cord (unit)

In Canada, the cord is legally defined by Measurement Canada. The cord is one of three legal standards for the sale of firewood in Canada: stacked cubic meter (or stere), cubic foot, and cord.

In the United States, the cord is defined by statute in most states. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 130, section 2.4.1.2,{{cite web

| title = Uniform Laws and Regulations in the Areas of Legal Metrology and Engine Fuel Quality

| url = http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/h130-06.cfm

| work = NIST Handbook 130 - 2006 Edition

| author = NIST Weights and Measures Division

| author-link = National Institute of Standards and Technology

| year = 2006

| access-date = 2020-11-09

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081010164307/http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/h130-06.cfm

| archive-date = 2008-10-10

| url-status = dead

}} defines a cord and provides uniform regulations for the sale of fireplace and stove wood. In the metric system, wood is usually measured in steres and cubic meters: 1 stere = 1 m³ ≈ 0.276 cords.

Maine appears unique among U.S. states by also defining a "loose thrown cord" or pile of cut firewood: "A cord of {{convert|12|or|16|in|cm|0}} in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark, and air contained in a space of {{convert|180|cuft|m3|1}}; and a cord of wood {{convert|24|in|cm|0}} in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark, and air contained in a space of {{convert|195|cuft|m3|1}}. [1981, c. 219 (amd).]" {{cite web

| title = Firewood Fact Sheet

| url = http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=Agriculture+News&id=4554&v=Article

| date = November 15, 2004

| publisher = Maine Department of Agriculture

| access-date = November 9, 2020

| quote = A standard cord is a unit of measure of wood products {{convert|4|ft|cm|0}} wide, {{convert|4|ft|cm|0}} high, and {{convert|8|ft|cm|0}} long, or its equivalent, containing {{convert|128|cuft|m3|1}} when the wood is ranked and well stowed. Any voids that will accommodate a stick, log or bolt of average dimensions to those in that pile shall be deducted from the measured volume.

}}

Other non-official terms for firewood volume include standing cord, kitchen cord, running cord, face cord, fencing cord, country cord, long cord, and rick, all subject to local variation. These are usually taken to mean a well-stacked pile of wood in which the logs are shorter or longer than in a legal cord, to accommodate various burners. For example, a face cord commonly consists of wood that is {{convert|16|in|cm|sigfig=2}} long. {{cite web

| title = What is a Cord? And How to Avoid Paying Too Much for One

| url = http://www.woodheat.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41:what-is-a-cord-and-how-to-avoid-paying-too-much-for-one&catid=5:firewood&Itemid=50

| publisher = Wood Heat Organization Inc.

| access-date = 2020-11-09

}} The volume of a face cord therefore is typically 1/3 of the volume of a full cord even though it is {{convert|8|ft|cm|0}} long and {{convert|4|ft|cm|0}} high. A face cord is also called a rick in the midwestern United States. {{cite web

| title = What is a "Rick", "Rack", "Face Cord"?

| url = http://www.jwiwood.com/faq/rick.html

| access-date = 2020-11-09

| url-status = usurped

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130922162702/http://www.jwiwood.com/faq/rick.html

| archive-date = 2013-09-22

}}

The term is used in other English-speaking countries, such as New Zealand,[http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/firewood/standard-measurements Consumer.org.nz What is a cord] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224013741/http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/firewood/standard-measurements |date=2014-02-24 }} but may not have a legal definition.

{{main article|Firewood#Heating value}}

One seasoned (dry) cord of Northern red oak with a heating value of {{convert|22.1|e6Btu/cord|GJ/cord|lk=on}} has the heating equivalent of {{convert|159|u.s.gal|impgal L|0|abbr=off}} of fuel oil with a heating value of {{convert|138700|BTU/u.s.gal|MJ/L|abbr=off}}. {{cite web

| url = http://chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm

| title = Sweep's Library: Firewood Heat Value Comparison Charts

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191115225408/https://chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm

| archive-date = November 15, 2019

| access-date = November 9, 2020

}} {{cite web

| url = http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fuel-oil-combustion-values-d_509.html

| title = Fuel Oil and Combustion Values

| publisher = Engineering Toolbox

| date = 2001

| access-date = November 9, 2020

}}

Until metrication in Australia, an imperial cord was a measurement for wood and firewood.{{cite news |date=11 November 1952 |title=Advertising |page=2 |newspaper=The Dalby Herald |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article216808800 |accessdate=13 June 2023 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |date=11 June 1954 |title=Cord of Firewood |page=43 |newspaper=The Land |issue=2227 |location=New South Wales, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106929679 |accessdate=13 June 2023 |via=National Library of Australia}} The measurements for a cord of wood were 4 feet high by 8 feet wide by 4 feet deep, or usually a stack of wood containing 128 cubic feet (cu ft). The imperial cord enclosed 128 cu ft.{{Cite web |title=Product oriented volume |url=https://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/mensuration/product.htm |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au}}{{Cite book |last=measures |first=Great Britain Parliament, House of commons, Select committee on weights and |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wI7nAAAAMAAJ |title=Report from the Select Committee on Weights and Measures: Together with the Proceedings of the Committee, Minutes of Evidence, Appendix, and Index. Communicated from the Commons to the Lords. Ordered to be Printed 4th August 1862 ... |date=1862 |pages=28 |language=en}}

The corde was a unit of volume used before metrication in several French-speaking countries (France, Belgium and Luxembourg). Its value varied from {{convert|2|-|5|stere}} depending on the region. {{Cite web|title=S'informer sur le bois énergie en Bretagne|url=https://abibois.com/s-informer-sur-le-bois-en-bretagne/s-informer-sur-le-bois-energie/bois-de-chauffage/corde-stere-m3-quelle-unite-de-vente-pour-le-bois-de-chauffage.html|access-date=2021-03-11|website=Abibois|language=fr-fr}}{{cite web |title=Corde [French] |url=https://www.sizes.com/units/corde.htm |website=Sizes |publisher=Sizes inc. |access-date=2025-04-15}}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Board foot
• Cubic ton
• Forest product
• Hoppus foot
• Imperial units
• List of unusual units of measurement
• Measurement Canada
• Measurement Information Division of Industry Canada
• Standard (timber unit)
• Units of measurement

{{div col end}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/publications/energy/buyfirewood.pdf Nova Scotia Natural Resources Information Circular DNR - 1A: "Guide to buying and measuring stacked firewood"]

{{United States Customary Units}}

Category:Customary units of measurement in the United States

Category:Units of volume

Category:Logging