How Many Pieces of Wood in a Rick Calculator
A rick of wood (also called a face cord) is a stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long, but only as deep as the length of the logs — typically 16-18 in — making it roughly one-third of a full 128 cubic foot standard cord, and holding somewhere around 180-325 individual pieces depending on split size.
Quick Answer
A rick of wood (also called a face cord) is a stack 4 ft high and 8 ft long, but only as deep as the length of the logs — typically 16-18 in — making it roughly one-third of a full 128 cubic foot standard cord, and holding somewhere around 180-325 individual pieces depending on split size.
How Many Pieces of Wood in a Rick Calculator
Enter your values below for an instant result, then see the formula, worked example, and common mistakes.
Enter your log length and average split size, then calculate.
How to Use This Calculator
Most wood stoves and fireplaces are loaded with 16-18 in splits, though this varies by appliance — check your stove or insert manual for the maximum log length it accepts.
A rick is stacked 4 ft high and 8 ft long, just like a full cord, but it is only ONE row deep — with that depth equal to the length of your logs, not the 4 ft depth of a full cord.
Look at a typical split piece from your pile and estimate its average width/thickness across — this affects how many individual pieces fit in the same rick volume.
Since 16 in splits make 3 ricks per full cord, price a rick at roughly one-third the price of a full cord when comparing firewood sellers who quote by different units.
Formula
Rick volume = 4 ft (height) x 8 ft (length) x (log length in inches / 12) (depth in feet). For standard 16 in splits, that is 4 x 8 x 1.33 = about 42.7 cubic feet, or roughly 1/3 of a full 128 cubic foot cord.
Piece count is much less precise than volume, since it depends on how large and how uniformly split each individual piece is — this calculator gives a rough approximation based on average split cross-section, not an exact count.
Reference Table: Rick (Face Cord) vs. Full Cord
| Measurement | Rick / face cord (16 in logs) | Full cord |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 4 ft x 8 ft x 16 in deep | 4 ft x 8 ft x 4 ft deep |
| Volume | ~43 cu ft | 128 cu ft |
| Fraction of a cord | ~1/3 | 1 (whole) |
| Typical piece count | ~180-325 pieces | ~540-975 pieces |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing a rick (face cord) with a full cord — a rick is only about 1/3 the volume of a full cord (roughly 43 cu ft vs. 128 cu ft), so paying a full-cord price for a rick is a significant overpay.
- Assuming rick logs are 4 ft long — that is the depth of a FULL cord’s stacking, not a rick. Rick/face-cord logs are almost always cut to stove-length, commonly 16-18 in.
- Expecting an exact universal piece count — because split sizes vary so much between suppliers and even within one stack, piece-count figures are always an approximation, unlike the well-defined volume measurement.
- Not confirming your log length before buying — since rick volume is directly tied to log length, a rick of 18 in splits contains meaningfully more wood than a rick of 16 in splits.
When the Estimate May Be Wrong
Piece-count estimates in this calculator are approximate and can vary significantly based on how large, how round, and how consistently split the individual pieces are — tightly and uniformly split, smaller-diameter pieces pack more pieces into the same volume than large, irregular splits. The volume-based figures (cubic feet and fraction of a cord) are far more reliable than the piece-count estimate, since volume is a fixed geometric calculation while piece count depends on splitting technique.
FAQs
Is a rick of wood the same as a face cord?
Yes — most firewood sellers use “rick” and “face cord” interchangeably to describe a stack 4 ft high, 8 ft long, and one log-length deep (commonly 16-18 in).
How many ricks equal one full cord?
For standard 16 in log lengths, 3 ricks equal one full cord (since a full cord is 4 ft deep and 16 in is almost exactly 1/3 of 4 ft).
How many pieces of wood are in a rick?
It varies by split size, but a rick commonly holds somewhere around 180 to 325 individual pieces — smaller, more uniform splits pack in more pieces than large, irregular ones.
Why do firewood sellers use ricks instead of full cords?
A rick is a more manageable, deliverable unit that matches common stove log lengths, and lets buyers purchase a smaller quantity than a full cord if that better matches their storage space or seasonal needs.
Sources and Methodology
Rick/face-cord dimensions and the 1/3-of-a-cord relationship (for standard 16 in logs) sourced from Cutting Edge Firewood, FirePitSurplus, and Firewood Flex published firewood-measurement guides, cross-referenced against the standard 128 cubic foot (4x4x8 ft) legal cord definition used by U.S. weights-and-measures agencies. Piece-count ranges reflect the range commonly cited across multiple firewood-industry sources, since exact counts vary by split size.
