How Big Is a Rick of Wood? Dimensions, Weight, and Cord Comparison

TL;DR: A rick of wood, AKA a face cord, is a stack about 8' long, 4' high, and 16" deep, roughly 43 cu ft, or a third of a full cord. It typically weighs 1,000 to 1,600 lbs and holds 200 to 270 logs, depending on how it's split and seasoned. And stacked against your house, it's also one of the most common entry points for rodents and insects — an issue that can be alleviated with the help of log racks.

If you've heard someone ask for "a rick of wood" instead of a face cord, it's not a different product. In fact, it’s a regional term for the same kind of stack, just measured a little differently.

Here's how the numbers break down.

What Is a Rick of Wood?

A rick of wood is a stack of firewood that's one log-length deep, 4’ high, and 8’ long.

Unlike a cord, which is a fixed volume (128 cu ft, always), a rick is defined by the face of the stack: The 4’ x 8’ wall you see when you look at it, with depth determined by log length.

That's why two ricks of firewood can hold noticeably different volumes if one firewood dealer cuts 16’ logs and another cuts 24” logs.

Rick vs. Cord Firewood: What's the Difference?

This is the question that trips up most wood buyers, and it's a fair one. A rick isn't a standardized unit the way a cord technically is.

Rick of Wood Size and Dimensions

Here's how a standard rick stacks up using a common 16" log length:

Moisture content causes weight to swing widely. Generally, unseasoned wood is 50% water by weight, sometimes even more when freshly cut. This can make an unseasoned rick weigh considerably more than one that's been dried for six months to a year.

Log count also varies the same way a cord's does, based on diameter and how the wood was split.

How Many Ricks Are in a Cord of Firewood?

Using the 16" depth as a baseline, about three ricks equal one full cord.

How Many Logs Are in a Rick, and a Cord?

A single rick holds 200 to 270 logs, as noted above. Scale that up across a full cord (three ricks), and you're looking at 600 to 800 logs total, which is consistent with how most firewood suppliers quote cord counts.

What a Rick of Wood Means for Pest Prevention at Home

Now that you know how much wood is actually in a rick, here's the part most people don't think about until it's a problem: Where you stack it matters as much as how much of it you have.

A single rick, at over 40 cu ft of gapped, stacked wood, creates hundreds of small crevices that mice, rats, ants, termites, and overwintering insects can use as cover. Most homeowners store two or three ricks for a moderate burning season, and that's often stacked directly against a foundation, garage wall, or crawlspace vent for convenience.

However, that placement can turn a normal firewood pile into a pest corridor leading straight into your home.

Pest professionals who see this pattern know to add woodpile placements to their property inspections, as woodpiles only a few feet from a house can be a contributor to recurring rodent and insect problems.

Thankfully, the fix isn't too complicated.

Keep Firewood Storage From Becoming a Pest Entry Point

A log rack keeps your woodpile organized and lifted off the ground, removing the damp, shaded contact point that ants, termites, and overwintering insects rely on. It also reduces the sheltered ground-level cover mice and rats can use around the pile. Other log rack perks include improving airflow and drying, which helps reduce moisture and the damp, decaying conditions that can attract insects.

Even a basic rack, paired with a few feet of clearance from the house (though 20’ to 30’ from your home is recommended), closes off most of the harborage a stacked rick creates.

It's beneficial to store ricks on an elevated rack, placing it thoughtfully to reduce risk to your home. 

Our Shelter^® brand produces everything you need to facilitate and enhance your wood burning experience, log racks included. Check out the lineup to find one that works best for your wood burning needs.