What better time to use cord wood? As gas and energy prices in the world market soar, drop, and on some days do the Macarena, firewood is fast becoming a popular heating alternative in many homes. Sold in cord wood, firewood is indeed a cheap solution heating. A cord wood is typically a stack of wood measuring approximately 128 cubic feet. The term is mostly used in the firewood industry but it may also be used in reference to certain timber products. Generally, a cord wood is a stack of wood – ideally, tightly stacked – and bound by a cord that measures approximately about 4 x 4 x 8 ft. The initial stacking of wood held by a cord is the accepted cordwood measure. For example, if the wood in question is stacked at a dealer’s yard and deemed to measure a cord, then this is accepted as the true cord wood measure. If loose wood is thrown in, delivered, and later on stacked to measure cord, this stack is simply used to measure how much wood was delivered – it is not a cord wood measure.
Cord wood is a 17th century concept. It was created when wood literally had to be bound by a cord when sold. The standardized measurement was supposed to help people buy and sell firewood more easily. But because the actual amount of wood is influenced by how the wood is stacked, the measurement has always fluctuated in volume. When you are buying firewood, it’s a little bit difficult to accurately measure what you’re paying for. But, you can drive up to the dealer’s yard and see for yourself precisely what you will be getting. That way, you will have an idea how much to expect in a cord wood prior to delivery. You may also be given a discount if you come to pick up the firewood instead of having it delivered. But as cord wood is a crude measurement, word of mouth is probably the best way for you to get a fair price for what you’re paying. Fair dealers acquire a certain reputation in their community and people would normally give positive recommendations for a dealer they felt have dealt with them fairly. So yes, cord wood the unit of measure remains a crude way to quantify the firewood you buy. But cord wood the firewood is a simple, viable, and inexpensive way to reduce energy consumption in the home. Moreover, when you buy the ecological alternative to cord wood that is compressed sawdust with low-emission firewood you help both the environment and your piggy bank.
