Not free firewood....but close

[CobyRupert]

The legal definition of a cord of hardwood is 85 cubic feet of solid wood. A cord of softwood is 96 cubic feet of solid wood. Stacked including air space, it's 128 cubic feet. These standards were established decades ago, to provide a standard for people to rely on; a lot of wood was measured, to establish those standards. That's important a state like Maine, which is very dependent on the wood industry. If Joe Blow dumps "2 1/2 cords" of firewood and you aren't home to inspect it, that's the standard that you can expect; just as you don't need to measure 100 gallons of heating oil when it's delivered, or 10 gallons of gas when you pump it into your pickup.

I've never heard about a cord of solid hardwood being 85 cubic feet and solid softwood being 96 cubic feet, only that 128 cu. ft of stacked is a cord.
Wonder why is there's a difference? Once you split them up, don't they both need to be 128 cubic feet? Do you end up with more air gaps on the stacked hardwood than stacked softwood for both to be 128 cubic feet right after being split? This doesn't seem right.

 

[Jstpssng]

I learned about the 85& 96 feet when taking a wood scaling course. Remember though that firewood is far from the only wood bought and sold by the cord; rather, it's the standard measurement for anything which isn't sawlogs. More and more though, commercial wood is sold by weight.

 

[turnkey4099]

Are those full cords, ric or face? That is a lot of wood either way. I have a big dry pile, split and stacked on concrete under a roof and sprayed with insecticide for ants etc..

The question is, will old wood rot in my case if not used in 5-10 years. It seems I take from 1 side for a year or two then switch sides the next year. I replenish with split wood and never seem to get to the middle of the pile.

Full cords. I only deal with, talk about, posst about wood in full or part cords. I don't use the fake measures. Most of these discussions are on quasi professional forums and as such should use professional terms.

 

[turnkey4099]

Are you saying all wood should be piled in cord units?
Do you see how ridiculous it is to say "I'll buy that load/pile/rick/face of wood for $200", but then have the government say "You can't say that! You have to say I'll give you $200 for (what I think is) 1.3498 cords?" Or would I only be able to buy 1 cord and have to leave the .3498 cords behind?

Or maybe I have to say "I will pay you $148.17 per cord for 1.3498 cords, totaling $200!"

Saying wood must be sold by the cord is all semantics.

There's so much estimating and other factors that go on when buying wood, that the unit of measurement doesn't matter.

There's the air gaps (are they rounds, or halved or quartered, etc.., there's moisture content, age, type of wood, btu content, bark condition, dirty or clean, pick-up or delivery, etc...
Having standardize measurement unit (a cord) makes no sense, when there's so many other factors.

"Are you saying all wood shouild be piled in cord units?" Odd, I don't recall anyone saying anything at all about that. Were wood sales are regulated it usuaally reads on the order of sold (advertised) in cords OR PART cords. Governemtn regulation comes in whan one sells a load of wood claiming it is 5 cords and customer stacks it and finds it is only 4 cords. Grounds for a complaint to the state 'weights and measures' guys.

It still doesn't bar selling by the load, pile, rick, bucket or stick as long as you don't claim it is a cord or any part of a cord. Some states do, however, require all advertising to be in cords or parts thereof. Very rarely is there any regulation of that however.

As for all the variations you rung in up there, pure blather. That has been part of the wood business for years and is of no concern about the amount...as long as it can be stacked to the measure you claim.

Most dealers do not even stack the wood, just load the truck to "about that level" knowing what that amount is. Usually the honest ones add a bit extra to be sure it can't challenged as to amount.

 

[turnkey4099]

Buyer beware on volume of firewood they buy.

Some of y'all are going way overboard on this.

Ask dealers who have been put out of business by being caught delivering less wood than advertised. Unfortunately too few people just accept the amount and don't file complaints.

 

[turnkey4099]

I've never heard about a cord of solid hardwood being 85 cubic feet and solid softwood being 96 cubic feet, only that 128 cu. ft of stacked is a cord.
Wonder why is there's a difference? Once you split them up, don't they both need to be 128 cubic feet? Do you end up with more air gaps on the stacked hardwood than stacked softwood for both to be 128 cubic feet right after being split? This doesn't seem right.

There is no difference between hard or soft woods. The 85 cufeet is solid wood (no air gaps), 128 cuft. A cord delivered in rounds that stacks to 1 cord, will be more than one cord after splitting, More air volume in the split wood

 

[turnkey4099]

I see no confusion or scamming by using the proper definition of measure. A face cord is 1/3 of a full cord...it always has been. In my area, everyone I know refers to a face cord as a cord. Just local custom but I learned it quickly. Unless we talk about a loggers cord. Loggers cords are 4'x8' with logs about 100" long. at least that was the length of my last order.

There is one guy here sells that firewood 15" long. He says it is to avoid getting complaints about the wood being too long for some of the smaller stoves. But he does not charge less per face cord so he nets about 6% more....that is a bit of scamming.

Use the nomenclature common in your area when selling firewood. It is not rocket surgery.

And that is what grates on the professionals. It IS 1/3 cord so why in the **** not call it a 3rd of a cord. And there are long arguments on the net about jus how muc is a face cord. Most agree it has an 8x4' 'face' but it doesn't have to be only 16" long and many will claim the length has to be other than 16" That is why there are standard, legal definitions of weights and measures.

 

[4570Man]

Most people aren’t smart enough to calculate fractions of a cord and most vehicles can’t deliver a full cord. There needs to be a better system in place. Personally I think there is. It’s called natural gas.

 

[Jstpssng]

There is no difference between hard or soft woods. The 85 cufeet is solid wood (no air gaps), 128 cuft. A cord delivered in rounds that stacks to 1 cord, will be more than one cord after splitting, More air volume in the split wood

As previously stated I was told 85/96 for hardwood/softwood in a wood scaling course years ago- but haven't been able to lay hands on the material, or find it online anywhere since.

More recently I got into the "bigger pile after splitting" discussion... and lost. I stacked a tier of unsplit stove length wood across the pickup bed until it was touching a 2x4 laying across the bed rails. After splitting and restacking it as I normally do I laid the 2x4 across it again; the pile was a couple of inches higher and the 2x4 didn't touch the rails.

Most people aren’t smart enough to calculate fractions of a cord and most vehicles can’t deliver a full cord. There needs to be a better system in place. Personally I think there is. It’s called natural gas.

Agreed. If I had to pay for it I doubt that I would burn much wood.

 

[bcp]

Most people aren’t smart enough to calculate fractions of a cord and most vehicles can’t deliver a full cord. There needs to be a better system in place. Personally I think there is. It’s called natural gas.

I have a very hard time trying to stack a cord of natural gas.



Bruce