A fireplace or firepit can make any home toasty and inviting. Definitely, it won’t be complete without the firewood. If you plan on purchasing it from a retailer, make sure to know certain terms first. Here, I’ve created a special guide to what is a rick of wood.
When buying firewood at suppliers, you’ll hear interesting terms such as a quarter face, cords, a quarter cord, half cords, and face cords.
These names for various firewood sizes certainly cause curiosity. Moreover, another popular term is a rick of wood.
Many people became the victims of a scam since they didn’t fully understand what they’re purchasing. To keep you from having the same experience, let’s learn about different firewood names and sizes in this post.
What Is a Rick of Wood?
Before diving into what is a rick of wood, you should know the term. This is basically a measurement of the firewood to describe the wood quantity.
Unlike a cord of wood which measures 128 cubic feet, a face cord or rick isn’t a consistent firewood measurement. It varies widely from one place to another.
A rick of wood is essentially a firewood stack that measures 4 feet high and 8 feet long. There are various widths on the market, depending on which firewood retailer you opt for. They vary drastically based on areas and local markets, too.
The biggest issue with purchasing a rick of wood is that buyers don’t precisely know how much firewood they’re getting. Moreover, the logs’ lengths will dictate the amount of firewood you receive.
You will normally find a face cord or rick of wood in 12″, 16″, and 24″ options. Each of the firewood logs within the stack will come in the aforementioned lengths.
The most standard firewood log’s size is approximately 16 inches. This is because most wood stoves or fireplaces in people’s homes can only hold firewood up to 16″.
Firewood that measures 24″ in length is pretty long. It is certainly not ideal for smaller wood stoves. Moreover, such wood could cause unnecessary problems.
Why Is It Called a Rick of Wood?
After discussing what is a rick of wood, you definitely want to know why people call it so. The term “rick” is originally from an old English word that means stack or pile. It actually refers to any farm stacks such as hay, corn, wood, and others.
The term “rick” made its way into North America. Moreover, people in the American Midwest are still quite familiar with it.
Before talking about what is a rick of wood and how large it can be, knowing how big a cord of wood is a great idea.
Cord vs Rick of Wood
A cord of firewood is actually a wood stack that holds 4 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 4 feet tall. That means a full cord will be around 48 inches in width.
On the other hand, a rick of wood is essentially a fraction of the full cord. To help you understand it better, let’s compare ricks to cords.
A 24 inches wide rick is about ½ cord of wood. Furthermore, if you purchase a 16 inches wide rick, that’s equal to 1/3 of a cord of firewood for sure. Meanwhile, a 12 inches wide rick will be ¼ of a cord of wood.
Due to this reason, it’s crucial to know the width of the rick of wood that you’re going to buy. Although there’s a helpful measuring standard, the measurements can vary depending on retailers and regions.
Don’t rely on the size since it may not meet your needs. Be sure to contact the supplier early on when choosing a rick of wood.
How Much Does a Single Rick of Wood Weigh?
Speaking of what is a rick of wood, you must know the weight of your rick of firewood. Again, this varies greatly depending on the sizes that you select. Moreover, the firewood type determines its weight.
The lighter firewood types on the market are spruces. However, a full cord of spruce wood will weigh about 1 ¼ ton or equal to 2,500 lbs.
On the other hand, the heavier kinds of firewood are red and white oaks. Furthermore, the weightiest ricks on the market will run about 2 ½ tons or 5,500 lbs. Remember that is only in a single cord.
With the widths of ricks of firewood from above, the weights certainly can range from 625 lbs to almost 3,000 lbs.
How Many Wood Pieces in a Rick?
Normally, there are about 550-650 mature firewood pieces in a full cord of log. Moreover, they still require splitting.
This surely depends on how tight the wood stack is. Furthermore, the amount of firewood is based on how well the vendor cut it. In a single rick, there are typically around 275-325 wood pieces.
When it comes to what is a rick of wood, remember that there’s no exact measurement. I recommend taking the time to measure everything yourself. This lets you know how many cubic feet of wood you’re purchasing.
Be sure to plan first. Then, talk to the retailer since the lengths can vary drastically depending on what area you live in.
Planning everything meticulously before making a purchase, so you won’t deal with less than you actually wanted.
The Cost of a Single Rick of Wood
You have just known what is a rick of wood and other things about it. Now, I’ll explain how much does it value.
The cost of a rick of wood varies depending on the area and supplier. Typically, a face cord or rick of oak firewood costs between $150 and $250.
Prices can vary based on the firewood type that you buy. Moreover, they also depend on whether the distributor has seasoned it or not. The local market and method of wood seasoning will determine the price of a rick of wood, too.
Since there are various factors, you’ll find a huge range rather than a specific firewood price. However, budgeting is still important, so the price won’t leave you stunned.
When it comes to what is a rick of wood, you must consider the delivery fees. Some people decide to pick the firewood up themselves to save some cash.
This may sound good, but not everyone has a proper truck to load their wood. If you want the retailer delivers your firewood, then be sure to calculate the fee. Typically, it’s around $1-$2 per mile.
Some retailers will charge customers after knowing a certain number of miles. This helps prevent the delivery fees from going out of control. Don’t hesitate to ask the firewood distributor first.
Numerous retailers offer free firewood delivery. However, you need to anticipate the additional cost and research local wood vendors. Remember that planning is truly crucial.
Some firewood distributors may charge you a stacking fee of about $20-$30, while others will provide it for free.
Talking about what is a rick of wood, you must consider this fee. If you don’t feel like stacking the firewood yourself, then contact your vendor.
What Is a Rick of Wood? – Quality of Firewood
When discussing what is a rick of wood, you shouldn’t forget the firewood’s quality itself. As with any wood you purchase, be sure that it’s high-quality seasoned softwood or hardwood.
The case is different if you intentionally shop for green firewood. I recommend buying ready-to-burn and dry wood.
Additionally, the wood should come in gray. Moreover, their ends must feature splits. Normally, well-seasoned firewood requires 6-12 months. This greatly depends on the species.
If it seems like the firewood vendor cut the tree down yesterday, then you probably can’t burn it. Also, the greenwood typically is inexpensive since you need to season it for several months before using it.
When it comes to what is a rick of wood, there’s another crucial thing to talk about. Generally speaking, green hardwoods will need a longer seasoning process because they’re denser than softwoods.
Unlike hardwoods, green softwoods will certainly dry out a bit faster. You can speed the firewood drying process by splitting them immediately.
By doing so, you can expose the optimum amount of firewood surface area to the glaring sun. As a result, your softwoods or hardwoods will dry out more quickly.
Also, you should elevate the firewood nicely off the ground. I strongly suggest using wooden pallets as runners.
They’ll keep the wood from soaking up unwanted soil moisture. Moreover, this lets the wind flow under your firewood to make it dry faster.
How to Properly Store the Firewood
Speaking of what is a rick of wood, you should understand how to store the firewood. After making a purchase, storing it properly is obviously important.
Buying a face cord or rick of firewood is definitely pricey. That’s why you should not let your precious wood go to waste.
The vendor has delivered the firewood. Then, why not stack it appropriately? Another question is, what will you do with those pieces?
After splitting and drying the wood, you just need to stack it in the right spot. Make sure that you can reach it conveniently during the winter months. Covering it is not a bad idea.
Talking about what is a rick of wood, always check on the firewood first. If it is still green or wet, that means you’ll certainly have a lot more work.
It’s very simple, just split the firewood into manageable pieces. This will allow you to carry it more easily. Moreover, you’ll get better burning in any fireplace.
Whether the wood is green or wet, you’ll need to have open airspace. This is an excellent place to stack it.
Furthermore, the drying process certainly depends on how you decide to stack or pile the firewood. Stacking it off of the soil is crucial, too. Here are different things to know when storing wood.
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Choose Logs or Bricks
Keeping the wood above the ground by using logs or bricks. Consider trying the row stacking. Make sure that you have stakes at the firewood pile ends. Another option is just crossing tie the wood for securing it.
To successfully do cross tying, split the firewood into square pieces. This ensures stronger stack ends than the rounded ones. Apart from saving a lot of time, it doesn’t require plenty of effort.
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Avoid Stacking the Firewood Between Trees
Speaking of what is a rick of wood, nothing is worse than stacking the woods up between trees. They’ll surely topple over because of bad tied ends and real.
You can give heap-piling or circle-piling a try. However, the most practical method is using single row stacking. For more than one row, consider leaving enough space between the rows.
When it comes to what is a rick of wood, you should keep your firewood stack tidy and tight. The messy one can definitely be a defect.
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Use a Great Tarp
If you plan on using a tarp, be sure not to cover the whole wood stack with it. This prevents mildew from developing on your firewood.
Instead, use a tarp to cover just the top 1/3 of the firewood stack. Definitely, this lets sun and wind help dry your wood.
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Use a Firewood Shed
First of all, make sure that the shed comes with a roof. It helps keep snow and rain from damaging the firewood. However, if there’s no shed, then apply the previous solution.
What Is a Rick of Wood – Holders, and Racks
Do not use green firewood since they create more smoke than dried ones. Rotating is crucial, so burn the oldest wood pieces first.
Be sure not to let the firewood go to waste. Moreover, use racks and holders to stack the hardwoods or softwoods. You can place them outdoors or indoors.
If you decide to place the wood indoors, then just keep it for a few days since pests are attracted to firewood. This also prevents unwanted pollen allergies, debris, and dirt.
Never bring the wet firewoods into the home. The moisture in them can raise the dampness levels in your living space.
That’s my guide to what is a rick of wood. I hope it’ll help you plan for the colder months ahead. Moreover, firewoods can generate a homey setting. Using them isn’t difficult, too. However, this will require some work and meticulous planning to pull it off.