What Is a Rick of Wood? (And How Much Does It Cost?)

You might be surprised to know that a rick of wood is a unit of measurement that can vary.

In most places, it’s just not standardized so you never know exactly how much wood you are getting. This means you could end up paying for more or less than what you bargained for…

When stacked, a rick of wood should measure 8-foot x 4-foot x 16 inches. This is roughly one-third the size of a cord of wood.

Rick also refers to a stack of any other material, such as hay, left out in the open air.

How Much is a Rick of Wood?

“How much is a rick of firewood? Is it half a cord?”

So, how can you get an idea of how much you’ll have to pay for a rick of wood is to understand the price of a rick of wood will vary depending on where you live and the size you’ve decided on.

Though just as something to use as a general guideline, a rick of seasoned hardwood pick-up should cost between $80 and $120.

Now to get into some less basic info:

Just to throw a confusing term into the mix, something you might hear used when buying your rick of logs is a ‘face cord’. Depending on where you live or where you buy it, a face cord of wood can come in a variety of lengths and widths.

Because the width varies depending on suppliers, regions, and what’s available in the local market, this will determine how much you get.

Commonly, the logs are either around 12, 16, or 24 inches long, with 16 inches being the one usually supplied in a usual rick of firewood.

Though, the only way to know exactly what you’re getting is to ask what the width or length of log in the face cord is if buying over the phone or take a tape measure and check for yourself!

The size of rick is customarily considered to be a stack that’s 4-foot high by 4 foot wide by 8 foot long.

There are still no set rules for the dimensions of a rick, though this is the typical guideline

For example, this is equivalent to 1/3 of each cord of wood containing either 3 x 8 or 4 x 8 cut solid billets for smaller pieces.

And, once again, we can ask, “How much does one cord even weigh?”

These three face cords will typically weigh anywhere between 2,000 and 5,000 pounds depending on which pieces are in them.

This means that each rick or face cord of wood will yield approximately 275 to 325 pieces, though an exact number cannot be given. If you want to be certain, count them as you load them into your firewood cart before use.

Different firewood suppliers or locations with firewood for sale will charge different prices, so it’s worth shopping around because there are so many options.

How the firewood was seasoned, for example, whether it was air-dried or kiln-dried, can also play a role.

Keeping the price in your budget

Remember that you can always get it for a lower price if you:

• get it wet/green 
• get it in larger quantities 
• pick it up rather than have it delivered
• Collect your own wood during peak season and purchase wood in non-peak season

As well keep in mind that the winter is peak season, and it is almost a guarantee that prices will go up!

Seasoning a rick of green firewood for yourself:

If you are on a budget, green firewood is almost a guaranteed discounted item which can be a great buy if you’re prepared to store it properly for a few months.

First and foremost, the length of time required is primarily determined by the type of wood you have.

Hardwoods are denser and so will take longer, up to a year, and only if stored properly, while, softwoods are less dense and can be seasoned in 3 to 6 months if correctly prepared.

As a result, if you want to have this wood ready for the winter, you must plan ahead to ensure it is ready to burn!

The process of seasoning your wood is as follows:

• Split the wood as soon as possible with a splitting axe or maul to increase the amount of surface area exposed to the air.
• Stacking firewood in off-the-ground piles made of old pallets or similar materials.
• Ensure that the entire stack is covered to prevent rain from falling on it, but that the sides are exposed to allow plenty of air to flow through the firewood stack.

Conclusion

For many, keeping warm is one of their top priorities during the winter, and rick of wood can do so without breaking the budget.

Using a rick of wood to heat your home is a very straightforward process, but it’s important to have everything you need on hand before you start. Hope you found this info helpful!