Cord of Wood Dimensions

There was a time when every corner of the world had its own set of units. As trade prospered and goods were exported worldwide, a need for a universal set of units was felt to avoid confusion when buying or selling goods. Otherwise, if each one of us created our own set of units, there would be chaos. Although the international set of units were established to avoid this confusion and are universally accepted today, some local units are still in use. People realized that local units need not be discarded but they can still be used, if only reinterpreted in terms of the internationally accepted standards of measurement. A cord of wood has been the default measurement standard for a firewood since the beginning of the 17th century. Today it is still in use, after being reinterpreted in terms of international units of length like meter and feet. If you plant to make a firewood or pulpwood purchase, you need to know the exact wood cord dimensions.

What is a Cord of Wood?
In the 17th and 18th centuries, when wood was the prime source of energy, firewood came to be measured in 'cords', as the stacks of wood were tied together using cords or ropes. Today, a cord is understood to be 128 cubic feet of wood or 3.62 m³.

As long as the volume turns out to be 128 cubic feet, the pieces of firewood may be arranged to be in any geometrical shape. The weight of the cord is totally dependent on the species of trees from which it's derived.

Dimensions in Meters
If you look for the possible dimensions of a cord of wood in meters, there are more than one. However, the standard dimensions are 1.21 meter x 1.21 meter x 2.43 meter, which gives you 3.62 m³ of firewood.

Dimensions in Feet
On the other hand, if you measure the length, width and height of the firewood stacks to be in feet, again there are more than one dimensional combinations which will give you the same volume. The standard dimensions are 4 feet x 4 feet x 8 feet, which provide you with exactly 128 cubic feet of firewood.

In actuality, a lot of volume is taken up by the air pockets that exist within the stacks. So the actual wood obtained in a cord of wood, may be only 85 cubic feet. Dimensions will vary according to the way in which firewood is stacked together.

Price
I found a large non-uniformity in prices of firewood, as it depends on a lot of factors. The type of wood species largely decides the value of firewood according to the heat it provides. The price of a cord of wood, may be anything in excess of a $100 to more than $200. The local prices vary according to supply and demand in the market. Generally, closer you are to the source, lesser is the price and further you are, the price will rise higher. Check out with your local timber market shops, for exact prices, when you need to buy some for your fireplace.

To conclude, as discussed before the cord of wood dimensions may vary, as long as the total volume of the cord, measures to be 128 cubic feet. You can have stacks of wood, which vary in length, width and height and still occupy a volume of 128 cubic feet. The cord is often sold in fractions and half a cord dimensions will be such that its volume turns out to be 64 cubic feet. Knowing the exact dimensions will help you ensure that you are getting the right quantity at the right price.