What is a cord?
A cord is a volume measure for stacked firewood: 4 ft high × 4 ft deep × 8 ft long = 128 cubic feet. Because logs have gaps, the amount of solid wood is somewhat less than 128 ft³, but the stack volume is what is sold.
Face cord vs full cord
A face cord is often described as 4 ft high × 8 ft long × log length. If logs are 16 in (1⅓ ft) long, that’s 4 × 8 × 1.333... = about 42.67 ft³, which is 1/3 of a full cord. Some suppliers use 12 in or 20 in logs, so the volume changes — this tool uses the common 16 in assumption.
Formulas
ft³ = cords × cord_size_ft³
full cord: ft³ = cords × 128
face cord (16 in): ft³ = cords × 42.6667
cords = ft³ ÷ cord_size_ft³
Example: 96 ft³ ÷ 128 = 0.75 cord
FAQ
1. My delivery looks short — how do I tell?
Measure the stack in feet: length × height × depth. That gives you cubic feet. Then use “Cubic feet → Cords” above to see what fraction of a cord you actually got.
2. Why is my face cord not exactly 1/3?
Because log length might be 14 in, 16 in or 18 in, and stacking might not be tight. The 42.67 ft³ here is the “ideal” 16 in version.
3. Can I convert to cubic meters?
Yes: 1 ft³ = 0.0283168 m³. So once you have ft³, multiply by 0.0283168.