How Much Does Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) Weigh?
Air-dried hardwood (oak, maple, ash) with moisture content below 20%. A cord weighs approximately 3,500 lbs on average — oak runs ~3,350 lbs, maple and ash run higher. Optimal fuel for wood stoves and fireplaces.
Dry hardwood firewood has typically been split and air-dried a year or more, bringing dense species like oak, maple, and ash below 20% moisture. This is the category most people picture as "premium" firewood — it lights cleanly, holds a long coal bed, and puts out more heat per split than any other stage of seasoning. Weight varies by species: oak runs around 3,350 lb per cord, while denser maple and ash push the category average closer to 3,500 lb per cord.
The density that makes hardwood heavy is what makes it burn slow and hot — a stove loaded with dry oak or maple overnight will still have usable coals in the morning, which is why it's favored for cold-climate heating. It costs more than softwood, but a smaller volume delivers more sustained heat, offsetting some of the price difference over a full season.
What Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) Is Used For
- Overnight loads in wood stoves for sustained heat through cold nights
- Primary fuel for fireplace inserts and outdoor wood furnaces in cold climates
- Wood-fired boilers and hydronic heating systems that need a long, steady burn
- Premium retail firewood sold specifically as oak, maple, or ash mix
- Extended cold-weather camping or off-grid heating where burn time matters
Weight Facts
- Weight per cord
- 3,500 lbs
- Category
- Firewood & Biomass
How Much Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) Can Each Truck Carry?
| Truck | Payload | Safe max (cords) | Full bed wt. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Maverick | 1,500 lbs | 0.43 | 911 lbs |
| Honda Ridgeline | 1,500 lbs | 0.43 | 927 lbs |
| Chevrolet Colorado (2nd Gen) | 1,400 lbs | 0.40 | 1,146 lbs |
| Chevrolet Colorado (3rd Gen) | 1,500 lbs | 0.43 | 1,146 lbs |
| GMC Canyon (2nd Gen) | 1,400 lbs | 0.40 | 1,146 lbs |
| GMC Canyon (3rd Gen) | 1,450 lbs | 0.41 | 1,146 lbs |
| Ford Ranger | 1,560 lbs | 0.45 | 1,184 lbs |
| Nissan Frontier | 1,160 lbs | 0.33 | 1,096 lbs |
| Toyota Tacoma | 1,100 lbs | 0.31 | 941 lbs |
| Jeep Gladiator | 1,200 lbs | 0.34 | 971 lbs |
| Ford F-150 | 1,525 lbs | 0.44 | 1,704 lbs ⚠ |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 1,600 lbs | 0.46 | 1,961 lbs ⚠ |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 1,500 lbs | 0.43 | 1,961 lbs ⚠ |
| RAM 1500 | 1,240 lbs | 0.35 | 1,682 lbs ⚠ |
| Toyota Tundra | 1,485 lbs | 0.42 | 1,794 lbs ⚠ |
| Nissan Titan | 1,460 lbs | 0.42 | 1,630 lbs ⚠ |
| Ford F-250 Super Duty | 3,000 lbs | 0.86 | 2,146 lbs |
| Ford F-350 Super Duty (SRW) | 4,000 lbs | 1.14 | 2,146 lbs |
| Ford F-350 Super Duty (DRW) | 5,500 lbs | 1.57 | 2,146 lbs |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD | 3,200 lbs | 0.91 | 2,283 lbs |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD | 3,200 lbs | 0.91 | 2,283 lbs |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD (DRW) | 5,700 lbs | 1.63 | 2,283 lbs |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD (DRW) | 5,700 lbs | 1.63 | 2,283 lbs |
| RAM 2500 | 1,950 lbs | 0.56 | 2,043 lbs ⚠ |
| RAM 3500 (DRW) | 6,280 lbs | 1.79 | 2,043 lbs |
⚠ = full bed weight exceeds truck payload. Safe max is by payload rating, not bed volume.
Hauling Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr): What to Know
Because dry hardwood is dense, weight often becomes the binding constraint before the bed even looks full. A half cord at roughly 1,750 lb can already use up a significant share of a half-ton truck's payload once passengers or other gear are factored in — check your door-jamb payload sticker rather than assuming the bed has room to spare.
A full cord (128 cubic feet) doesn't fit a standard bed regardless of weight, so plan on a half cord or face cord per trip. Stack splits tightly and low, and strap the load — dense hardwood shifting under hard braking can dent a tailgate.
Buying & Ordering Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr)
Hardwood commands a premium over softwood or mixed loads because of its heat output and burn time, so ask which species are included — oak, maple, and ash season and burn differently, and a "hardwood mix" label can hide real variation. Confirm the wood had at least a full year to dry, since dense hardwood dries slower than lighter species, and a "truckload" quote should specify actual cord or face cord volume.
Calculate Your Load
“Fill Truck” sets quantity to whichever comes first: payload weight limit or bed volume.
⚠ Overloaded — 2,000 lbs over capacity
This load exceeds the published payload rating and may damage the truck's suspension, frame, tires, and brakes. Reduce quantity or use a higher-rated truck.
Standard AWD EcoBoost payload. Tremor drops to ~1,140 lbs; the 2025+ Lobo off-road trim is lower still (~1,045 lbs). Check door-jamb sticker.
3 trips needed with your Ford Maverick
Could a rental truck do this in fewer trips?
Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) — Frequently Asked Questions
- How long does oak need to season before burning?
- Oak is dense and slow to dry, typically needing 12 months or more of split, stacked, ventilated seasoning to get below 20% moisture. Wood sold as "seasoned" after only a few months may still be too wet for efficient burning.
- Why does hardwood weigh more and burn longer than softwood?
- Hardwood species have denser cell structure than softwoods like pine or fir, packing more solid wood mass into the same volume. That density is exactly what produces a longer, hotter, more consistent burn and a more persistent coal bed.
- Will a half cord of dry oak overload my pickup?
- It might come close. At roughly 1,750 lb, a half cord of dense hardwood can eat up most of a half-ton truck's payload capacity, especially with other cargo or passengers aboard — check your specific payload rating rather than judging by how full the bed looks.
- How much does Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) weigh per cord?
- Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) weighs approximately 3,500 lbs per cord. Air-dried hardwood (oak, maple, ash) with moisture content below 20%. A cord weighs approximately 3,500 lbs on average — oak runs ~3,350 lbs, maple and ash run higher. Optimal fuel for wood stoves and fireplaces.
- How much Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr) can a half-ton truck carry?
- A typical half-ton truck with a 1,500 lb payload can safely carry about 0.43 cords of Firewood, dry hardwood (1+ yr).
Related Material Weights
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