Key takeaways
- A cord is 4 x 4 x 8 feet of stacked wood, 128 cubic feet.
- Half and quarter cords are fractions of that volume.
- "Face cord," "rick" and "truckload" are not one fixed amount; ask what the dimensions are.
- Battle Born Tree Service sells a variety of Reno firewood; call 775.232.8243 for availability and pricing.
Most disputes about firewood come down to what was meant by the word. Knowing the standard measure lets you compare sellers and check what arrives.
The measure at a glance
| Term | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Cord | 4 ft x 4 ft x 8 ft, 128 cubic feet, stacked tightly | Is the pile actually 4 ft high and 8 ft long, stacked neatly? |
| Half cord | Half of that volume, 64 cubic feet | Ask for the dimensions. |
| Quarter cord | One quarter, 32 cubic feet | Ask for the dimensions. |
| Face cord, rick, truckload | No single fixed size | Ask for length, width and height and the log length. |
How do you check a firewood delivery?
Stack the wood, then measure. A pile dumped loose from a truck takes up more room than the same wood stacked, which is why delivered wood is judged after it is stacked. Measure the height, width and the length of the stack, multiply them, and divide by 128 to find the fraction of a cord. If the stack is 4 feet high and 8 feet long but the logs are 16 inches long, the stack's depth is 16 inches, and you have a third of a cord, not a full one. This is the main reason "face cord" confuses people: it is the 4-by-8 face, with whatever log length the seller cuts.
What to ask any seller
- What is the amount in cords or fractions of a cord?
- What species is it, and how long has it been split and dry?
- What is the log length?
- Is it local? See don't move firewood.
- What are the delivery and stacking terms, in writing?
How wet should firewood be?
Wet wood weighs more and burns poorly. The EPA says wood burns best below 20 percent moisture content and recommends testing with a wood moisture meter. A cord of dry wood and a cord of green wood are the same volume and very different fuel. See how to season and stack firewood.
Why the measure matters in winter
Winter is when many Northern Nevada homes burn the most wood, and a cold snap is a poor time to find out that the delivery was short. The Census estimates that about 962 households in Douglas County and about 1,034 in Lyon County heat mainly with wood. Knowing the unit lets you plan how much to buy before the first storm and how much to season ahead for next year.
Keep a note of the date, the seller, the amount you were promised and what you measured. If the two do not match, call the seller the same day with your numbers. That is a much easier conversation than one a month later.
Buying from Battle Born Tree Service
We sell a variety of Reno firewood from our Carson City yard. Call the office at 775.232.8243 for what we have and what it costs; we do not publish prices or amounts online. When you call, ask the questions in the list above and ask us to state the amount in cords.
Sources
- NIST / National Conference on Weights and Measures: Get What You Pay For, How to Protect Yourself When Buying Firewood (PDF) (read October 17, 2026)
- US EPA Burn Wise: Best Wood Burning Practices (read October 17, 2026)
- Don't Move Firewood: Nevada (read October 17, 2026)
- US Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B25040 (house heating fuel) (data recorded October 1, 2026)