Just finished stacking a pile of oak and black birch. It's 35 feet long, by 1. 5' wide, and 6' tall. By my calculations, that's 11.667 cords. Is this correct?
How much wood?
- Thread starter Easy Livin’ 3000
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Seems a bit high, I like the way you think though but that line of thunking may run you short of wood. Lol. 1.5’ would be a single row of 18” correct? I come up with 2.46 using the cord calculator.
XmasTreefarmer
Feeling the Heat
Easy Livin' - I like your optimism, but my math agrees with the previous two responders!! 
You are only off by a factor of five. 
You are only off by a factor of five. 
Ah, yes, I knew something was off. I did 35x6x1.5/27. I used 27 as the denominator mistakenly, that's for a cubic yard, not a cord. Not good thinking. Well, about 2 and half cords isn't too shabby, but my math sure was. I'm gonna stick with the cord calculator, I just forgot it was there.
Every cord seems to take more and more work as the years go on!
Every cord seems to take more and more work as the years go on!
hickoryhoarder
Minister of Fire
Think of a cord as 24 feet long by 4 feet high by 16" wide (I'm not sure of the 16" width, but it's common in my region). (It's often thought of as 8 feet long, three rows deep). So you know you have roughly two cords there, even without precise calculations.
Yours is 6 feet high, so we can estimate that it's in a sense 52 feet long, if 4 feet high. So somewhat more than 2 cords. And then the logs are 18", not 16".
With math in general I estimate first, do precise calculations next. It tends to avoid big mistakes that way. Big mistakes on a math test by students usually indicate they were formula-dependent or calculator-dependent.
Yours is 6 feet high, so we can estimate that it's in a sense 52 feet long, if 4 feet high. So somewhat more than 2 cords. And then the logs are 18", not 16".
With math in general I estimate first, do precise calculations next. It tends to avoid big mistakes that way. Big mistakes on a math test by students usually indicate they were formula-dependent or calculator-dependent.
When I was a student ( many moons ago) big mistakes on my math tests were often created by thinking about: the big game that night, an upcoming hot date, going hunting, going fishing, heading out to stir up some mischief with the boys, getting out of there so I could get in the lunch line or basically anything other than sitting in classroom & paying attention to the task at hand.
Not only was my math bad, apparently so was my stacking!
Bad arithmetic is acceptable but poor stacking....
That just adds insult to injury or sore muscles. My back hurts just looking @ it. That’s why I like stacking along fences, it helps cover up my less than stellar stacking.
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
Yeah stacking 6' high is surely a gamble. I keep my stacks about 4' high (on 4x4's which are on cinder blocks) and even those start getting a bit wonky looking as the years go by and the wood dries out.
I've had this happen plenty of times months after I stack it, as the sunny side dries faster. I'm ok with that, although I don't like it.
This stack, on the other hand, I just stacked this weekend, mostly yesterday! I've never before had a stack fall the night after I stacked it.
I'm going to blame it on an unfriendly neighbor sneaking around in the dark last night, who gave it a push. ;-)
I normally stack like you do on landscape timbers on cinder blocks. If I go above 4', I expect to have about 50% fall over time. Unless I go two stacks together, then they never fall. I'm going to start doing more of this. Currently I only have one, and it is rock solid.
I know some frown on double stacking, but I double stack with a gap between the bases and lean them toward each other... if the outside dries and shrinks more they straighten out, if they tip they support each other. Doesn't work every time, but I don't restack very often. 4' high on pallets. Sometimes when I'm splitting and the wife & kids are stacking it's less successful...
Grizzerbear
Minister of Fire
I stack like this too. For me....double stacks are the best option because of my sloping ground. They are alot more stable.
This time I'm having my work reviewed by the boss.
More likely the culprit. Lol
Wants to make sure you have proper supplies to create next years napping spot...
He took two years to get brave enough to venture close to the stove, but now he loves it and complains if it is not running.
Yep, the gives you a full cord..4'x4'x8'.
Yeah, but look at all the sun that wood is now getting!
Yeah, I know, sun isn't all that important..
