It's that time of the year again to remind would-be buyers of their stock of wood for the winter season. We all know there will be power outages to contend with this year, as always. Last winter my friend Johnnie and his wife lost power for 4 days! They almost froze to death inside their home- a home that's completely insulated. How they survived is a miracle. They couldn't leave because of too much snow blocked all access.
So, here we go. A cord of wood is measured by these dimensions:
4' X 4' X 8'. Got it? Four feet by four feet by 8 feet. A long rectangular stack, with little space between pieces-"tightly packed" is the term. Looking at a 'cord' reveals that in a 3-row stack, each piece should be 16" long(3 x16= 48=4 feet). Now wholesalers down the valley use bucks to cut their splits. The bucks are usually 16" wide, so there's no mistaking the measurement. However, however, however, the results are less than perfect. OK. But when the majority of pieces are 14"-15", that adds up to a lot of wood missing from the 'cord'.
Most local dealers often show up with a truck load, piked high randomly, then they dump it off into your driveway. Yes, they will stack it for a fee, a fee that can add 20% to the price. Not worth it, and they know this, too. So you stack it. It looks like a lot of wood. But, does it equal a cord? careful measurement is in order here: 4'x4'x8'. It's not a nominal figure, like a 2"x4" piece of lumber. It means 4'x4'x8', net. or 128 cubic feet by volume(not weight).
If your supplier won't guarantee the amount, find another source. Most retail suppliers are lazy, quick buck artists. As a buyer,, you have the responsibility to check their work . If you are paying for a 'cord', make sure they provide same.
Good luck.
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