To figure the number of cords in another size or shape pile, determine the pile's cubic foot volume and divide by 128. A randomly piled stack of wood generally will contain more air and less wood than one neatly piled. A face cord is a stack of wood four feet high, eight feet long, and as deep as the pieces are long. Pieces are commonly 12 to 18 inches long, so a face cord may contain 32 to 48 cubic feet of wood and air. This is an imprecise but common measure.
Small pickups hold much less.
Random loading will decrease this amount further. A randomly piled stack or pickup load of wood will contain more air and less wood than one neatly stacked. Crooked, small diameter, and knotty or branchy pieces also reduce the amount of wood in a pile. Buying Firewood Species, volume, dryness and need for splitting should be considered when buying firewood. This NebGuide and other publications provide basic information you need to be an informed buyer, but knowing your dealer is the best way to ensure that you are getting what you are paying for.