy to make more money for sure but I surely could not do business that way.

 

[billb3]

You're in Rhode Island. You should be used to Tommy 'Three Fingers' Brown taking his cut.

 

[gpcollen1]

The last time I had wood delivered, the guy had marks on the inside of his box/dump truck with wood volumes. There were marks for both loading stacked neatly and bulk loaded. Quite good I thought. Too bad half of the wood needed some additional seasoning.

 

[bogydave]

What's the deal with "Face cord" ?
Is it the facing row of a stacked cord of wood? What's the middle or back row called?
I see it here allot. is their a standard cubic feet dimension? Mine works out to be 65 cubic feet.

(a cord is 4’ X 4’ X 8’ = 128 cubic feet of stacked wood; roughly 85 -90 cubic feet of wood, the rest is air)
( the 128 cubic feet is the “etched in stone” standard & how you stack to get it is a variable)

my cord is in 18” split lengths, so a stacked cord is 3’ X 5’-5” X 8’ (+/-) & a cord = 2 rows of splits on 2 - 4’ pallets & fits pretty good & is; 128 cubic feet +/-.

So, to be politically correct: is my face cord 1.5’ X 5’-5” X 8’ = 65 (+/-) cubic feet? I call it 1/2 a cord. Maybe I
should call it a "N of 61° face cord".

The “face cord” has always confused me. So I use cords (128 cubic ft)
Is there a “etched in stone” cubic feet number for a face cord?

Not that all of us on the forum could agree on anything but we do all agree fire wood is measured in “cords”. A "cord" is a “cord” in Canada, Texas, Alaska,
Washington, Oregon & Wisconsin etc. 128 cubic feet.
Or am I just out of touch & old school?
Maybe just grumpy today, rain snow mix, had to start a fire in the stove, lakes still frozen, top 2" of the yard is a thawed gooey mess & my cabin fever temperature is high.
feel better now that I vented

 

[EatenByLimestone]

What's the deal with "Face cord" ?
Is it the facing row of a stacked cord of wood? What's the middle or back row called?
I see it here allot. is their a standard cubic feet dimension? Mine works out to be 65 cubic feet.

(a cord is 4’ X 4’ X 8’ = 128 cubic feet of stacked wood; roughly 85 -90 cubic feet of wood, the rest is air)
( the 128 cubic feet is the “etched in stone” standard & how you stack to get it is a variable)

my cord is in 18” split lengths, so a stacked cord is 3’ X 5’-5” X 8’ (+/-) & a cord = 2 rows of splits on 2 - 4’ pallets & fits pretty good & is; 128 cubic feet +/-.

So, to be politically correct: is my face cord 1.5’ X 5’-5” X 8’ = 65 (+/-) cubic feet? I call it 1/2 a cord. Maybe I
should call it a "N of 61° face cord".

The “face cord” has always confused me. So I use cords (128 cubic ft)
Is there a “etched in stone” cubic feet number for a face cord?

Not that all of us on the forum could agree on anything but we do all agree fire wood is measured in “cords”. A "cord" is a “cord” in Canada, Texas, Alaska,
Washington, Oregon & Wisconsin etc. 128 cubic feet.
Or am I just out of touch & old school?
Maybe just grumpy today, rain snow mix, had to start a fire in the stove, lakes still frozen, top 2" of the yard is a thawed gooey mess & my cabin fever temperature is high.
feel better now that I vented

A face is just a 4X8 wall of wood. No specific thickness, but probably 16-18".

It's useful to occasional fireplace burners.

Matt

 

[SolarAndWood]

You can't buy a cord around here. As far as the integrity of the wood sellers, I think people must be conditioned to getting screwed or don't have any experience. A friend of mine selling true 2 cord loads is constantly told by customers that they didn't expect that much wood.

 

[PapaDave]

I guess I don't understand the confusion. You just have to get to know the local lingo for a face cord. Around here, it's pretty much accepted that a face cord is 4'x8'x16".
When I'm saying "cord", meaning full cord, and the guy I'm talking to is also saying cord, but meaning "face cord", is when things get interesting. As long as you're both on the same page in the same book, it's all good.
My brother is one of those guys who still says cord, but is actually talking about a "face". I understand that when we talk, and adjust my thinking accordingly. No difficulty involved, just a small learning curve. He won't change, but I can.
I wouldn't get too hung up on it, just ask a couple questions to determine commonality, then, act accordingly. "When in Rome" kinda' thing.
When we first got here, I had 2 different guys bring c/s/d to me. BOTH of them were talking cord, but meant "face". I said I wanted 5 FULL cord, that perked 'em up a little, because to them, that's 15 cord. That's the way it's done 'round heeyar, see? I continue to try edumacating folks by mentioning "FULL" cord when having a conversation, then let it go. If I push it too much, I'm just a "faltlander" or a "downstater", and they'll tune me out.
Oh, and nobody is getting screwed buying a c/s/d cord around here when the cost is $55-$65.

 

[bogydave]

A face is just a 4X8 wall of wood. No specific thickness, but probably 16-18”.
It’s useful to occasional fireplace burners.
Matt

You can’t buy a cord around here. As far as the integrity of the wood sellers, I think people must be conditioned to getting screwed or don’t have any experience. A friend of mine selling true 2 cord loads is constantly told by customers that they didn’t expect that much wood.
SolarAndWood

I guess I don’t understand the confusion. You just have to get to know the local lingo for a face cord. Around here, it’s pretty much accepted that a face cord is 4’x8’x16”. brother still says cord, but is actually talking about a “face”.
PapaDave

What I call a face cord is 4' high an 8' long plus 16" wide.

Pretty much what everyone in upstate NY calls a face cord or often even a cord. I hadn't heard of a true cord until I had some logging done 5 years ago. Nice stacks Zap.

Glad we cleared that up. Face Cord = a stack of wood 4' high X 8' long at whatever split/round lengths. No specific volume.
A "face cord" is "Not a standard quantity" of wood. More "area specifc" & varies with the area. & could be called a cord in NY & MI.
So my face cord would be 48 cubic feet ( 4' X 8' X 1.5')
Somebody who does 24" lengths would be 64 cubic feet.
Not familiar with "c/s/d cord". Not sure I want to be.

 

[PapaDave]

Dave, c/s/d means cut, split, delivered. Old time wood burner like you didn't know that? Methinks bogy's just messin' with us.
Maybe we can all agree, there is NO definitive measurement of a "face" cord. Now, when referring to a face cord here on the Hearth, I just say 1/3 cord.
It's all good.

 

[burntime]

By me the wood is 16-18 inchs long. They describe a face cord as a third of a cord. 4'x8'-16inchs long. At least the people I have come across here. They generally sell by the cord so there is no confusion anyway...

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It really is amazing how folks around these parts talk about a cord of wood. One guy I talked to recently was so excited. He asked how many cord of wood I had on hand and I told him it was around 20. He got all excited and bragged that he had 27 cord all cut, split and stacked up. I let him carry on for a while before I asked (but already knew the answer) him how much wood is in a cord. He told me it was a 4' x 8' stack of wood. I then asked what length he cut it to. He said 16". So, I asked then if that 4' x 8' meant one row of that 16" wood and he said, "Of course. That's how you measure a cord of wood. How long you been cutting wood anyway and don't know that?" I laughed and then told him that by his measurement of a cord of wood I had about 60 cord on hand. I don't think he believes me yet. lol It is just strange how people get. I think one of the biggest reasons people started talking about a cord of wood like that is because it makes it sound so much bigger. After all, does it sound better to cut 60 cord or 20 cord? Oh well, each to his own.