How Much Does Firewood, green (unseasoned) Weigh?
Freshly cut green hardwood firewood with 40–50% moisture content. A full cord of green hardwood typically weighs ~4,800 lbs. Green softwood runs 3,800–4,500 lbs per cord.
Green firewood is wood cut and split within days or weeks of felling the tree, before any drying happens. Moisture content sits around 40-50% by weight — most of what you're lifting is water, not fuel. Hardwood species average roughly 4,800 lb per full cord in this state; green softwoods like pine or fir run lighter, around 3,800-4,500 lb per cord.
Burn it before it's ready and you'll know: green wood hisses, spits, and smokes instead of catching a clean flame. Energy goes into boiling off water rather than producing heat, and the smoke condenses in the flue as creosote, a chimney fire risk. It needs time stacked and exposed to sun and airflow before it's worth burning.
What Firewood, green (unseasoned) Is Used For
- Rounds and logs from storm cleanup or land clearing, hauled off-site to be bucked, split, and stacked
- Building up a firewood dealer's inventory that will season over the coming months before sale
- Delivered to buyers with their own covered, ventilated storage who plan to season it themselves
- Feedstock for chippers, mulch production, or biomass boilers that don't require dry fuel
- Pulpwood or bioenergy plants that process wood regardless of moisture content
Weight Facts
- Weight per cord
- 4,800 lbs
- Category
- Firewood & Biomass
How Much Firewood, green (unseasoned) Can Each Truck Carry?
| Truck | Payload | Safe max (cords) | Full bed wt. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Maverick | 1,500 lbs | 0.31 | 1,249 lbs |
| Honda Ridgeline | 1,500 lbs | 0.31 | 1,271 lbs |
| Chevrolet Colorado (2nd Gen) | 1,400 lbs | 0.29 | 1,571 lbs ⚠ |
| Chevrolet Colorado (3rd Gen) | 1,500 lbs | 0.31 | 1,571 lbs ⚠ |
| GMC Canyon (2nd Gen) | 1,400 lbs | 0.29 | 1,571 lbs ⚠ |
| GMC Canyon (3rd Gen) | 1,450 lbs | 0.30 | 1,571 lbs ⚠ |
| Ford Ranger | 1,560 lbs | 0.33 | 1,624 lbs ⚠ |
| Nissan Frontier | 1,160 lbs | 0.24 | 1,504 lbs ⚠ |
| Toyota Tacoma | 1,100 lbs | 0.23 | 1,290 lbs ⚠ |
| Jeep Gladiator | 1,200 lbs | 0.25 | 1,331 lbs ⚠ |
| Ford F-150 | 1,525 lbs | 0.32 | 2,336 lbs ⚠ |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 1,600 lbs | 0.33 | 2,689 lbs ⚠ |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 1,500 lbs | 0.31 | 2,689 lbs ⚠ |
| RAM 1500 | 1,240 lbs | 0.26 | 2,306 lbs ⚠ |
| Toyota Tundra | 1,485 lbs | 0.31 | 2,460 lbs ⚠ |
| Nissan Titan | 1,460 lbs | 0.30 | 2,235 lbs ⚠ |
| Ford F-250 Super Duty | 3,000 lbs | 0.63 | 2,944 lbs |
| Ford F-350 Super Duty (SRW) | 4,000 lbs | 0.83 | 2,944 lbs |
| Ford F-350 Super Duty (DRW) | 5,500 lbs | 1.15 | 2,944 lbs |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD | 3,200 lbs | 0.67 | 3,131 lbs |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD | 3,200 lbs | 0.67 | 3,131 lbs |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD (DRW) | 5,700 lbs | 1.19 | 3,131 lbs |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD (DRW) | 5,700 lbs | 1.19 | 3,131 lbs |
| RAM 2500 | 1,950 lbs | 0.41 | 2,801 lbs ⚠ |
| RAM 3500 (DRW) | 6,280 lbs | 1.31 | 2,801 lbs |
⚠ = full bed weight exceeds truck payload. Safe max is by payload rating, not bed volume.
Hauling Firewood, green (unseasoned): What to Know
A full cord is 128 cubic feet (4' x 4' x 8'), which doesn't fit in a standard pickup bed — most half-ton trucks haul somewhere between a face cord and a half cord per load. Green wood's extra water weight makes that same volume heavier than a load of seasoned wood, so check your payload rating before topping off the bed.
Stack rounds and splits tightly against the cab and secure the load with a cargo net or straps — green wood is denser and shifts less predictably than dry wood, but an unsecured load is still a highway hazard.
Buying & Ordering Firewood, green (unseasoned)
Firewood is sold by the cord, the face cord (one row, log-length deep, roughly a third of a full cord), or informally as a "truckload" or "rick" with no fixed volume — confirm the actual cubic footage before paying. If green wood is offered at a discount, ask how long since the tree was cut and whether a moisture meter reading is available; it's cheaper, but you're buying storage time along with the wood.
Calculate Your Load
“Fill Truck” sets quantity to whichever comes first: payload weight limit or bed volume.
⚠ Overloaded — 3,300 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.
4 trips needed with your Ford Maverick
Could a rental truck do this in fewer trips?
Firewood, green (unseasoned) — Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I burn green firewood right away?
- You can, but it burns poorly — expect heavy smoke, weak heat output, and faster creosote buildup in your chimney. Most green wood needs several months to a year of stacked, ventilated drying before it performs like seasoned firewood.
- Why does green firewood weigh so much more than seasoned wood?
- Water. Freshly cut wood is 40-50% moisture by weight, so a green hardwood cord can run around 4,800 lb versus roughly 3,200 lb once seasoned — over a ton of that difference is water that evaporates during drying.
- Will a full cord of green firewood fit in my pickup bed?
- No — a cord is 128 cubic feet, more than most truck beds can hold in one trip. Plan on hauling a face cord or half cord at a time, and expect green wood's extra water weight to push you toward your truck's payload limit sooner than dry wood would.
- How much does Firewood, green (unseasoned) weigh per cord?
- Firewood, green (unseasoned) weighs approximately 4,800 lbs per cord. Freshly cut green hardwood firewood with 40–50% moisture content. A full cord of green hardwood typically weighs ~4,800 lbs. Green softwood runs 3,800–4,500 lbs per cord.
- How much Firewood, green (unseasoned) can a half-ton truck carry?
- A typical half-ton truck with a 1,500 lb payload can safely carry about 0.31 cords of Firewood, green (unseasoned).
Related Material Weights
Helpful Guides
- Cubic Yards, Tons, and Bags: A Material Conversion Guide
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- What Happens If You Overload Your Truck?
Overloading a pickup risks tickets, tire blowouts, brake failure, frame damage, and a voided warranty. Here is what actually happens and how to stay legal and safe.