A cord is a fixed 128 cubic feet, while a rick is an informal stack whose volume depends on log length.
That gap between legal standard and local habit is where money disappears. A seller quotes a price for a “rick,” you assume it matches last year’s pile, and the truck arrives with roughly half the wood you pictured. Firewood volume runs on stacked cubic feet, and only one term is locked to a number.
What Is A Cord Of Firewood?
A cord is a legal unit: 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked wood, measured as a pile 4 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet long. Bark, gaps, and uneven splits occupy part of that space. Because the cord is standardized, it’s the only number you can compare across sellers without asking questions. Everything else in firewood sales is a nickname for something less precise.
Firewood Rick Vs Cord: What A Rick Really Measures
A rick is usually the same as a face cord — a stack 4 feet high and 8 feet long — but depth is set by log length, so total volume isn’t fixed. Two ricks from two sellers can differ by 50% or more.
A face of 4 by 8 feet has 32 square feet of visible surface. Multiply by depth in feet for stacked cubic feet.
- 16-inch logs (1.33 ft): ~42.6 cubic feet, roughly 1/3 cord.
- 18-inch logs (1.5 ft): ~48 cubic feet, or 3/8 cord.
- 24-inch logs (2 ft): ~64 cubic feet, or 1/2 cord.
The “rick equals one-third cord” rule holds only for 16-inch cuts. Regional usage varies: some sellers treat rick and face cord as identical; others use “rick” for any pile or truckload. That looseness is the main buying risk.
| Term | Stacked Volume | Fixed? |
|---|---|---|
| Cord | 128 cubic feet (4 × 4 × 8 ft) | Yes — legal standard |
| Face cord / rick (16-in logs) | ~42.6 cubic feet (≈ 1/3 cord) | No — depends on depth |
| Face cord / rick (18-in logs) | ~48 cubic feet (≈ 3/8 cord) | No — depends on depth |
| Face cord / rick (24-in logs) | ~64 cubic feet (≈ 1/2 cord) | No — depends on depth |
| Pickup-truck load (loose) | Varies; unstacked volume overstates wood | No — never a unit |
| “Rick” (informal regional use) | Anywhere from a pile to a full cord | No — ask for dimensions |
| Loose/thrown wood | 30–40% more space than stacked | No — must be restacked to measure |
How To Buy Without Getting Shortchanged
Convert whatever the seller offers into stacked cubic feet and compare to 128. Anything else is guessing.
- Ask for the exact log length in inches — the actual measurement.
- Confirm the unit name in writing and get stacked dimensions (height × width × depth) on the receipt.
- Ask whether the price covers stacked or loose wood. Loose loads take 30–40% more space, so they look bigger than they are.
- Multiply face dimensions by log depth, divide by 128 for your fraction of a cord.
- Verify the stack on delivery before the driver leaves.
For small quantities like campfire use, tested bags of firewood are sold by weight or bag, removing stacking ambiguity. Log length also matters for equipment: stove, fireplace, and insert clearances are built around specific lengths, so cheap 24-inch wood is no bargain if it won’t fit. Wikipedia’s entry on the cord unit confirms the 128-cubic-foot standard and notes a cord must be tightly stacked.
The Bottom Line
Compare everything in stacked cubic feet. A cord is always 128 cubic feet; a rick is only as big as its log length makes it.
- 16-inch rick: ~43 cubic feet — about a third of a cord.
- 24-inch rick: ~64 cubic feet — about half a cord.
- Loose wood: always restack before accepting delivery.
- Written terms: dimensions beat labels every time.
Get log length in inches, get stacked dimensions on paper, and do the division before you pay.
FAQs
Is a rick the same as a face cord?
In most U.S. regions, yes — both describe a stack 4 feet high and 8 feet long, with depth set by log length. But “rick” has no legal definition, and some sellers use it for any pile or truckload. Ask for stacked dimensions rather than trusting the label.
How many cubic feet is a rick of 16-inch firewood?
A 4-by-8-foot face with 16-inch logs is about 42.6 cubic feet tightly stacked — roughly one-third of a 128-cubic-foot cord. With 24-inch logs, the same face holds about 64 cubic feet, closer to half a cord.
Should I buy loose or stacked firewood?
Buy stacked, or expect to restack a loose delivery before measuring. Loose wood occupies 30–40% more space than stacked, so a generous-looking pile can hold far less actual wood than the dimensions suggest.
References & Sources
- Wikipedia. “Cord (unit).” Confirms the 128-cubic-foot cord standard and tight-stacking requirement.
- Wikipedia. “Face cord.” Explains the variable depth of a face cord and its relationship to the rick.
- Hearth.com. “What Is a Cord of Firewood?” Covers practical firewood measurement and regional terminology differences.
- Kitchprep. “Best Bags of Firewood.” Tested roundup of packaged firewood for readers who want pre-measured quantities.
