Most homes that rely on a wood stove for all of their heat use somewhere between 2 and 7 full cords a winter, depending on climate, house size and how tight the house is. If wood is backup or supplemental heat, plan on a good deal less. The only way to get a number you can trust is to start with an estimate, then track your own burn this season.
How much firewood do I need for a winter?
University extension services publish rough numbers, and they vary a lot by region. Reported figures include about 4 to 5 cords for a weather-tight 1,500-square-foot home in New Hampshire, about 4 cords for 1,500 square feet in West Virginia, and roughly 1.5 to 3 cords for a similar home in the warmer southern plains. Montana State puts it at 2 to 4 cords for a medium-sized modern home heated entirely with wood.
Those are estimates, not promises. They assume wood is doing most of the work.
| How you heat | Rough starting point |
|---|---|
| Fireplace for ambiance, a few nights a month | A quarter cord or less |
| Stove or fireplace a few evenings a week | A half cord to a cord |
| Stove as supplemental heat every day | 1 to 2 cords, depending on climate |
| Stove as the primary heat source | 2 to 7 cords, depending on climate and house |
The lower rows are our shop-owner rule of thumb, not a published formula. Treat them as a place to begin and adjust after your first winter.
What counts as a cord?
A full cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood, typically 4 feet high, 4 feet wide and 8 feet long. Words like “face cord,” “rick” and “truckload” mean different things in different places, so always ask for the dimensions. A face cord is 4 feet by 8 feet but only one row deep, about 16 inches, which makes it about a third of a full cord. We break this down in Face Cord vs. Full Cord of Firewood.
What changes how much wood you burn?
- Climate. A Vermont January and a South Carolina January are not the same winter.
- Square footage and layout. A stove in an open floor plan heats differently than one in a closed-off room.
- Insulation and drafts. A leaky house with high ceilings burns more.
- Stove size and efficiency. A modern stove typically gets more heat out of each log than an old one. If you’re sizing a stove, see how to choose the right size wood stove.
- Wood type and dryness. Dense, dry hardwood puts out more heat per cord than light or wet wood.
- How long and how often you burn. Overnight burns in a primary-heat stove add up quickly.
How to estimate your own number
- Decide your role for wood. Is it the only heat, or does a furnace or heat pump carry most of the load?
- Start with the regional range above for your home size.
- Adjust for your house. Tight house, modern stove: lean low. Drafty, old stove, cold location: lean high.
- Add a cushion. Run out in February and you’ll pay more and burn whatever you can find.
- Track your first winter. Note how many bins or stacks you use per week during a cold stretch. That’s your real number.
How much wood fits on a rack?
It’s easier to plan once you know where the wood will sit. Woodhaven rack capacity is based on 24-inch splits, so it’s worth comparing to the length of wood you actually buy:
- The 4 ft Woodhaven rack is listed at a quarter cord.
- The 8 ft Woodhaven rack is listed at a half cord.
- The 12 ft Woodhaven rack is listed at three-quarters of a cord.
Our firewood is around 16 inches long, so a rack sized for 24-inch splits will hold the same stack length with a shallower depth. If you aren’t sure, measure your space before you buy. Our guide to storing firewood outside covers placement and covers.
Which Hearthwise firewood sizes match which needs?
We sell kiln-dried wood in a range of sizes so you can buy what you need now and top up later. Prices and sizes come from each product page.
- Light, occasional use: the Quarter Cord, about 4′ x 6′ x 16″.
- Filling a standard 4′ x 4′ rack: Fill Your Firewood Rack, a heaping half face cord.
- Regular burning: the Face Cord, 4′ x 8′ by about 16″ deep.
- Heavy seasonal use: the Half Full Cord, 64 cubic feet, delivered in reusable bins.
If you don’t know your burn rate yet, order a face cord and see how long it lasts. That tells you more than any chart.
A quick worked example
Say you have a 1,500-square-foot house in the mid-Atlantic and a modern stove that you run most evenings and weekends, with a heat pump covering the rest. Wood isn’t your only heat, so you’re on the low end of the published range, maybe 1.5 to 2 full cords. Since a face cord is about a third of a full cord, that’s roughly 4 to 6 face cords across the season.
Now say the same house uses the stove around the clock as the only heat in a colder inland spot. You’re looking at the published 4-cord territory or more, and you’d want a bigger stack, a bigger rack, and a delivery plan for a mid-winter top-up.
Neither answer is wrong. They’re different homes. That’s why we suggest a cushion of 10 to 20 percent over your best guess, which is our own rule of thumb rather than a published figure.
Common mistakes when buying winter firewood
- Comparing prices without comparing volume. A cheap “cord” that’s actually a short stack isn’t cheap.
- Buying wet wood to save money. You pay for the water, and it burns poorly. See our guide on kiln-dried vs seasoned firewood.
- Stacking directly on the ground. Wood wicks up moisture. Use a rack or pallets.
- Waiting until the first freeze. Delivery windows fill up and prices rise as the weather turns.
Buy once or buy in stages?
Buying everything up front locks in supply before the cold hits and gives you time to stack. Buying in stages works better if you’re short on storage or still learning your burn rate. Many people buy a face cord first and reorder when they see how fast it goes.
Frequently asked questions
How many cords of wood does it take to heat a house for the winter?
Estimates range from about 1 to 2 cords in mild climates to 5 to 7 in cold ones, when wood is the main heat source. Your house, stove and climate decide where you land.
How much is a cord of firewood?
A full cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood, 4 by 4 by 8 feet. Prices vary by region and wood type, so compare by volume, not by the word “cord.”
How long does a face cord last?
It depends on how often and how hard you burn. For a fireplace used a few nights a week, a good part of a season. For a stove that runs daily, a few weeks of steady burning.
Is it cheaper to buy a full cord than several smaller amounts?
Per unit of wood, bigger quantities usually cost less. Smaller amounts cost more per piece but save you storage space and let you test the wood first.
How much wood do I need for a fire pit?
A bin or two covers a night or two. For regular fire pit nights, a quarter cord is a better value.
When should I order firewood?
Early. Fall demand is highest, and having it stacked before the first cold snap beats scrambling in January.
Do you ship firewood nationwide?
Yes, and shipping is free during our seasonal sale.
Pick your size
Start with your best guess, add a cushion, and track your burn. When you’re ready, browse our heating firewood or the full firewood rack selection to get your space ready.
