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Firewood weight & hauling

Cord of Wood Weight Calculator

How much a cord, a face cord or any stack of firewood weighs, for 146 species, green or seasoned — and whether your vehicle can carry it in one trip.

A full cord of seasoned hardwood weighs about 3,000 to 3,400 lb (from 1,360 kg), depending on how tightly it is stacked, and most species fall between 2,100 and 3,800 lb on the lower basis. The same cord green weighs about 3,900 to 4,400 lb. Seasoned red oak comes to 3,300 to 3,730 lb a cord; softwoods such as pine run closer to 2,300 to 2,500 lb.

The wood
Wood state

Quantity and vehicle

Seasoned firewood is about 20 % moisture; a moisture-meter reading can go straight into the field. The vehicle capacity is printed on the tire and loading label on the driver's door pillar. It covers people and cargo, so enter who rides along.

Assumption you can change

A stacked cord is 128 ft³ of wood, bark and air. The 70 ft³ of solid wood is the figure the published heat tables imply; Minnesota's statute uses 79 ft³ when firewood is sold by weight. Tight stacking of split wood raises it, round or crooked pieces lower it.

Green, seasoned and the water in between

Weight of the load, green and dry, and the water lost in seasoning
MeasureValueWhat it means
Enter a quantity to see the detail.

Weights are estimates for a stack of ordinary split firewood, rounded to the nearest 10 lb, given from a normally stacked cord to a tightly stacked one. A real load can differ by 10 % or more depending on how tightly it is stacked and how wet it really is.

Computed with the Cord of Wood Weight Calculator, https://sawrule.com/calculators/cord-weight/ — species data from USDA Forest Service Research Note NRS-38 (Miles & Smith, 2009); 70 ft³ of solid wood per 128 ft³ cord.

How much does a cord of wood weigh?

It depends on two things far more than on anything else: the species and how much water the wood still holds. Across the 146 North American species in the USDA reference table, one normally stacked cord ranges from 1,620 lb (Northern white-cedar, seasoned) to 5,320 lb (Live oak, green) — more than a factor of three.

Weight of one full cord (128 ft³ stacked), typical species — normal to tight stacking
WoodSeasoned (20 %), lbGreen, lb
Hardwoods, middle of the range (93 species)3,000–3,4003,900–4,400
Softwoods, middle of the range (53 species)2,300–2,5003,200–3,600
Live oak (heaviest)4,610–5,2105,320–6,000
Shagbark hickory3,770–4,2604,480–5,060
Black locust3,620–4,0804,060–4,580
White oak3,560–4,0204,410–4,980
Northern red oak3,300–3,7304,480–5,060
Sugar maple3,300–3,7303,850–4,350
White ash3,140–3,5503,500–3,950
Red maple2,830–3,1903,500–3,950
Black cherry2,620–2,9603,150–3,560
Douglas-fir2,520–2,8402,660–3,000
Ponderosa pine2,100–2,3703,150–3,560
Quaking aspen1,990–2,2503,500–3,950
Eastern white pine1,830–2,0702,450–2,770

“Middle of the range” is the median: half the species weigh more, half less. Each cell gives two figures. The first assumes 70 ft³ of solid wood in the cord, the figure behind the published heat tables; the second a tightly stacked cord of 79 ft³, the figure Minnesota uses when firewood is sold by weight, which is closer to most published weight charts. A real delivery sits somewhere in between: if you are loading a truck, plan on the higher number. All 146 species are listed in the full table below.

How much does a cord of oak weigh?

A seasoned cord of northern red oak weighs about 3,300 to 3,730 lb (from 1,500 kg), and 4,480 to 5,060 lb green. White oak is heavier once dry, about 3,560 to 4,020 lb, because its wood is denser; green, the two weigh almost the same, because red oak holds more water. Live oak, the heaviest species in the table, reaches 4,610 to 5,210 lb seasoned and 5,320 to 6,000 lb green.

“Oak” covers 22 species in the USDA table, and they do not weigh the same:

Weight of one cord of oak, by species (lb, normal to tight stacking)
SpeciesTypeCord, seasonedCord, greenFace cord 16 in, seasoned
Live oak Quercus virginianaHardwood4,610–5,2105,320–6,0001,540–1,740
Canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepisHardwood3,880–4,3805,320–6,0001,290–1,460
Oregon white oak Quercus garryanaHardwood3,770–4,2604,410–4,9801,260–1,420
Swamp white oak Quercus bicolorHardwood3,770–4,2604,410–4,9801,260–1,420
Cherrybark oak Quercus pagodaHardwood3,620–4,0804,480–5,0601,210–1,360
Willow oak Quercus phellosHardwood3,620–4,0804,480–5,0601,210–1,360
White oak Quercus albaHardwood3,560–4,0204,410–4,9801,190–1,340
Post oak Quercus stellataHardwood3,510–3,9604,480–5,0601,170–1,320
Scarlet oak Quercus coccineaHardwood3,510–3,9604,480–5,0601,170–1,320
Swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxiiHardwood3,510–3,9604,410–4,9801,170–1,320
Chestnut oak Quercus prinusHardwood3,460–3,9004,410–4,9801,150–1,300
Bur oak Quercus macrocarpaHardwood3,350–3,7904,410–4,9801,120–1,260
Gambel oak Quercus gambeliiHardwood3,300–3,7304,410–4,9801,100–1,240
Laurel oak Quercus laurifoliaHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Northern red oak Quercus rubraHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Overcup oak Quercus lyrataHardwood3,300–3,7304,410–4,9801,100–1,240
Pin oak Quercus palustrisHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Water oak Quercus nigraHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Black oak Quercus velutinaHardwood3,200–3,6104,480–5,0601,070–1,200
Southern red oak Quercus falcataHardwood3,090–3,4904,480–5,0601,030–1,160
California white oak Quercus lobataHardwood3,040–3,4304,410–4,9801,010–1,140
California black oak Quercus kelloggiiHardwood2,880–3,2504,480–5,060960–1,080

How much does a face cord of wood weigh?

A face cord is a stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long, one piece deep. Its weight depends on the piece length, because that is its depth:

Set the unit to “Face cord” in the calculator and enter your piece length. To turn a face cord price into a price per full cord, use the Face Cord Calculator. Be aware that the model regulation most states follow does not allow firewood to be sold by the face cord, while a few states define it; the details are on firewood sale law, state by state.

How much of a green cord is water?

A lot more than most people expect. Fresh-cut wood holds anywhere from 30 % to 178 % of its own dry weight in water, depending on species. A green cord of northern red oak loses about 1,540 lb of water on its way to 20 % moisture — around 34 % of its green weight, or roughly 190 gallons.

That water matters twice. You haul it home, and the stove then spends part of the wood's energy boiling it off before it heats the room. The Firewood Cord Calculator shows how much heat a cord holds; the Firewood Consumption Calculator, how many cords a winter takes.

One detail most charts get wrong: a green cord and a dry cord are not the same amount of wood. Wood shrinks as it dries, so a cord measured dry holds more wood than a cord measured green. That is why the water figure here is computed on the green wood itself, and not by subtracting the two cord weights — for a dense, fairly dry species like Osage-orange, that subtraction would even come out negative.

Can a pickup truck carry a cord of wood?

Usually not in one trip, and the limit is weight, not space. Federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 110 requires cars and light trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 lb or less to carry a tire and loading information placard, normally on the driver's side door pillar. It states the vehicle capacity weight: the most that occupants and cargo together may weigh. The people in the cab come out of that number.

Example, with figures chosen only to show the method: a placard reading 1,500 lb, with two adults weighing 350 lb together, leaves 1,150 lb for wood. A seasoned cord of red oak at 3,300 lb then takes 3 trips — 4 if it is tightly stacked (3,730 lb). A seasoned face cord of 16-inch pieces (1,100 lb) fits in one; the same face cord green (1,490 lb) does not. Enter your own placard figure in the calculator.

Volume is the second check: a full cord stacked in a long bed of about 4 × 8 ft would have to stand 4 ft high. A trailer has its own rating, and its tongue weight counts against the truck.

Why do published cord weights disagree?

Because they rest on assumptions that are rarely written down:

  1. How much of the cord is wood. A cord is 128 ft³ of wood, bark and air. This page uses 70 ft³ of solid wood, the figure the published heat tables imply. Minnesota's statute uses 79 ft³ when firewood is sold by weight — on that basis a seasoned cord of red oak weighs 3,730 lb instead of 3,300 lb. Same wood, different convention: that is why every figure on this page is given as a range between the two.
  2. How dry “dry” is. Air-dried firewood is around 20 % moisture; kiln-dried wood can be lower; wood that has sat through a single summer can be well above. Each 5 points of moisture changes the weight by about 4 %.
  3. Which species. “Hardwood” spans more than a factor of two, from balsam poplar to live oak.
  4. Green measured or dry measured. As explained above, a dry cord holds more wood than a green one, so the gap between the two weights is smaller than the water actually lost.

This calculator shows every one of these assumptions and lets you change them.

Weight of a cord of wood by species

One full cord, seasoned at 20 % moisture and green, plus a face cord of 16-inch pieces, seasoned. Each cell runs from a normally stacked cord (70 ft³ of solid wood) to a tightly stacked one (79 ft³). Heaviest first. Figures in pounds, rounded to the nearest 10.

Weight of a cord of firewood for 146 species
SpeciesTypeCord, seasonedCord, greenFace cord 16 in, seasoned
Live oak Quercus virginianaHardwood4,610–5,2105,320–6,0001,540–1,740
Osage-orange Maclura pomiferaHardwood4,460–5,0304,340–4,9001,490–1,680
Pignut hickory Carya glabraHardwood3,930–4,4404,760–5,3701,310–1,480
Canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepisHardwood3,880–4,3805,320–6,0001,290–1,460
Common persimmon Diospyros virginianaHardwood3,880–4,3804,410–4,9801,290–1,460
Flowering dogwood Cornus floridaHardwood3,830–4,3203,710–4,1901,280–1,440
Mockernut hickory Carya albaHardwood3,770–4,2604,550–5,1401,260–1,420
Oregon white oak Quercus garryanaHardwood3,770–4,2604,410–4,9801,260–1,420
Shagbark hickory Carya ovataHardwood3,770–4,2604,480–5,0601,260–1,420
Swamp white oak Quercus bicolorHardwood3,770–4,2604,410–4,9801,260–1,420
Utah juniper Juniperus osteospermaSoftwood3,770–4,2603,990–4,5001,260–1,420
Eastern hophornbeam Ostrya virginianaHardwood3,670–4,1404,200–4,7401,220–1,380
Black locust Robinia pseudoacaciaHardwood3,620–4,0804,060–4,5801,210–1,360
Cherrybark oak Quercus pagodaHardwood3,620–4,0804,480–5,0601,210–1,360
Shellbark hickory Carya laciniosaHardwood3,620–4,0804,480–5,0601,210–1,360
Willow oak Quercus phellosHardwood3,620–4,0804,480–5,0601,210–1,360
White oak Quercus albaHardwood3,560–4,0204,410–4,9801,190–1,340
Pacific yew Taxus brevifoliaSoftwood3,510–3,9603,850–4,3501,170–1,320
Post oak Quercus stellataHardwood3,510–3,9604,480–5,0601,170–1,320
Scarlet oak Quercus coccineaHardwood3,510–3,9604,480–5,0601,170–1,320
Swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxiiHardwood3,510–3,9604,410–4,9801,170–1,320
Bitternut hickory Carya cordiformisHardwood3,460–3,9004,480–5,0601,150–1,300
Chestnut oak Quercus prinusHardwood3,460–3,9004,410–4,9801,150–1,300
Pecan Carya illinoinensisHardwood3,460–3,9004,340–4,9001,150–1,300
Winged elm Ulmus alataHardwood3,460–3,9003,710–4,1901,150–1,300
Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthosHardwood3,410–3,8504,200–4,7401,140–1,280
Pacific madrone Arbutus menziesiiHardwood3,410–3,8504,200–4,7401,140–1,280
Sweet birch Betula lentaHardwood3,410–3,8504,550–5,1401,140–1,280
American beech Fagus grandifoliaHardwood3,350–3,7903,780–4,2701,120–1,260
Bur oak Quercus macrocarpaHardwood3,350–3,7904,410–4,9801,120–1,260
Cedar elm Ulmus crassifoliaHardwood3,350–3,7904,270–4,8201,120–1,260
Gambel oak Quercus gambeliiHardwood3,300–3,7304,410–4,9801,100–1,240
Laurel oak Quercus laurifoliaHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Northern red oak Quercus rubraHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Overcup oak Quercus lyrataHardwood3,300–3,7304,410–4,9801,100–1,240
Pin oak Quercus palustrisHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Rock elm Ulmus thomasiiHardwood3,300–3,7303,780–4,2701,100–1,240
Sugar maple Acer saccharumHardwood3,300–3,7303,850–4,3501,100–1,240
Water oak Quercus nigraHardwood3,300–3,7304,480–5,0601,100–1,240
Pacific dogwood Cornus nuttalliiHardwood3,250–3,6703,710–4,1901,080–1,220
Tanoak Lithocarpus densiflorusHardwood3,250–3,6704,550–5,1401,080–1,220
Water hickory Carya aquaticaHardwood3,250–3,6704,900–5,5301,080–1,220
Yellow birch Betula alleghaniensisHardwood3,250–3,6704,130–4,6601,080–1,220
Black oak Quercus velutinaHardwood3,200–3,6104,480–5,0601,070–1,200
Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicusHardwood3,140–3,5503,500–3,9501,050–1,180
Nutmeg hickory Carya myristiciformisHardwood3,140–3,5504,340–4,9001,050–1,180
White ash Fraxinus americanaHardwood3,140–3,5503,500–3,9501,050–1,180
Longleaf pine Pinus palustrisSoftwood3,090–3,4903,850–4,3501,030–1,160
Slash pine Pinus elliottiiSoftwood3,090–3,4904,060–4,5801,030–1,160
Southern red oak Quercus falcataHardwood3,090–3,4904,480–5,0601,030–1,160
Blue ash Fraxinus quadrangulataHardwood3,040–3,4303,500–3,9501,010–1,140
California white oak Quercus lobataHardwood3,040–3,4304,410–4,9801,010–1,140
American holly Ilex opacaHardwood2,990–3,3703,990–4,5001,000–1,120
Black maple Acer nigrumHardwood2,990–3,3703,850–4,3501,000–1,120
Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanicaHardwood2,940–3,3103,640–4,110980–1,100
Pond pine Pinus serotinaSoftwood2,940–3,3103,570–4,030980–1,100
River birch Betula nigraHardwood2,940–3,3103,990–4,500980–1,100
Black walnut Juglans nigraHardwood2,880–3,2503,990–4,500960–1,080
California black oak Quercus kelloggiiHardwood2,880–3,2504,480–5,060960–1,080
California-laurel Umbellularia californicaHardwood2,880–3,2503,710–4,190960–1,080
Oregon ash Fraxinus latifoliaHardwood2,880–3,2503,500–3,950960–1,080
Paper birch Betula papyriferaHardwood2,880–3,2503,640–4,110960–1,080
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreumHardwood2,880–3,2503,710–4,190960–1,080
Red maple Acer rubrumHardwood2,830–3,1903,500–3,950940–1,060
Ailanthus Ailanthus altissimaHardwood2,780–3,1403,500–3,950930–1,050
Hackberry Celtis occidentalisHardwood2,780–3,1403,500–3,950930–1,050
Monterey pine Pinus radiataSoftwood2,780–3,1403,500–3,950930–1,050
Slippery elm Ulmus rubraHardwood2,780–3,1403,710–4,190930–1,050
Pitch pine Pinus rigidaSoftwood2,730–3,0803,500–3,950910–1,030
Pumpkin ash Fraxinus profundaHardwood2,730–3,0803,500–3,950910–1,030
Sweetgum Liquidambar styracifluaHardwood2,730–3,0803,500–3,950910–1,030
Table Mountain pine Pinus pungensSoftwood2,730–3,0803,780–4,270910–1,030
Western larch Larix occidentalisSoftwood2,730–3,0803,360–3,790910–1,030
Alligator juniper Juniperus deppeanaSoftwood2,670–3,0202,800–3,160890–1,010
Gray birch Betula populifoliaHardwood2,670–3,0203,220–3,630890–1,010
Loblolly pine Pinus taedaSoftwood2,670–3,0203,710–4,190890–1,010
Shortleaf pine Pinus echinataSoftwood2,670–3,0203,640–4,110890–1,010
American elm Ulmus americanaHardwood2,620–2,9603,920–4,420870–990
Blackcherry Prunus serotinaHardwood2,620–2,9603,150–3,560870–990
Blackgum Nyssa sylvaticaHardwood2,620–2,9604,060–4,580870–990
Southern magnolia Magnolia grandifloraHardwood2,620–2,9604,130–4,660870–990
Water tupelo Nyssa aquaticaHardwood2,620–2,9603,920–4,420870–990
American sycamore Platanus occidentalisHardwood2,570–2,9003,640–4,110860–970
Bishop pine Pinus muricataSoftwood2,570–2,9003,150–3,560860–970
Black ash Fraxinus nigraHardwood2,570–2,9003,640–4,110860–970
Bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllumHardwood2,520–2,8403,290–3,710840–950
Cucumbertree Magnolia acuminataHardwood2,520–2,8403,430–3,870840–950
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesiiSoftwood2,520–2,8402,660–3,000840–950
Sand pine Pinus clausaSoftwood2,520–2,8402,660–3,000840–950
Virginia pine Pinus virginianaSoftwood2,520–2,8403,500–3,950840–950
Eastern redcedar Juniperus virginianaSoftwood2,460–2,7802,590–2,920820–930
Silver maple Acer saccharinumHardwood2,460–2,7803,220–3,630820–930
Baldcypress Taxodium distichumSoftwood2,410–2,7203,570–4,030800–910
Black spruce Picea marianaSoftwood2,410–2,7202,450–2,770800–910
Boxelder Acer negundoHardwood2,410–2,7203,500–3,950800–910
Red pine Pinus resinosaSoftwood2,410–2,7202,940–3,320800–910
Sassafras Sassafras albidumHardwood2,410–2,7203,080–3,480800–910
Striped maple Acer pensylvanicumHardwood2,410–2,7203,290–3,710800–910
Sweetbay Magnolia virginianaHardwood2,410–2,7203,430–3,870800–910
Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontiiHardwood2,360–2,6602,800–3,160790–890
Mountain hemlock Tsuga mertensianaSoftwood2,360–2,6603,080–3,480790–890
Western hemlock Tsuga heterophyllaSoftwood2,360–2,6602,870–3,240790–890
Alaska yellow-cedar Chamaecyparis nootkatensisSoftwood2,310–2,6003,150–3,560770–870
Southern redcedar Juniperus virginianaSoftwood2,310–2,6002,590–2,920770–870
Spruce pine Pinus glabraSoftwood2,310–2,6003,150–3,560770–870
American chestnut Castanea dentataHardwood2,250–2,5403,850–4,350750–850
Jack pine Pinus banksianaSoftwood2,250–2,5403,500–3,950750–850
Pacific silver fir Abies amabilisSoftwood2,250–2,5402,940–3,320750–850
Port-Orford-cedar Chamaecyparis lawsonianaSoftwood2,250–2,5402,940–3,320750–850
Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyiSoftwood2,200–2,4803,290–3,710730–830
Knobcone pine Pinus attenuataSoftwood2,200–2,4803,500–3,950730–830
Limber pine Pinus flexilisSoftwood2,200–2,4803,150–3,560730–830
Yellow-poplar Liriodendron tulipiferaHardwood2,200–2,4803,430–3,870730–830
Lodgepole pine Pinus contortaSoftwood2,150–2,4302,730–3,080720–810
Northern catalpa Catalpa speciosaHardwood2,150–2,4302,870–3,240720–810
Red alder Alnus rubraHardwood2,150–2,4303,220–3,630720–810
Eastern cottonwood Populus deltoidesHardwood2,100–2,3703,500–3,950700–790
Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensisSoftwood2,100–2,3703,500–3,950700–790
Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosaSoftwood2,100–2,3703,150–3,560700–790
Red spruce Picea rubensSoftwood2,100–2,3702,380–2,690700–790
White spruce Picea glaucaSoftwood2,100–2,3702,450–2,770700–790
Bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentataHardwood2,040–2,3103,010–3,400680–770
Black willow Salix nigraHardwood2,040–2,3103,570–4,030680–770
Noble fir Abies proceraSoftwood2,040–2,3102,100–2,370680–770
White fir Abies concolorSoftwood2,040–2,3103,290–3,710680–770
Butternut Juglans cinereaHardwood1,990–2,2503,220–3,630660–750
California red fir Abies magnificaSoftwood1,990–2,2503,360–3,790660–750
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteumSoftwood1,990–2,2504,130–4,660660–750
Quaking aspen Populus tremuloidesHardwood1,990–2,2503,500–3,950660–750
Redwood Sequoia sempervirensSoftwood1,990–2,2503,500–3,950660–750
Western white pine Pinus monticolaSoftwood1,990–2,2502,450–2,770660–750
American basswood Tilia americanaHardwood1,940–2,1902,870–3,240650–730
Grand fir Abies grandisSoftwood1,940–2,1903,150–3,560650–730
Incense-cedar Calocedrus decurrensSoftwood1,940–2,1903,150–3,560650–730
Sitka spruce Picea sitchensisSoftwood1,890–2,1302,310–2,610630–710
Sugar pine Pinus lambertianaSoftwood1,890–2,1303,430–3,870630–710
Yellow buckeye Aesculus flavaHardwood1,890–2,1303,500–3,950630–710
Balsam fir Abies balsameaSoftwood1,830–2,0703,150–3,560610–690
Black cottonwood Populus balsamiferaHardwood1,830–2,0703,220–3,630610–690
Eastern white pine Pinus strobusSoftwood1,830–2,0702,450–2,770610–690
Engelmann spruce Picea engelmanniiSoftwood1,830–2,0702,730–3,080610–690
Balsam poplar Populus balsamiferaHardwood1,780–2,0102,800–3,160590–670
Atlantic white-cedar Chamaecyparis thyoidesSoftwood1,680–1,8902,520–2,840560–630
Subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpaSoftwood1,680–1,8901,960–2,210560–630
Western redcedar Thuja plicataSoftwood1,680–1,8901,890–2,130560–630
Northern white-cedar Thuja occidentalisSoftwood1,620–1,8302,520–2,840540–610

Frequently asked questions

How many pounds is a cord of dry oak?

About 3,300 to 3,730 lb for northern red oak and 3,560 to 4,020 lb for white oak, seasoned to 20 % moisture, depending on how tightly the cord is stacked. Live oak, the heaviest, reaches 4,610 to 5,210 lb.

How many tons is a cord of wood?

A seasoned cord of hardwood is about 1.5 to 1.7 short tons (3,000 to 3,400 lb), a green one about 2 to 2.2 tons (3,900 to 4,400 lb). Softwoods are lighter: about 2,300 to 2,500 lb seasoned.

How much does a rick of wood weigh?

“Rick” has no legal definition; it usually means a face cord, 4 by 8 ft and one piece deep. In 16-inch pieces that is a third of a cord: about 1,100 to 1,240 lb of seasoned red oak.

Is firewood sold by weight?

Rarely. The model regulation most states adopt sells firewood by volume — the cord, its fractions, or the cubic metre. Minnesota is an exception that allows sale by weight, converted at 79 ft³ of solid wood per cord. See firewood sale law.

Why is my firewood heavier than the chart says?

Most likely it is wetter than 20 %. A moisture meter on a freshly split face gives the real figure; enter it in the moisture field. Tight stacking of small split pieces also packs more wood into the same cord.

Sources