Firewood Cords Needed Calculator
Calculate how many cords of firewood you need to heat your home through winter based on climate, home size, stove efficiency, and wood species.
What Is a Cord? A standard cord of firewood is a stack 4 ft wide x 4 ft tall x 8 ft long = 128 cubic feet total volume. A face cord (or rick) is 4x8 ft but only one log length deep — typically 16 inches — about 1/3 of a full cord. Always confirm which unit a seller is using.
Heating Value by Species Hardwoods produce far more heat per cord than softwoods. White oak: ~29 million BTU/cord. Hickory: ~28M. Red oak: ~24M. Birch: ~20M. White pine: ~15M. Mixed hardwood averages ~22-25M BTU/cord.
Estimating Your Needs A rough rule: 1 cord of hardwood heats 1,000 sq ft of well-insulated home for one heating season in a moderate climate. Cold climates, leaky homes, and inefficient stoves increase consumption significantly. Most households use 3-5 cords per season.
Stove Efficiency EPA-certified wood stoves (2020+) are 75-85% efficient. Older stoves and open fireplaces may be only 10-20% efficient — burning 4-8x more wood for the same heat. Switching to a certified stove dramatically reduces wood use.