3 face cords- I n my area it is assumed that a piece of wood is between 16-20 inches long. a cord is 4x4x8 feet. (full dimension- you get this when you buy in 4' lengths)
When you order a cord, they think 2 8' rows, stacked 4' high side by side of 16-20" wood. A face cord is just one of these rows.
Some people who cut under 16" in length, when they bring a cord, their wood stacks out in 3 rows 8' long, 4' high. A face cord is 1 row of this shorter stuff. It all depends on who you are dealing with.
A cord is 128 cuft. When you buy a 4 cord load- it is a pre-measured volume truck body. The wood is thrown in loose and takes up more space than stacked wood.
I find I am closer to a full measure if the wood is unsplit and bigger thickness. I f you buy tree length, you tend to get a few extra cords.
I stay away from face cords- too inaccurate. The best luck I have had is when someone has it stacked- you see what you get. But you can't beat 4 cords cut and delivered and dumped. Guy I buy from is pretty good.
People argue up here that a cord of wood is like buying rough cut full dimension lumber- 2X4 8'long (= buying a cord of wood 4' length x 8' long x 4' high) Just like the mill turns that 2x4x8 into real dimensions of 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 8, your cord shrinks in real size every time a chainsaw is taken to it, and the more it is split! That's their logic.:laughing:
