Why weight and volume tell different stories
A cord is a fixed volume — 128 cubic feet, as defined in NIST Handbook 130 — no matter what species fills it. Weight is a completely different measurement: how much actual wood mass and residual moisture are packed into that volume. Because dense species pack far more mass into the same cubic footage than light ones, a cord of a heavy hardwood can weigh more than twice as much as a cord of a light softwood.
Species density figures track fairly closely with the firewood BTU chart — denser wood generally means both more weight and more heat per cord, which is why converting between weight and volume has to account for species, not just a flat ratio. See why a cord of pine costs less and heats less for the heat side of that same density difference.
Rough weight per seasoned cord, by density
These are approximate figures for wood seasoned to roughly 20 percent moisture — green wood weighs meaningfully more due to trapped water. Use them to sanity-check a per-ton quote against a per-cord quote for a comparable species before assuming one is the better deal.
| Density class | Example species | Approx. weight per seasoned cord |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy hardwood | Hickory, white oak | 4,300–4,500 lb |
| Medium hardwood | Red oak, sugar maple | 3,800–4,200 lb |
| Light hardwood | Green ash, cherry | 3,200–3,600 lb |
| Softwood | White pine, tamarack | 2,000–2,500 lb |
Converting a by-the-ton quote fairly
To compare a $-per-ton quote against a $-per-cord quote, first estimate the cord's weight for the species in question using a table like the one above, then scale the ton price to that weight. For example, at $120 per ton and roughly 4 tons per cord of a medium hardwood, that works out to about $480 per cord-equivalent — directly comparable to a seller's per-cord price for the same species.
Since weight-based pricing is more sensitive to moisture than volume-based pricing (wetter wood weighs more for the same amount of usable heat), ask whether the by-the-ton quote assumes green or seasoned wood before finalizing the comparison.
- Get the species — density varies enough between hardwoods and softwoods to change the weight-per-cord estimate by more than 50 percent.
- Confirm green or seasoned — green wood carries extra trapped water, which inflates weight without adding usable heat.
- Look up the approximate weight per cord for that species and moisture state from the table above.
- Divide the ton price by that weight, then multiply by 128 (or scale by tons-per-cord) to get a per-cord-equivalent price.
- Compare the result to any per-cord quotes for the same species before deciding which is the better deal.
Frequently asked questions
Is firewood sold by weight or volume?
Mostly volume — the cord and its regional names (face cord, rick, stove cord) are all measured in cubic feet. Weight-based pricing shows up mainly for pre-packaged bundles and some bulk deliveries, and the two are not directly comparable without knowing the species and moisture content.
Is buying by weight ever more accurate than buying by cord?
It can be, for a single known species, since weight correlates closely with actual wood mass. But it introduces a new variable — moisture content — that a volume-based cord price does not carry, so it is not automatically the fairer method.
Do sellers ever mix weight and volume terms on one invoice?
It happens, and it is worth flagging — an invoice that says "1 ton" without a stated cord-equivalent or species can leave you with no way to verify the delivery against a cord-based expectation.
Does a heavier cord always mean a better deal?
Not necessarily — heavier usually means denser hardwood with more heat content, but you still need to compare price against heat output (price per MMBtu), not weight alone, to know if it is actually the better buy.
