In Canada, the cord is legally defined by
Measurement Canada. The cord is one of three legal standards for the sale of firewood in Canada: stacked cubic meter (or
stere), cubic foot, and cord. In the United States, the cord is defined by
statute in most states. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 130, section 2.4.1.2, defines a cord and provides uniform regulations for the sale of fireplace and stove wood. In the
metric system, wood is usually measured in
steres and
cubic meters: 1
stere = 1 m3 ≈ 0.276 cords.
Maine appears unique among U.S. states by also defining a "loose thrown cord" or pile of cut firewood: "A cord of in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark, and air contained in a space of ; and a cord of wood in length shall mean the amount of wood, bark, and air contained in a space of . [1981, c. 219 (amd).]" Other non-official terms for firewood volume include
standing cord,
kitchen cord,
running cord,
face cord,
fencing cord,
country cord,
long cord, and
rick, all subject to local variation. These are usually taken to mean a well-stacked pile of wood in which the logs are shorter or longer than in a legal cord, to accommodate various burners. For example, a face cord commonly consists of wood that is long. The volume of a face cord therefore is typically 1/3 of the volume of a full cord even though it is long and high. A face cord is also called a
rick in the midwestern United States. The term is used in other English-speaking countries, such as New Zealand, but may not have a legal definition. == Heating value ==