The cord is a unit of measure of dry

volume Volume is a measure of occupied three-dimensional space. It is often quantified numerically using SI derived units (such as the cubic metre and litre) or by various imperial or US customary units (such as the gallon, quart, cubic inch). Th ...

used to measure firewood and pulpwood in the United States and Canada. A cord is the amount of wood that, when "racked and well stowed" (arranged so pieces are aligned, parallel, touching and compact), occupies a volume of . This corresponds to a well-stacked woodpile high, wide, and deep; or any other arrangement of linear measurements that yields the same volume. The name ''cord'' probably comes from the use of a cord or string to measure it. The cord-foot was a US unit of volume for stacked firewood, four feet long, four feet wide and one foot high—equal to one eighth of a cord. Symbol for the unit was cd-ft.

Definitions

In Canada, the cord is legally defined by

Measurement Canada Measurement Canada (french: Mesures Canada) is a special operating agency of the Government of Canada's Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio, in the Small Business, Tourism and Marketplace Services sector. The agency's mandate i ...

. The cord is one of three legal standards for the sale of firewood in Canada: stacked cubic metre (or stere), cubic foot, and cord. The preferred unit of measurement for firewood is the stacked cubic metre. In the United States, the cord is defined by statute in most states. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 130, section 2.4.1.2, defines a cord and provides uniform regulations for the sale of fireplace and stove wood. In the

metric system The metric system is a system of measurement that succeeded the decimalised system based on the metre that had been introduced in France in the 1790s. The historical development of these systems culminated in the definition of the Interna ...

, wood is usually measured in steres and cubic metres: 1 stere = 1 m³ ≈ 0.276 cords.

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

appears unique among U.S. states by also defining a "loose thrown cord" or pile of cut firewood: "A cord of in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark and air contained in a space of ; and a cord of wood in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark and air contained in a space of . 981, c. 219 (amd). Other non-official terms for firewood volume include ''standing cord'', ''kitchen cord'', ''running cord'', ''

face cord A face cord is an informal measurement for stacked firewood, sometimes called a rick. Width and height is typically the same as a cord Cord or CORD may refer to: People * Alex Cord (1933–2021), American actor and writer * Chris Cord (born 19 ...

'', ''fencing cord'', ''country cord'', ''long cord'', and ''

rick Rick may refer to: People *Rick (given name), a list of people with the given name *Alan Rick (born 1976), Brazilian politician, journalist, pastor and television personality *Johannes Rick (1869–1946), Austrian-born Brazilian priest and mycol ...

'', all subject to local variation. These are usually taken to mean a well-stacked pile of wood in which the logs are shorter or longer than in a legal cord, to accommodate various burners. For example, a face cord commonly consists of wood that is long. The volume of a face cord therefore is typically 1/3 of the volume of a full cord even though it is long and high. A face cord is also called a ''rick'' in Midwestern United States. The term is used in other English-speaking countries, such as New Zealand, but may not have a legal definition. The ''corde'' was a unit of volume used before metrication in several French-speaking countries (France, Belgium and Luxembourg). Its value varied from 6 to 13.50 m depending on the region, corresponding approximately 2 to 5 steres.

Heating value

One seasoned (dry) cord of

Northern red oak ''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been intro ...

with a heating value of has the heating equivalent of of fuel oil with a heating value of .

References

External links

Nova Scotia Natural Resources Information Circular DNR - 1A: "Guide to buying and measuring stacked firewood"
{{United States Customary Units Customary units of measurement in the United States Units of volume Logging

Definitions

Heating value

See also

References

External links