Firewood Stack Planner

Planning where to stack your firewood:

You know how many cords you need for winter. Now you need to figure out where to put them. This calculator works backwards — give it the number of cords and your available space constraints, and it tells you the exact dimensions your stack needs to be.

The formula:

Required volume (ft³) = Cords × 128

Missing dimension = Required volume / (Dimension 1 × Dimension 2)

Standard cord dimensions and alternatives:

A full cord is traditionally 4 × 4 × 8 feet, but you can stack it in any shape as long as the total volume equals 128 cubic feet per cord:

Practical stacking rules:

• Maximum safe height: 4 feet without support, 6 feet against a wall or with end posts
• Minimum depth: 16 inches (one log length), deeper stacks are harder to access and dry slowly
• Air circulation: Leave 3–6 inches between the stack and any wall or fence for airflow
• Off the ground: Stack on pallets, gravel, or rails, never directly on dirt (causes rot and insects)
• Cover the top only: Cover with a tarp or roof, but leave the sides open for air circulation

Where to stack:

• At least 20 feet from the house: reduces insect and fire risk
• Sunny location: sun and wind dry the wood faster
• Slight slope: water drains away from the stack
• Not under trees: falling branches damage stacks, tree shade slows drying

Drying timeline:

• Green (freshly cut): 30–50% moisture: do NOT burn this, it produces creosote
• 6 months air-dried: 20–25% moisture: acceptable
• 12 months air-dried: 15–20% moisture: ideal
• Kiln-dried: 10–15% moisture: premium, burns cleanest

Worked example:

You need 3 cords for winter. Your available space is along a fence that is 20 feet long. You want the stack 4 feet high:

• Volume needed: 3 × 128 = 384 ft³
• Depth needed: 384 / (20 × 4) = 4.8 feet deep
• That is 3 rows of 16-inch logs: a practical, accessible stack