Although some consumers burn firewood only occasionally during the holidays, others rely on firewood as a major source for heating their homes during the winter months. Regardless of the reason for purchasing firewood, consumers should become familiar with Georgia Department of Agriculture regulations governing this product. Those selling firewood also should be familiar with these regulations to ensure all advertising and sales are in compliance with Georgia law.

According to regulations administered by the department’s Fuels and Measures office, wood of any type sold as fuel for fireplaces or stoves must be sold by the cord or cubic measure. A cord is defined as 128 cubic feet of wood stacked by the line or row in a compact manner with individual pieces touching. The cord can be four feet high, four feet wide (deep) and eight feet long, or any combination of these measurements (height, width and length) that yield 128 cubic feet of firewood (4 ft. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. = 128 cubic feet).

Although consumers easily can measure the height and length of a cord of wood, they should pay particular attention to the width (depth) of the cord. Since it is impractical to cut firewood into lengths of four feet for most uses, consumers likely will want the wood in more manageable lengths of 24 or 16 inches for use in fireplaces and stoves. Therefore, for wood stacked in rows four feet high and eight feet long, it will take two rows of 24-inch wood or three rows of 16-inch wood to provide a width (depth) of four feet (48 inches).

Departmental regulations require that firewood must be advertised and sold only by the cord, fraction of a cord, or in cubic measure, said Rich Lewis, director of the fuel and measures section. However, consumers may see the words “truckload, face cord or rack” in connection with firewood advertisements, but these are not legally recognized measurements..

“Consumers may find firewood sold in small bundles or shrink-wrapped packages at convenience stores and other retail outlets, Lewis said. “However, the Department requires that the quantity of the firewood be clearly displayed on the package in terms of cubic measure so the consumer will know the exact amount of wood purchased.

Department rules also state that firewood must be designated within 10 percent accuracy as to the type or species of wood. For instance, a cord may be advertised as 50 percent oak and 50 percent hickory as long as the percentage of each species is not off by more than 10 percent.

Some firewood sellers state in their ads that the selling price includes stacking the wood. If the seller does stack the firewood upon delivery, consumers are advised to check the dimensions of the stacked wood before completing the transaction to ensure they have the quantity of wood they agreed to purchase. Any discrepancies can then be resolved before the sale is completed and the seller leaves the premises.

If the seller does not advertise that he/she will stack the wood when it is delivered, the consumer should be prepared to stack the wood upon delivery in order to verify the quantity before completing the sale.

Knowing and adhering to the department’s rules concerning firewood sales will help both the buyer and seller in completing a transaction that will be satisfactory for both parties.



A cord is defined as 128 cubic feet of wood stacked by the line or row in a compact manner with individual pieces touching; it can be four feet high, four feet wide (deep), and eight feet long, or any combination of these measurements (height, width and length) that yields 128 cubit feet.