How Much Is a Rick of Wood? Size, Price, Weight, Number of Pieces & How Long It Lasts

You might be wondering what all of these names mean if you just got a firepit or fireplace and have never bought firewood before. The various sizes of firewood that shops sell go by a variety of names. Don’t let the terms confuse you in order to prevent being conned!

Terms like “cord,” “face cords,” “half cords,” “quarter face,” “quarter chord,” “eighth of a cord,” and others may be used. One such expression you could hear is “a rick of wood.” In this article, you’ll learn what a “rick of wood” is and all you need to know about sizes, price, weight, and more.

Table of Contents

• What Is a Rick of Wood?
  • How Big Is a Rick Of Wood? Rick of Wood Size
  • How Many Pieces of Wood in a Rick?
  • How Much Does a Rick of Wood Weigh?
  • How Much Is a Rick of Wood? Cost of a Rick of Wood
• Rick vs Cord of Wood: How Many Ricks Is in a Cord Of Wood?
• Rick of Wood Buying Considerations
  • Quality
  • How Much Ricks of Wood Will You Need?
  • How Long Does a Rick of Wood Last?
• FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What Is a Rick of Wood?

A fraction of a cord is referred to as a “rick of firewood.” The width may vary based on the provider, region, local market, etc., but it is 4 feet tall and 8 feet long. Another frequent name for this configuration is a face cord.

The length of a rick, also known as a face cord, can range from 12 to 16 to 24 inches. All logs in a particular stack of firewood will fall into one of those three sizes. Logs for firewood are typically 16 inches in length. The rick or face cord may vary from place to place in contrast to the uniformity of a cord of firewood, which is 128 cubic feet.

An obsolete English word meaning a stack or mound served as the inspiration for the word “rick.” On farms, a variety of storage structures are referred to as “stacks.” It eventually made its way to North America and is now commonly used for measuring the wood, especially in the Midwest. To learn more about a cord of wood, visit our How Much Is a Cord of Wood? guide!

How Big Is a Rick Of Wood? Rick of Wood Size

You can better comprehend what a rick of wood is if you are familiar with the size of a cord of wood. A rick of wood can be gauged by its height, width, and length, which are respectively 4 feet (48 inches), 4 feet (48 inches), and 8 feet (96 inches).

A little fraction of a cord is equal to one rick of firewood. The following lists the different firewood rick sizes in relation to a full cord, using the measurement of a full face of 48 inches as a guide.

• A 12-inch. wide rick would represent 1/4 of a cord, also a quarter face or a quarter cord.
• A 16-inch. wide rick would represent 1/3 of a cord.
• A 24-inch. wide rick would represent a half cord.

The calculations above suggest that a rick of wood could have the following measurements:

• A 12-inch rick would measure 4 feet in height by 1 foot in width by 8 feet in length
• A 16-inch rick would measure 4 feet in height by 1.33 feet in width by 8 feet in length
• A 24-inch rick would measure 4 feet in height by 2 feet in width by 8 feet in length

How Many Pieces of Wood in a Rick?

A face cord of firewood can contain anywhere between 550 and 650 manageable pieces of seasoned wood logs; the quantity of wood in a rack depends on the quality of the cuts and the density of the stacking. Consequently, a rick can carry a maximum of between 275 and 325 pieces of firewood.

Let’s break down how many pieces of wood are in a rick. Keep in mind that not every stack from every supplier contains the same quantity. Depending on the provider and type of wood, it can still differ. However, these are the measures in general:

• 1/4 cord in 12” length = 275 pieces
• 1/3 cord in 16” length = 300 pieces
• 1/2 cord in 24” length = 325 pieces

How Much Does a Rick of Wood Weigh?

The two heaviest forms of firewood are red and white oaks, which have a weight per cord of roughly 2.5 tons (5,500 pounds). Your spruces, on the other hand, are the lightest of the group, weighing only about 1.25 tons (2,500 pounds) per cord. Generally speaking, the size you choose will affect the weight of a rick of firewood. Additionally, it depends on the type of firewood you use.

How Much Is a Rick of Wood? Cost of a Rick of Wood

The cost of a rick of wood varies significantly depending on where you live, who you buy it from, what’s available locally, and whether it’s been seasoned, kiln-dried, air-dried, etc. An oak rick or face cord can be purchased for between $150 and $250.

However, there are numerous types of wood, each with distinct qualities and pricing ranges, including maple, red oak, black locust, and others. Visit our Firewood Identification guide to learn about all the various types of firewood.

The cost of having firewood delivered ranges from $1 to $2 per loaded mile. To keep costs from getting out of hand, several organizations that sell firewood set a minimum distance beyond which you must pay delivery fees.

Consult your supplier to determine whether they charge extra for stacking firewood if you don’t want to stack the products yourself. Frequently, this is between $20 and $25. So, before purchasing firewood, inquire about the vendor’s ability to stack it. While on the topic, visit our How to Stack Firewood guide!

Rick vs Cord of Wood: How Many Ricks Is in a Cord Of Wood?

Ricks, or stacks measuring 4 by 8 feet, are used to measure firewood. The shop where you buy it will influence the rick’s breadth. A single rick of firewood can range in width from 12 to 24 inches when measured in face cords. A rick’s log length can range from 12 to 18 inches, while 16 inches is the norm.

A cord of wood is an 8-foot stack with 4 feet of height, 4 feet of width, and another 4 feet of length. A complete cord of wood contains multiple ricks. The width of each rick determines how much wood is there. The precise number of ricks in a cord of wood can therefore vary.

Rick of Wood Buying Considerations

Quality

When buying wood your own firewood and other farm-related supplies, it’s crucial to choose high-quality firewood that has been properly seasoned. If you don’t ask for green firewood specifically, you’ll probably get dry, usable fuel instead.

The wood ought to have end breaks and be gray and worn. The firewood you receive is generally not ready to burn if it looks like it was just cut from the tree. Depending on the species, curing wood properly can take anywhere from six months to a year.

How Much Ricks of Wood Will You Need?

Unfortunately, there is no universal solution to this issue; it all depends on your specific firewood requirements. If you only use firewood for heating and cooking during the winter, you won’t need as much; but if you want to keep a fire going in the fireplace the entire season, you’ll need more to assure you won’t run out.

To get through the winter, you typically need at least two ricks of wood, and one rick is rarely enough (3 might be enough for a medium-sized house). In this case, it might be more cost-effective to purchase one face of firewood as opposed to three ricks.

How Long Does a Rick of Wood Last?

Once more, the solution depends on the question’s intent. For the sake of argument, let’s imagine that heating your home during the winter requires a substantial amount of firewood. A rick of wood needs six to ten weeks to deplete. To make sure you won’t run out of heat before the weather gets better, though, you should always be prepared to consume more.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)