Rick of Wood Cost Calculator

One rick lasts 3–5 weeks of recreational fireplace use at 2–3 fires per week. Two ricks cover light supplemental heating for a mild month. Three ricks, one full cord equivalent, is the threshold where cord buying starts making economic sense.

For primary heat through a cold winter, you're looking at 6 or more ricks. At that volume, buying by the cord cuts your per-BTU cost and simplifies delivery. The Wood Heating Cost Calculator sizes your full-season firewood need by square footage and climate.

One rick is one face cord: a stack 4 feet tall, 8 feet wide, and one log length deep. With the standard 16-inch log cut, that's roughly 42 cubic feet of stacked wood. One full cord measures 128 cubic feet (4×4×8 feet). Three 16-inch ricks equal one full cord.

"Rick" is Midwest and Southern terminology. In New England, the same unit is called a face cord. If you're calling a Northeast supplier, use "face cord"; they may not recognize "rick." The Face Cord Firewood Cost Calculator uses identical dimensions if you prefer that term.

Full cord: 128 cubic feet (4 ft tall × 4 ft deep × 8 ft wide). Face cord or rick: roughly 42 cubic feet (same 4×8 face, 16 inches deep). Half cord: 64 cubic feet.

One rick is about 1/3 of a full cord, but only at 16-inch log length. That 24-inch logs holds about 63 cubic feet, nearly a half cord. When your supplier cuts 24-inch logs, two of their "ricks" already equal a cord. Always ask the log length before agreeing on a price.

Mixed hardwood runs $60-$150 (market estimate). Oak and hickory push toward the top of that range; pine and fir sit at the bottom. Regional prices move by around 30% either way, rural markets with local timber run lower than suburban areas that rely on delivered loads.

Adjust the species dropdown and your cord price in the calculator above to see how your quote compares to the cord equivalent. Our calculator converts your per-rick price automatically so you can compare across suppliers.

Rick prices look smaller than cord prices. They rarely stay that way per unit of wood. If a cord costs $250 and a rick costs $100, that's $300 per cord equivalent, a 20% premium for buying a smaller quantity. The math is simple: rick price × 3 = your effective cord cost.

Most suppliers don't volunteer this calculation. The full_cord_equivalent_cost output above does it live for your numbers. Check it against cord quotes before you commit. If the cord equivalent is within 10% of the direct cord price, the rick is fairly priced for convenience.

Delivery fees don't scale down for a single rick. Most suppliers charge $25–$75 as a flat fee regardless of quantity. One rick at $100 plus a $50 delivery fee means you're paying $150 for about 42 cubic feet. That works out to $450 per cord equivalent in total.

The same supplier might sell a delivered cord at $300. You're paying 50% more per BTU for the convenience of a smaller order. When you need more than one rick, pick them up, or buy a full cord delivered and split the cost with a neighbor.

One rick is roughly 1/3 of a cord. According to the USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook, oak yields about 26 million BTU per cord. That means one rick of oak delivers roughly 8.7 million BTU. Hickory at 28 million BTU per cord gives about 9.3 million BTU per rick.

Pine comes in around 18 million BTU per cord, or about 6 million BTU per rick. In a 75% efficient stove, oak delivers about 6.5 million usable BTU versus pine's 4.5 million. You pay 30–50% more for oak per rick and get roughly 45% more heat. For a stove running regularly, oak earns that premium.

Change the species dropdown above to see how the btu_equivalent output shifts for your specific order.

Standard rick: 4 feet tall, 8 feet wide, 16 inches deep. The 8-foot width is roughly the width of a standard parking space. The height is chest-level on most adults. The depth is about the distance from your elbow to your wrist.

Split wood stacks in roughly 4 rows, about 10 splits per row, a standard 40-piece rick. Full-size pickup truck bed, tailgate up, holds one rick comfortably. Suppliers with a dump chute can unload a rick in a few minutes.

This is the most common reason a rick estimate seems off. The 16-inch rick holds about 42 cubic feet. An 18-inch rick holds about 47 cubic feet. That 24-inch rick holds about 63 cubic feet, nearly a half cord.

Same 4×8 face, 50% more wood. Suppliers cutting 24-inch logs owes you a higher price per rick than one cutting 16-inch logs. Ask "what length are the logs?" before agreeing on anything. If they can't answer immediately, measure the log depth yourself before the wood is unloaded.

Seasoned wood sits at 20% moisture or below, that's what burns cleanly. Green wood runs above 30%; it hisses, smokes, and deposits creosote in your flue. For a single rick bought for occasional use, green wood isn't worth the discount.

Kiln-dried wood comes in under 10% moisture and burns the day you buy it. The premium runs $15–$30 per rick over seasoned. For a recreational fireplace where you want ambiance and not a smoke-filled room, kiln-dried is worth that.

A moisture meter ($20–$30) confirms what you're actually getting before the truck leaves.

Ask the log length before agreeing on price. That 24-inch rick holds about 50% more wood than a 16-inch rick at the same 4×8 face. If the supplier can't answer, measure the log depth yourself once the wood is off the truck.

Count the rows. A standard rick stacks in 4 rows about 4 feet high at a 16-inch depth. Loose gaps or fewer than 4 rows mean you're getting less than you paid for. Measure the face: it should run close to 4 feet tall by 8 feet wide.

If the pile stacks noticeably short, take a photo before the supplier drives away. Your state's consumer protection statutes on firewood measurement give you standing to dispute a short delivery, but only if you have documentation.