Nothing beats the warmth of a crackling fire during a cold Midwest winter. The trick is ordering enough hardwood firewood to last. Should you get a face cord of wood, a half cord, or another quantity? You’ll also need to choose between seasoned firewood and kiln-dried options.
While it seems like a face cord of wood is a standard measurement for firewood, there can be some variation between suppliers. A face cord will be 4 feet high by 8 feet long. Most suppliers cut logs to 16 inches, but some may use shorter or longer pieces, which impacts how much burnable material you receive.
A “buy firewood near me” search can produce dozens of results. Before you jump at one of the available options, confirm the dimensions with the supplier. Ask how tall, wide, and deep the face cord will be. That way, you are getting the most burn for your buck.
Before we delve into the details, take a moment to explore the high-quality kiln-dried firewood available from Lumberjacks by clicking the button below. Remember, a face cord of kiln-dried firewood offers more value and efficiency than one of seasoned wood, empowering you to make a smart and informed choice for your heating needs.
Order a face cord of wood today or contact us for current pricing.
What’s a Face Cord of Wood?
Chances are you’ve seen and admired a face cord of wood countless times but not known it. That’s perfectly natural since a face cord’s size and shape are aesthetically pleasing and practical for homeowners.
Imagine a cozy log cabin in the woods, fresh from a Kinkade painting. Snow is blanketing the roof and the garden, and lights are on in the windows.
By the side of that cabin stands a stack of evenly chopped firewood under a shelter.
The stack measures four feet high, eight feet wide, and sixteen inches deep.
That stack is a face cord of firewood packed and ready whenever the homeowner needs it. It’s a mental picture we’ve all seen a hundred times, and now you know the name for it!
How Big Is a Face Cord of Firewood?
There are minor variations in face cord firewood size between one provider and the next. However, at Lumberjacks, we follow the industry’s best practices by consistently offering a face cord of wood sized four feet high by eight feet long by sixteen inches deep.
We stack our face cords manually to ensure that each measurement is accurate before every delivery to our customers.
Depending on the provider, the depth of a face cord of wood can vary slightly. For this reason, uniformity in our measurements is crucial.
It comes down to the preferences, capabilities, and operating practices of one lumber company to the next. However, the size of some face cords can be as low as twelve inches in depth. So you may find your dollars don’t get you as much firewood as you’d like with some lumber providers.
The face cords at Lumberjacks always have these exact measurements.
Face Cord vs. Full Cord vs. Rick of Wood
When shopping for logs to burn, you’ll encounter terms like “face cord of wood” and “full cord.” A face cord is just one layer of logs. A full cord consists of three to four layers of firewood logs. It’s 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long. No matter where you order a full-stacked cord, the dimensions should be the same.
A face cord of wood is always 4 feet high and 8 feet long. However, some suppliers may cut their logs into different lengths. The standard length for firewood logs is 16”. If you order a face cord of wood and most of the logs are 12-14”, you are getting a significantly lower quantity of burnable material compared to a face cord with 16” logs.
A rick of wood is simply an alternative name for a face cord. What matters is the dimensions.
What Is the Difference Between a Cord of Wood and a Face Cord of Wood?
A full cord of firewood is a standard measurement in the lumber industry. It describes a volume of said material measuring 128 cubic feet. That’s four feet high, four feet wide and eight feet long. For a face cord of firewood, measurements differ.
A key difference with a face cord of wood is that it’s smaller. This is primarily to help with storage, but also to make the individual firewood pieces easier to access.
A face cord of wood size will vary from one provider to the next. While the four-foot height and eight-foot length are very much standardized throughout the industry, the depth can vary between twelve and eighteen inches.
As you can imagine, this means some providers give you less firewood for your money than others. This isn’t by any mean-spirited design on their part, though. They simply measure a face cord size differently from their peers in the market.
How Much Does a Face Cord of Wood Cost?
Answering the question, “How much is a cord of wood?” can be a bit challenging. That’s because firewood prices vary seasonally. The cost will also fluctuate depending on whether you order a mixed bundle or a single type of hardwood logs. You’ll also need to consider delivery distance and how the wood was seasoned.
Premium hardwoods like oak and hickory tend to cost more because they burn longer and produce higher heat output. Kiln-dried wood is usually more expensive, but it also lights faster and burns cleaner. A face cord may cost anywhere from $150 to $250, but the pricing can be misleading because log lengths vary.
Will a Face Cord Fit in a Pickup Truck?
A face cord of wood is handy, but that doesn’t always mean it’s the easiest to bring home with you!
Of course, whether you can drive your face cord home in a pickup truck depends on the bed size of your vehicle. A pickup with a bed size of eight feet can potentially fit a face cord. However, it would be best if you also accounted for the height with side guards and the overall weight of the material.
We would advise against putting a face cord of firewood into your pickup truck. Even if you believe your vehicle can accommodate the size and weight of the material, the risk isn’t worth it. Furthermore, the repairs you might need could be terribly costly – and you don’t want to lose any of that home-warming firewood during your drive home.
Instead, count on Lumberjacks to make sure you receive your face cord of wood safely. We use robust safety and handling procedures to ensure the firewood headed to our customers is conveyed responsibly and with the greatest care.
We deliver throughout the Greater Chicagoland and Southern Wisconsin regions. Anywhere between Chicago, Milwaukee and Rockford is no trouble at all for us.
Ensure your pickup truck can handle hauling a face cord of wood.
How Long Does a Face Cord of Wood Last?
Fueling a warm home for the winter can be costly, and nobody wants to invest in fuel that doesn’t go the distance. For these reasons, a face cord of kiln-dried firewood remains a popular choice no matter what the wider energy market is up to. It’s a solution to a welcoming home that has stood the test of time for centuries.
Naturally, how long a face cord of wood will last varies depending on how often you light your fireplace. In our local area, winters can be long and frequently unforgiving, so the rate of consumption might be higher per face cord of firewood than in other regions of the United States.
What the Experts Say
Most experts agree that a full cord of firewood should last eight to twelve weeks if you make one or two weekly fires at home. However, when estimating how long a face cord of wood will last, you must consider that it is much smaller than a full cord.
Therefore, splitting the length of time for a full cord into thirds makes sense. When you create one or two fires per week, a face cord of firewood can last between three and four weeks.
Stocking Up When Possible
Those of us fortunate enough to have ample dry and secure firewood storage in our homes can stock up on face cords of wood to last the entire winter season (or maybe a little more for a mild spring or cooler fall).
However, if budgeting or weather patterns seem a touch unpredictable, you can instead keep the rough estimation of one face cord of firewood per month in mind. You can contact us whenever the calendar’s about to tick over, and you’d like a top-up.
If you’re interested in learning more about the best firewood for your home, check out our complete guide to kiln-dried firewood.
What Type of Wood Should You Buy?
Hardwood species make the best firewood. Popular options include:
- Oak
- Hickory
- Maple
- Ash
These woods work well for heating your home or long-lasting fires. You should also make sure the wood is kiln-dried for a better burn.
How to Stack and Store a Face Cord
Store your face cord of wood off the ground whenever possible. Use pallets, racks, or treated runners to allow air to flow underneath the stack. Keep the wood covered on top, but leave the sides open.
Tips for Buying Firewood From a Local Supplier
Before you place your order, you need to find out:
- The exact dimensions of the face cord
- Average log length
- What type of wood you are buying
- Moisture content
- How the wood was seasoned
- Delivery options
- Whether the supplier stacks for you
Lumberjacks deliver face cords of oak, mixed hardwoods, and kiln-dried firewood. Customers across McHenry County and surrounding northern Illinois communities count on us for dependable delivery and quality wood.
Taking the Confusion Out of Face Cords of Firewood
There’s so much firewood terminology and jargon out there. So, it’s completely understandable that many people simply trying to heat their homes with a face cord of wood can feel frustrated and confused about what to buy and when.
Hopefully, with our help, you have a better understanding of the general face cord size you can expect and how that varies from one provider to the next. Remember, here at Lumberjacks, our face cord always measures four feet high, eight feet long, and sixteen inches deep.
We do that because we believe in maintaining a simple standard for our customers. After all, you’re here to heat your homes and want to know that you’re getting the best value and quality.
Need to Order a Face Cord of Wood Near Chicago, IL?
Want a face cord of quality firewood for your home? If you live in the Chicago region, Lumberjacks has you covered! We’ve provided convenient firewood delivery or curbside pickup for decades from our Lake in the Hills, IL, and Woodstock, IL, locations. Call to place your order today, or fill out the form below!
FAQs
How Big Is a Face Cord of Wood?
A face cord of wood is 4 feet high and 8 feet long.
How Many Face Cords Are in a Full Cord?
A face cord is typically about one-third of a full cord when the logs measure 16 inches long.
How Much Does a Face Cord of Wood Cost?
Most face cords cost between $120 and $250, depending on wood species and the seasoning method used.
How Long Does a Face Cord of Wood Last?
You should be able to get several fires out of your face cord, meaning it could last for one to two weeks.
Is a Rick of Wood the Same as a Face Cord?
Many people use the terms interchangeably. However, the measurements can vary between suppliers.
How Do I Know if I’m Getting a Fair Deal on Firewood Cords?
Ask for the exact dimensions and the wood species. You should also find out how the logs are seasoned and what the moisture level is before comparing prices.
What’s the Difference Between Seasoned and Green Wood?
Green wood contains excess moisture and will be hard to light. Seasoned wood is naturally dried for months and burns more efficiently.
Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published in June of 2022 and was updated in May of 2024 and again in May of 2026
