What is a cord of firewood, and how many cords do I need for a winter?
In Asheville, a cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood — a row eight feet long by four deep by four tall — and most homes here burn one to two cords a season, because natural gas heats much of the city and wood is mostly for ambiance. A Montford house feeding an original open masonry firebox for real warmth can run through three or more.
Why the Asheville range is so wide
The number swings entirely on what you're actually burning in. North Asheville and Montford are full of original open masonry fireplaces, and an open firebox can run a net heat loss — it pulls more warm room air up the flue than the fire gives back, so it eats cord after cord for little payback. Newer South Asheville construction leans toward clean-face gas and sealed wood designs that sip fuel by comparison, which is why two neighbors can burn wildly different amounts.
If you love the wood fire but hate the wood bill, a sealed EPA insert commonly runs 70 percent efficient or better and can cut a two-cord ambiance habit down noticeably. At 2,134 feet our nights hold in the 20s well into early spring, so plan for a longer burning window than the calendar suggests, and season any hardwood six months to a year before it goes in.
Buying and stacking it in Buncombe
Buy by the full cord and confirm the stacked dimensions before money changes hands — a 'rick,' 'face cord,' or 'truckload' can be a fraction of what you picture, since only the full 128-cubic-foot cord is a legally defined measure. Split hardwood needs six months to a year of drying before it burns clean, so green wood bought in October won't be ready this winter.
Our showroom sits right here at 629 Emma Rd if you want to compare inserts and stoves in person before you decide. When we set an insert we size the liner, pull the Buncombe County permit, and meet the inspector. Call (828) 545-0525 to talk it through.
Fireplace help in Asheville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Asheville and the rest of Buncombe County — we're headquartered right here.
Related questions
- What's the difference between a face cord (or rick) and a full cord of firewood?
- How much does a cord of firewood cost in Western North Carolina?
- Should I stock up on firewood before winter, and how early should I order it?
- What should I look for when buying firewood?
- How much wood does a wood stove burn per day?