Understanding a “Ric of Wood” – What People Really Mean
If you’ve spent any time around folks who heat with wood, you’ve probably heard all sorts of terms: cord, rick, face cord… and sometimes even “ric of wood” (usually said a bit fast, like “rick”). In most cases, when someone says “a ric of wood,” they’re actually talking about a “rick of wood” — a common, but very loosely defined, way of measuring firewood. It’s one of those old-fashioned terms that never quite went away, and it can cause a lot of confusion when you’re trying to buy or stack enough wood for the season. As a gardener and homesteader who heats part of the house with wood, I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that you never want to pay for firewood until you know exactly what unit you’re buying. Let’s break down what a “ric of wood” really is, how it compares to a full cord, and how to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
What Is a “Ric of Wood”?
In everyday conversation, “ric of wood” is almost always a misspelling or mispronunciation of “rick of wood.” The term “rick” goes back to old English and generally means a stack or pile, especially of hay or firewood. When it comes to firewood, a “rick of wood” doesn’t have one universal, legally enforced size. That’s the key reason this term can be a bit slippery. However, there’s a very common general meaning most people use.
The Common Size of a Rick of Wood
In many areas, a rick of wood is understood to mean:
- A stack 4 feet high
- 8 feet long
- With a depth equal to the average length of the firewood pieces
So if your firewood is cut 16 inches long (a very common length for wood stoves), a typical rick would be:
- 4 feet high
- 8 feet long
- 16 inches deep
In other words, a rick is basically a vertical slice off a full cord. If you imagine a full cord as a big block of wood, a rick is like taking that block and slicing it front-to-back to match the length of the logs.
Why “Ric of Wood” Causes Confusion
The trouble is that not everyone cuts their wood to the same length. One seller may cut 12-inch pieces, while another cuts 18-inch or even 24-inch pieces for big outdoor boilers. That means:
- A 4×8 stack of 12-inch logs is smaller (in volume) than a 4×8 stack of 16-inch logs.
- A 4×8 stack of 24-inch logs is much larger.
So when someone says, “I’ll sell you a ric of wood,” you need a follow-up question: “How long are the logs?” Otherwise, it’s impossible to compare prices accurately or know how far that wood will get you through the season.
Rick of Wood vs. Cord of Wood
To understand a “ric of wood,” you really have to understand a cord, because a cord is the standard, legally recognized measure.
What Is a Cord of Wood?
A full cord is very specific. It’s defined as:
- 4 feet high
- 4 feet deep
- 8 feet long
That’s 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked firewood. Not loosely thrown in a truck, but stacked with the logs aligned and as little air space as practical. When I’m planning our winter wood needs, I always think in cords first, then convert to whatever the local sellers use (rick, face cord, truckload, etc.). It keeps everything consistent.
How Many Ricks Are in a Cord?
The answer depends on the length of the logs in that rick. Think of a cord as that 4×4×8 block:
- If logs are 16 inches long, it takes three ricks (each 4×8×16″) to equal a full cord.
- If logs are 24 inches long, it takes two ricks (each 4×8×24″) to equal a full cord.
- If logs are 12 inches long, you’d need four ricks to make a cord.
So if someone offers you “a ric of wood” and the logs are 16 inches long, that one rick is about one-third of a cord. Here’s a quick rule of thumb I use:
Number of ricks in a cord ≈ 4 feet (cord depth) ÷ log length (in feet)
So:
- 16″ logs = 1.33 feet → 4 ÷ 1.33 ≈ 3 ricks per cord
- 24″ logs = 2 feet → 4 ÷ 2 = 2 ricks per cord
It’s not exact to the last log, but it’s close enough for planning and comparing prices.
How Much Heat Do You Get from a Ric of Wood?
Knowing what a “ric of wood” is in size is only half the story. The other half is: how far will that wood actually get you?
Wood Species Matters as Much as Volume
A rick of dense hardwood will give you much more heat than a rick of softwood, even if the stack size is the same. Common hardwoods include:
- Oak
- Maple
- Hickory
- Beech
- Ash
Common softwoods (often used for kindling or shoulder-season heating) include:
- Pine
- Spruce
- Fir
- Cedar
In my own stove, one rick of good dry oak (16-inch logs) will usually take us through about a month of steady evening burns in fall, or a couple of weeks of heavier use in mid-winter, depending on how cold it is and how conservative I am with the damper. The same size rick of half-rotten, green, or softwood? That might barely get me through a chilly week.
Seasoned vs. Green Wood in a Rick
Even more important than species is whether the wood is properly seasoned. Good, seasoned firewood should:
- Have cracks on the ends of the splits
- Sound hollow when you bang two pieces together
- Feel lighter than a fresh-cut piece
- Have bark that’s loose or flaking
A “ric of wood” that’s green might look like a great big stack, but much of the energy will go into boiling off moisture instead of heating your home. You’ll get more smoke, more creosote in your chimney, and less comfort. When I buy wood, I’d rather get a slightly smaller, truly seasoned rick than a giant “ric” of wet, heavy logs. It’s one of those times where quality beats raw volume every time.
Buying a Ric of Wood Without Getting Shorted
Because “ric of wood” or “rick of wood” isn’t a strictly defined legal term in most areas, you have to be a little careful and a little smart when you’re buying. Here’s how I approach it.
Ask for Exact Measurements
Don’t be shy. Before you agree on a price, ask:
- How long are the pieces? (12″, 14″, 16″, 18″, 24″?)
- How big is the stack? (Height, length, depth)
- Is this roughly a third of a cord, half a cord, etc.?
A trustworthy seller won’t mind these questions. In fact, the good ones appreciate that you care enough to understand what you’re getting.
Compare Price per Cord, Not per Rick
To avoid confusion, I always convert the offered rick into an approximate cord fraction. For example:
- If the wood is 16 inches long and stacked 4 feet high and 8 feet long, that’s about 1/3 cord.
- If the wood is 24 inches long, 4 feet high, 8 feet long, that’s about 1/2 cord.
Then I do a quick mental math: Is this price fair if I think of it as so-many dollars per cord? This keeps me from overpaying just because “a ric of wood” sounds like a large amount.
Insist on Tightly Stacked Delivery
Whenever possible, I like the seller to either:
- Deliver the wood stacked (or help stack it), or
- Let me see it stacked before it’s loaded
A loose pile in a pickup bed can look like a mountain, but once you stack it, the true volume can be surprisingly modest. Stacked wood always tells the truth.
Storing and Stacking Your Ric of Wood
Once you have your ric (or rick) of wood at home, how you store it will decide how well it dries and how pleasant it is to burn. I’m as fussy about my woodpile as I am about my vegetable beds — and for good reason.
Where to Stack Your Wood
Choose a spot that has:
- Good air flow (breeze is your friend)
- Sun exposure if possible
- Solid, dry ground or a raised base
I avoid stacking directly on bare soil. Instead, I use:
- Old pallets
- Scrap 2×4 boards
- A simple rack made from metal posts and rails
Keeping the bottom row off the ground drastically reduces rot and bug problems.
How to Stack a Rick So It Stays Put
When I stack a rick of wood, I like to:
- Build solid end “columns” by alternating the direction of the logs at the ends
- Keep the face of the stack reasonably flat and vertical
- Leave small gaps between splits to encourage air flow
I also avoid trapping the stack too close to a fence or wall. Wood needs to breathe. At least a few inches of air space at the back makes a big difference.
Covering the Top, Not the Sides
One of the classic mistakes I see is tarping the entire pile tightly from top to ground. That essentially wraps your wood in a damp blanket. My rule of thumb:
Cover the top of the stack to shed rain and snow, but leave the sides open to air.
I use metal roofing scraps or a well-secured tarp that hangs a little over the top but leaves the sides exposed. This keeps the bulk of the moisture off while still allowing the stack to dry.
How Many Ricks of Wood Do You Need?
This is the question most people are really asking when they start looking into what a “ric of wood” is. They want to know: how many of these stacks will carry me through the winter?
Factors That Affect How Much Wood You Need
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on:
- Your climate (mild winters vs. long, bitterly cold ones)
- The size and insulation quality of your home
- How efficient your wood stove or fireplace is
- Whether wood is your primary heat or just supplemental
- The species and dryness of your firewood
As a rough, experience-based guess:
- In a mild climate using a wood stove occasionally, 1–2 cords (3–6 ricks of 16″ wood) might be plenty.
- In a colder climate with regular use, 3–5 cords (9–15 ricks of 16″ wood) is more realistic.
Personally, I always aim to have at least one extra rick beyond what I think I’ll need. The “extra” often ends up saving us during an unexpectedly cold spring or a mid-winter cold snap. Wood never goes to waste; if you don’t burn it this year, it’s even better seasoned for next year.
Gardener’s Perspective: Why I Love Having a Rick of Wood Around
As someone who spends most of the year outside tending soil, plants, and trees, a good stack of seasoned wood feels like part of the garden cycle.
Firewood as Part of the Homestead
A ric of wood isn’t just for heating. Around the garden and yard, I use well-seasoned splits and offcuts for:
- Bonfires after a long day of autumn cleanup
- Cooking over a firepit (especially hardwood pieces)
- Charcoal making and biochar for the garden
Even the bark and small scraps end up as compost or mulch paths. When you see wood as part of a bigger system — from tree to log to ash to soil — that stack of firewood becomes a resource in more ways than one.
A Neat Stack Is a Quiet Kind of Satisfaction
I won’t pretend I don’t get a deeply geeky joy from walking past a perfectly stacked rick of wood on a crisp fall day. You can read a lot in that pile: the care in the cutting, the time in the seasoning, the promise of warmth it holds. There’s a certain calm in knowing that when the wind howls and the snow piles up, you’ve got that tidy wall of fuel waiting, ready to turn a cold black stove into a warm glowing heart of the home.
Key Takeaways: Making Sense of a Ric of Wood
To wrap it up, here’s what matters most when you hear or see “a ric of wood”:
- “Ric of wood” is almost always the same as “rick of wood” — a local, informal measure of a stacked pile of firewood.
- A rick is commonly 4 feet high, 8 feet long, and one log-length deep (often 16 inches).
- With 16-inch logs, one rick is roughly one-third of a full cord.
- The true value of a rick depends on log length, wood species, and how well it’s seasoned.
- Always ask for measurements and think in terms of cords to compare prices fairly.
- Store your rick of wood off the ground, well stacked, and covered on top only.
Once you understand what a “ric of wood” actually means in your area, you can buy, stack, and burn with confidence. And if you’re anything like me, that neat, seasoned pile will become one more thing you’re quietly proud of in your little patch of earth.
