Firewood BTU & Cord Calculator

Estimate stacked cords from rick dimensions, total BTU by wood species, and how many cords a heating season needs. Planning estimate only.

Common questions

How much heat is in a cord of firewood?: It varies by species roughly two to one — dense hardwoods like hickory and oak carry far more BTU per cord than pine or aspen. The species table on this page shows the spread and the seasoning time each needs.
What is the difference between a cord and a face cord?: A full cord is 128 cubic feet, stacked 4 ft by 4 ft by 8 ft. A face cord is one row 8 ft long and 4 ft high at whatever your cut length is, so a 16 in face cord is about one-third of a full cord.
Why does wet firewood produce less heat?: Energy that could heat your house is spent boiling off water instead, and the cooler flue encourages creosote. Wood at 20 percent moisture or below delivers usable heat; freshly cut wood can be over 50 percent.