How Much Is a Quard of Wood? Pickup vs. Delivery

A “quard” of wood usually means a quarter cord, and 2026 national guides put that 32-cubic-foot amount at $50 to $180, with delivered, thoroughly dried hardwood sometimes reaching $225. Angi’s May 2026 guide reports $50 to $125; HomeGuide reports $100 to $180, or $180 to $225 for scarce, thoroughly dried hardwood such as oak, typically with local delivery. Separately quoted delivery runs $25 to $100 per load and stacking $20 to $80 per cord in HomeGuide’s figures.

What does “quard of wood” mean?

“Quard” is a search spelling of quarter cord. The controlling quantity is one-fourth of a full cord, not a particular truck, rack, or number of logs. NIST Handbook 130, 2026 edition, defines a cord as the wood contained in 128 cubic feet when it is “ranked and well stowed.” Dividing that standard quantity by four gives a quarter cord of 32 stacked cubic feet.

NIST gives “ranked and well stowed” a precise meaning: the pieces sit in a line or row, individual pieces touch and run parallel, and the stack is compact. The spaces between properly stacked logs remain part of the measured volume. A loose dumped pile has no reliable length × height × depth measurement until someone stacks it.

The familiar full-cord stack is 4 feet high × 4 feet deep × 8 feet long, which equals 128 cubic feet. NIST accepts other shapes that total the same volume. Its model regulation also says bulk fireplace and stove wood should be sold by the cord, a fractional cord, or cubic meter, and it prohibits labels such as “face cord,” “rack,” “pile,” and “truckload.” States decide whether and how to adopt that model regulation, so local rules still need checking.

How much does a quarter cord of wood cost in 2026?

The 2026 Angi and HomeGuide ranges overlap only from $100 to $125. Their disagreement is why each figure below stays attached to its source and assumptions.

| 2026 benchmark | Quantity | Reported price | What the figure says | | --- | ---: | ---: | --- | | Angi, updated May 3, 2026 | Quarter cord, 32 ft³ | $50–$125 | National guide range; species, season, and services affect the quote | | HomeGuide | Quarter cord, 32 ft³ | $100–$180 | General small-load range | | HomeGuide | Thoroughly dried quarter cord of hardwood such as oak | $180–$225 | Applies in short-supply areas and typically includes delivery within 10–15 miles | | HomeGuide | Half cord, 64 ft³ | $180–$280 | Varies by location, wood type, and season | | HomeGuide | Full cord of split seasoned hardwood, 128 ft³ | $275–$400 | Average range with delivery included |

Small orders carry a sharp unit-price penalty. HomeGuide’s quarter-cord range works out to $3.13 to $5.63 per stacked cubic foot. Its full-cord range works out to $2.15 to $3.13. A buyer who can store 128 cubic feet may pay less per unit, though the total bill is higher and the wood still needs dry, covered storage.

The price of a cord of oak wood deserves its own line on a quote. HomeGuide places specialty full cords, including oak, at $400 to $600 or more, while its thoroughly dried quarter-cord example reaches $180 to $225. “Hardwood” allows a mix; “all oak” is a narrower specification. Ask the seller to print the species or stated mix on the invoice.

Is a quarter cord the same as a face cord?

A quarter cord and a face cord are equal only when the face cord uses 12-inch pieces. A face cord describes a front face 4 feet high × 8 feet long and one log deep. Since the depth changes with log length, the label alone does not state a fixed volume.

| Order description | Stack face | Depth | Stacked volume | Share of a full cord | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | Quarter cord | Any dimensions totaling 32 ft³ | Stated in the dimensions | 32 ft³ | 1/4 | | Face cord with 12-inch logs | 4 ft × 8 ft | 1 ft | 32 ft³ | 1/4 | | Face cord with 16-inch logs | 4 ft × 8 ft | 1.33 ft | 42.7 ft³ | About 1/3 | | Face cord with 18-inch logs | 4 ft × 8 ft | 1.5 ft | 48 ft³ | 3/8 | | Half cord | Any dimensions totaling 64 ft³ | Stated in the dimensions | 64 ft³ | 1/2 |

HomeGuide’s reference face cord uses 16-inch logs and lists the volume as 42 cubic feet. That load contains about 33% more stacked volume than a quarter cord. Butler Wood’s post-oak specification lists a quarter cord as 32 cubic feet and gives a stack of 4 feet high × 5 feet 5 inches long × 18 inches deep. Those nominal dimensions multiply to 32.5 cubic feet, suggesting the listed stack length is rounded.

A live seller listing shows how quickly the market label drifts. Tradition Trees calls its load a face cord, describes it as approximately 50 cubic feet in a 4-foot-high × 8-foot-long stack, and says most sticks are 18 to 22 inches long. Its posted price is $374.95 with delivery and stacking within 50 feet of the truck. The cubic-foot disclosure makes that listing measurable; the words “face cord” by themselves do not.

How much do delivery and stacking add?

HomeGuide reports a separate delivery fee of $25 to $100 per load for destinations more than 15 miles away, or about $2 to $3 per mile. It reports stacking at $20 to $80 per cord, with the labor cost changing according to the carry distance from the truck. Those are guide ranges, not guaranteed local tariffs.

Minimum charges complicate a quarter-cord order. A seller may prorate a per-cord stacking rate, charge a flat visit minimum, include curbside dumping, or bundle stacking into a delivered price. Get one number for each line before comparing sellers: 32 cubic feet of wood, delivery to the address, stacking at the chosen location, and any long-carry surcharge.

Tradition Trees supplies a useful real-world service specification. Its $374.95 face-cord listing includes stacking within 50 feet of the truck, adds $25 for each additional 25 feet, and warns that delivery beyond 15 miles from the store may incur mileage. Under that schedule, a stack site 100 feet from the truck adds $50 in labor before any mileage charge.

What log length and moisture content should the seller state?

A cord specifies stacked volume; it does not prescribe log length. HomeGuide says most firewood pieces are 14 to 18 inches long. Current seller specifications vary: Placer Firewood lists 16-inch pieces, Butler Wood lists 18-inch post oak, and Tradition Trees lists mostly 18- to 22-inch pieces. Measure your stove or fireplace before ordering because an accurate 32-cubic-foot load can still contain pieces too long for the appliance.

For moisture, use a number. EPA Burn Wise says wood burns best below 20% moisture content and recommends a wood moisture meter before burning. Its moisture-meter flyer says to split a piece, test the newly split face, and insert the probes into the grain. The same flyer gives 6 to 12 months as a seasoning period, but elapsed time alone does not verify the delivered wood.

The word “seasoned” carries no measured threshold by itself. Ask whether the seller guarantees under 20%, then test sample splits from different parts of the load. EPA’s method uses the newly split side rather than the exposed end. After nineteen years commissioning building-control systems, I compare the clean model with the noisy physical point; here, the listing is the model and a fresh-split meter reading is the acceptance test.

How do you verify a quarter-cord delivery?

Past ten tonight, pleasantly tired and still clear enough to distrust a tidy number, I would treat “32 cubic feet” as the design value and the finished stack as the as-built condition. The check takes four steps, and the seller should know before unloading that measurement is part of acceptance.

1. Confirm the sale unit. Put “1/4 cord (32 stacked cubic feet)” on the order and invoice. Record species or mix, nominal log length, promised moisture condition, delivery fee, stacking fee, and carry-distance limit.

1. Stack the load. Arrange the pieces touching, parallel, and compact, following NIST’s ranked-and-well-stowed definition. If the service ends with a driveway dump, stack it before deciding whether the quantity is short.

1. Measure the stack. Take length, average height, and actual log depth in feet. With 16-inch pieces, convert depth to 1.333 feet. A 4-foot-high × 6-foot-long × 16-inch-deep stack equals 32 cubic feet.

1. Calculate and document the volume. Multiply length × height × depth. Photograph the tape at each dimension and keep the delivery ticket. NIST Handbook 130’s model invoice rule calls for seller and purchaser details, delivery date, quantity, price, and wood identity when represented.

Volume does not establish safe vehicle payload. HomeGuide places a quarter cord at roughly 550 to 1,200 pounds, with hardwood at the heavier end. If you pick it up, compare the estimated load with the payload rating on the vehicle’s tire-and-loading label; bed space alone cannot approve the weight.

Questions buyers ask before ordering

How big is a quard of wood?

A “quard” usually means a quarter cord, or 32 stacked cubic feet. One workable stack with 16-inch logs is 4 feet high × 6 feet long × 16 inches deep. NIST Handbook 130 defines the full cord as 128 cubic feet of ranked and well-stowed wood; one quarter is 32 cubic feet.

How much is a quarter cord of firewood?

Angi’s May 2026 guide reports $50 to $125 for a quarter cord. HomeGuide reports $100 to $180, rising to $180 to $225 for thoroughly dried hardwood such as oak in short-supply areas, typically with local delivery. Confirm whether the quote includes delivery, stacking, and exactly 32 stacked cubic feet.

How much is a half cord of firewood?

HomeGuide’s 2026 price range for a half cord is $180 to $280, depending on location, species, and season. A true half cord measures 64 stacked cubic feet. At 16-inch log depth, one possible stack is 4 feet high × 12 feet long × 16 inches deep.

How much is a quard of wood near me?

Use $50 to $180 as a broad 2026 quarter-cord benchmark, then request local quotes for 32 stacked cubic feet. Give each seller the same species, moisture target, log length, ZIP code, carry distance, and stacking request. HomeGuide reports separate delivery fees of $25 to $100 per load beyond 15 miles.

Does the seller mean a quarter full cord or a face cord?

Ask for cubic feet. A quarter of a full cord is always 32 stacked cubic feet. A 4-foot × 8-foot face cord equals 32 cubic feet with 12-inch logs, 42.7 with 16-inch logs, and 48 with 18-inch logs. NIST’s model sales regulation prohibits the ambiguous “face cord” term.

Will the load be stacked for measurement?

Ask before delivery. NIST defines a cord using wood that is ranked and well stowed, with pieces touching, parallel, and compact. A dumped pile cannot be checked accurately by simple exterior dimensions. If stacking costs extra, HomeGuide’s 2026 guide reports $20 to $80 per cord, depending partly on carry distance.