#93 Bush Cord vs Face Cord. What's The Difference? | At The Ranch 

Hey Alec. Not an aurument about cord size here. Just a story about when I was a little younger. I used to work for my grandfather in the early 80's. He lived in santicoy California. He had a firewood yard. I stacked an ungodly amount of firewood there. Lol. He sold it in 24 inch lengths. By the cord, 1/2 cord, 1/4 cord and what he called a "rick" 2 by 2 by 2. I would work my Christmas vacation because he was older and needed help to keep up with all the yuppies coming in for firewood for a Christmas day fire. I cherish those memories to this day. My grandmother had passed by then so I spent those two weeks with him. Except we went back to Lompoc for Christmas day. My mom passed in January. We were going through the house cleaning up to sell it. I found my grandfather's record book. It was a flashback. I remember him writing down every cord we sold. Costal red oak, lemon, avocado, and Eucalyptus. Thanks for the videos. Love em.

Always learning something new from your videos Alec! Keep up the great videos!

Thank you❤ I appreciate the way you explained how this all came about. Excellent video😊 Cheers.

Usually, the labor cost to produce wood is greater than the material cost. So if the logs being cut are all the same size, the producer does the same amount of work to produce a 12, 16, or 24" length, so the producer should be charging the same, and the buyer paying a premium for the shorter piece. The buyer gets less heat for the dollar, the producer does the same amount of work.

That is very helpful, thank you!

HI ALEC!! Just subbed yesterday with the Pool Heater video. You are full of good practical knowledge! Like most of the Farmers I have known... Some Amish and Mennonite too. Anyway, I heat with wood like you, and I have acres of trees already down and standing dead, all ready to be cut - split - stacked. Been doing it for years... My sons once asked me how to measure a cord of wood. I said it's 4 feet x 4 feet x 8 feet total volume in a stack. The oldest son said: "but, your stack is one log stacked 5 feet high and 30 feet long, how do you know the correct amount?" I said, "the calculations are the same as in estimating concrete... you convert the measurements to inches, and then divide the total by the number 221,184." The total number of cubic inches in a cord = 48inches x 48inches x 96inches, or 4feet x 4feet x 8feet. So, using my long stack as an example: a 15inch wide log x 5feet x 30feet is the same when converted to inches. 15inches x 60inches x 360inches. That equals= 324,000 cubic inches. To convert to cords, divide by the 221,184. That gives you a total cordage of 1.46 cords. So, if a bush cord sells for $200, the worth of my wood stack at retail is $292. ($200 x 1.46.) A good idea, in my opinion, is if possible, to have a wood seller deliver and stack seasoned wood, measure it in this fashion, and calculate the price. Or, measure it in a stack at the wood yard before loading onto a truck. I just wanted to share the calculation method I use to measure wood volume when the stacks are in odd dimensions - which, is almost all the time! Anyway, thanks for the great vid, and look forward to looking at the rest!

Great video. Thanks so much.

Very good video Thanks

Thanks for the video

So a face cord of 12” logs should be 1/4 cost of a full bush cord? And a standard 16” log face cord would be 1/3 the cost of a bush cord? Makes sense to me. Thank you sir for the schoolin’ on corded wood!

Alec... Just found your channel with this video... thanks so much for this info. I Do have a Question though... if a Bush Cord is 4'x4'x8' - Three rows wide when cut into 16" lengths... then wouldn't 12" cut lengths stacked 4'x4'x8' - Four rows wide, STILL be a Bush or Full Cord? How would "the farmer" (or, whoever you're buying it from) be ripping you off.... if you're still getting a Bush or Full Cord? Am I missing something here? Thanks.

I have to disagree because there's just as much work in 12" face cord as a 16" face cord.