Firewood Measurement: Legal definitions

[Rsquared]

Michigan

MichiganMeasurements of a standard cord: Firewood, in non-packaged form, is sold by a measurement called a "cord" or "fraction of a cord." A "cord" is defined as 128 cubic feet when the wood is neatly stacked in a line or row. A standard or full "cord" would be 8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 4 feet high. You may also hear or see the terms 'ric' or 'face cord' or some other local measurement. These terms have no standard measurements, so be careful when purchasing wood from a buyer that uses these terms. Make sure that you know the dimensions of the pile of wood that is being sold. A 'ric' or 'face cord' is often a stack of wood that is 8' long, 4' high, and 16" - 24" wide, depending.


Related Content
• Commercial Timber Sales
• Michigan Log Marks
• Selling Timber?
• Timber Prices on the Web
• Timber Sale Preparation
• Commercial Timber Sales




Michigan.gov Home | Report All Poaching 1-800-292-7800 | Contact DNR | DNR Home | State Web Sites | Office of Regulatory Reinvention
Link Policy | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Security Policy | Michigan News | Michigan.gov Survey

 

[turnkey4099]

Washington state:

-----------------------------------

Firewood information

Washington State law requires wood sellers to provide a receipt that includes the following:

Seller's name and address;
Buyers name and address;
Date of purchase;
Price;
Quantity delivered;
Quantity upon which the price is based; and
Type and quality of the wood.
When you buy firewood write the seller's phone number and the license plate number of the delivery vehicle.
The legal measure for firewood in Washington is the cord or a fraction of a cord. Sellers may not legitimately use terms such as "truckload," "face cord," "rack" or "pile." These terms have no legal definition and cannot, therefore, be used as a measure for the amount of firewood being sold. Only packaged wood, such as kindling or a very small bundle of firewood, may be sold by the cubic foot or a fraction of a cubic foot.

A cord is 128 cubic feet. To be sure you have a cord, stack the wood neatly by placing the wood in a line or a row, with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other. Make sure the wood is compact and has as few gaps as possible. Finally, measure the stack. If the width times the height times the length equals 128 cubic feet, you have a cord of firewood. If there is a problem, contact the seller immediately and before you burn any wood.
-----------------------------------------------

Harry K

 

[leon]

firewood

Selling by green weight is so much simpler and legal in my opinion.

The State of New York treats firewood as "Commodity" as is stated in page 22 of the file I uploaded. And the customer always knows what he is getting due to the weight slip from a certified licenced truck scale. As I have said before 12 inch sheared firewood lengths are better because they dry faster and are much easier to handle and stack better.

Most if not all of issue goes way back to the selling cordwood for steam locomotives which was huge business enterprise until soft and anthracite coals became the maintain fuel source of the railroads which were then replaced by Number 1 Bunker fuel oil and then by diesel fuel with the advent of the diesel electric locomotives.

 

[turnkey4099]

Oregon:

--------------------------------------------------
ODA Measurement Standards Warnings for buying firewood


What is a cord

Firewood is sold by a measurement called a "cord". A cord must equal 128 cubic feet. To be sure you have a cord, stack the firewood neatly by placing the firewood in a line or a row, with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other, making sure that the firewood is compact and has as few gaps as possible. Then measure the stack. If the width times the height times the length equals 128 cubic feet, you have a cord of firewood. See method of sale for fireplace and stove wood for more.


Improper terms

Words that may indicate you are not getting a proper measure.
A cord, like other measurements such as a foot, a gallon, or a ton, is defined by law. A seller may not legitimately use terms such as "truckload", "face cord", "rack", or "pile" because these terms have no legally defined meaning and, therefore, you have no way of determining how much firewood you are actually receiving. If a seller uses such terms it should alert you to a possible problem. Firewood can only be sold by the cord or by fractions of a cord.

--------------------------

Harry k

 

[Franny K]

Connecticut:
By the cord -- 128 c.f. compactly piled;
Fraction of a cord;
Cubic Volume;
By Weight -- but if by weight and selling more then 25 cords or 65 tons/year you must get each load sold weighed at a public scale AND if selling by weight as "seasoned" it needs to be have been air dried under cover for six months.

Would you have any idea of how to look up what the legal precedent for compactly piled has been determined to be?




I had different idea due to books I took out of the library years ago.

 

[Dalmatian90]

Would you have any idea of how to look up what the legal precedent for compactly piled has been determined to be?

If there is one, I'd suspect you'd find it in a case involving Measurers of Wood.

I would suspect there isn't legal precedent on it because you have two items -- one is completely objective (a measurement of volume), the second is completely subjective ("compact"). The entire point to being public Measurers of Wood was to provide a disinterested third party who made, especially in relation to how it was stacked, that subjective judgement as to whether the item offered for sale met the statutory definition of a cord by both volume and quality of stacking.

What is a judge going to do other then shrug his shoulders and tell them that the Measurer of Wood was in a much better position at the time the cord was measured then the judge is now to determine whether or not it's a cord.

 

[Whitespider]

Iowa

From the Department of Natural Resources.

Definitions;

Cord – The amount of wood that is contained is a space of 128 cubic feet when the wood is ranked and well stowed. Ranked and well stowed means that pieces of wood are placed in a line or row, with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other, and stacked in a compact manner.
To be sure you have a cord or advertised amount, you can stack and measure the wood.
For example, a cord of firewood, when stacked, could be a pile that is either:

• 4 feet wide, 4 feet high, and 8 feet long (4 X 4 X 8 = 128)
• 2 feet wide, 4 feet high and 16 feet long (2 X 4 X 16 = 128)
• 1.5 feet wide, 4 feet high and 21.3 feet long (1.5 X 4 X 21.3 = 128)

Firewood – any kindling, log, board, timbers, or other wood, natural or processed, split or not split, advertised, offered for sale, or sold for use for fuel.


Prohibited terms;

The terms “face cord,” “rack,” “pile,” “truckload,” or similar terms shall not be used when advertising, offering for sale, or selling firewood.


*******************************************************************************************

 

[rmount]

Canada

In Canada, weights and measures are a federal responsibility. There are two approved measurements of wood.

From the Federal "Weights and Measures Regulations - C.R.C., c. 1605 (PART VI
AUTHORIZATION OF USE OF UNITS OF MEASUREMENT Section 335) "

Item 7.
Unit of Measurement: cord

Definition: 128 cubic feet of stacked roundwood (whole or split, with or without bark) containing wood and airspace with all bolts of similar length piled in a regular manner with their longitudinal axes approximately parallel

Particular Purpose: measuring stacked roundwood

Item 8.
Unit of Measurement: stacked cubic metre

Definition: 1 cubic metre of stacked roundwood (whole or split, with or without bark) containing wood and airspace with all bolts of similar length piled in a regular manner with their longitudinal axes approximately parallel

Particular Purpose: measuring stacked roundwood

from: Justice Laws Search

 

[Steve NW WI]

Thanks for everything so far. I'm going on a long weekend fishing trip this weekend, so it'll take a bit, but I'm working on a chart that will have references to all the states (or as many as we can find) regulations.

I am all in favor of making it as numb and dumb and easy to sell
as anyone with any reduction in labor and its easy enough to
do with green wood.


We have one local that sells his green and seasoned loads by
the 2-1/2 to 5 thrown cords/10 wheeler dump truck loads
and will cut for your desired size 14-18 inches in length.
He loads the truck off of his processors outfeed conveyor.




PAGE 22, SECTION 13, part (iv) b wood may be sold by weight if the quantity exceeds 2 cords.

Leon, that's all well and good, and following the law. What I'm trying to do here is GET the laws organized for easy reference to anyone in the future. We can debate methods and such in a different thread. As it is now, I'm gonna have to do some post deleting in this thread already if it's going to be a useful reference piece.

 

[woodchuck357]

Arkansas can leagly be sold only by cord or fractions thereof

GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR WHEN BUYING FIREWOOD
Firewood is sold by a measurement called a "cord" or fractions of the "cord". A seller may not use terms such as "truck load", "face cord", "rick" or "pile". A cord must equal 128 cubic feet. To be sure you have a cord, stack the wood neatly by placing the wood in a line or a row, with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other, making sure the wood is compact and has as few gaps as possible. Then measure the stack. If the width times the height times the length equals 128 cubic feet, you have a cord of firewood.
What you can do:
• When you buy firewood, ask the seller to stack the wood or stack the wood yourself.
• Get a receipt, which shows the seller's name, address, and phone number, and the price, amount, and kind of wood purchased. Write down the license number of the delivery vehicle.
• Measure the wood before using any.
• Take a picture of the stack if you think there is less than a cord.
• If you feel you have a problem, contact the seller before you burn any wood.
• If the problem cannot be resolved, contact State Plant Board, Bureau of Standards, 4608 West 61st Street, Little Rock, AR 72209, or phone (501) 570-1159 before you burn any wood.

 

[Arbonaut]

In Illinois it is done via bi-lateral contract. A hand shake or even a nudge is perfectly legal between willing parties. We like to keep it that way and where possibly we encourage independence and a decrease in regulation.

 

[turnkey4099]

In Illinois it is done via bi-lateral contract. A hand shake or even a nudge is perfectly legal between willing parties. We like to keep it that way and where possibly we encourage independence and a decrease in regulation.

Illegally is someone complains

Illinois:

----------------------------------------------

Illinois Dept. of Agriculture - Weights & Measures: Consumer Tips

When buying firewood
Some people heat their homes with firewood. Firewood is sold by a measurement called a "cord."

A cord is 128 cubic feet of firewood. To be sure you have a cord, you can stack and measure the wood. For example, a cord of firewood, when stacked, could be a pile that is 4 feet wide, 4 feet high and 8 feet long; or 2 feet wide, 4 feet high and 16 feet long.

You can stack the wood in other ways, too. If the width times the height times the length (all in feet) equals 128 cubic feet, you have a cord of firewood.

The use of terms such as "truckload," "face cord," "rack" or "pile" as the method of sale of firewood is not allowed. Firewood is to be sold by the cord or fractions of a cord (such as "half of a cord" or "quarter of a cord")

----------------------------------

Harry K

 

[Arbonaut]

If I have to buy it, it is by the acre. That's more than two cords though.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Thread update: The weather got nice, the lakes melted, yada, yada, yada. I kinda forgot about this.

Now the weather's turning again, people are arguing over facial ricks, and it's time to finish this. I've got a chart started, and hope to have it finished within a couple days. (I work slow...)

If you happen to be able to look up firewood regulations for your state, please post them here and I'll add them. (Note that we've got some already here, just not all.) Please give a link to the gov't page for reference if you do.

 

[zogger]

http://agr.georgia.gov/department-o...sellers-of-firewood.aspx?skin=printerfriendly

cord or fractions, or cubic feet , also percentage of species contained

no corded up rank standing face rick bush farmers pulp loads..

..unless advertising on craigslist, then..anything goes! Another common measurement is by the "FREE TREE, FIREWOOD, C'MON GET IT"! amount***

***must be insured. Very valuable firewood and/or black walnut. Tree near house. Clean up all debris..make $$$ from all the FREE wood!

 

[Steve NW WI]

Sneak preview:

STATE Legal measurement methods Defined cord size Source Notes
Arkansas Cord or fraction of a cord 128 cu ft AR Regs
Connecticut Cord, Fraction of a cord, Weight 128 cu ft CT Regs Seasoned defined as cut and air dried for 6 months.
Georgia Cord, Fraction of a cord, Cubic feet 128 cu ft GA Regs Species must be designated within +-10%
Illinois Cord or fraction of a cord 128 cu ft IL Regs
Indiana Cord 128 cu ft IN Regs
Iowa Cord, Fraction of a cord, Cubic feet 128 cu ft IA Regs County and State of origin required on receipt or label
Maryland Cord or fraction of a cord 128 cu ft MD Regs Specifically states wood to be stacked parallel (no crisscrossing)
Michigan Cord or fraction of a cord 128 cu ft MI Regs
Minnesota Cord, Fraction of a cord, Cubic feet, Weight See note below MN Regs More
New Hampshire Cord 128 cu ft NH Regs
New Jersey Cord or fraction of a cord 128 cu ft NJ Regs Specifically states wood to be stacked parallel (no crisscrossing)
New York Cord, Fraction of a cord, Face Cord (see note) 128 cu ft NY Reg All sales must give HxLxW measurements
Oregon Cord or fraction of a cord 128 cu ft OR Regs Specifically states wood to be stacked parallel (no crisscrossing)
Pennsylvania Cord 128 cu ft PA regs
Washington Cord or fraction of a cord 128 cu ft WA Regs Specifically states wood to be stacked parallel (no crisscrossing)
Wisconsin No legal measurement defined, check local laws 128 cu ft WI Regs

Canada Cord, Fraction of a cord, Cubic feet 128 cu ft Can Reg
(federally regulated) Cubic meters, or fractions of

MN Note: "In all contracts for sale of wood the term "cord" shall mean 128 cubic feet of wood, bark, and air, if cut in four-foot lengths; and if the sale is of "sawed wood," a cord shall mean 110 cubic feet when ranked, or 160 cubic feet when thrown irregularly or loosely into a conveyance for delivery to the purchaser; and if the sale is of "sawed and split wood," a cord shall mean 120 cubic feet, when ranked, and 175 cubic feet when thrown irregularly and loosely into a conveyance for delivery. If a measurement is made by weight, the term "cord" or any other term used to describe freshly cut wood shall be based on 79 cubic feet of solid wood content per cord. The weight per cord may vary by species or species group. In case of any dispute when the parties have not otherwise agreed in writing to the weight per cord by species or species group, the weight most recently established by the commissioner of natural resources prevails."

 

[Steve NW WI]

Gonna have to talk to the boss about how to upload it as a HTML to keep the formatting when it's done, but it does look nice when the columns are all lined up...

 

[zogger]

Gonna have to talk to the boss about how to upload it as a HTML to keep the formatting when it's done, but it does look nice when the columns are all lined up...

Export from your processor program as a PDF maybe instead.

I like the addition in some regs of parallel stacked only, six months air dried as some sort of minimal "seasoned" and my states reg as to % of species.

ha! of course then, regionalism on what a species is really called.....

"tree of red mongolian hell swamp popple hardback"

Well, granpappy called it that!!!!

 

[Steve NW WI]

I'm just happy that only one (seriously effed up in all portions of the law, not just firewood IMO) state has any recognition of a "face" cord, and that they require actual measurements with it.

That, and MN's rules might have been written by the same "Drunken Irishmen" that Jesse Ventura took grief over calling out for designing the streets in St Paul.

 

[blackdogon57]

This is Maine definition. I use the "thrown cord" measurement often and it works well IMHO.

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