Tree growing against load bearing wall. What's the proper felling technique?

[klaus von herten]

Hie everyone!

I inherited a house from my late father. In his final years, he wasn't much able to do heavy maintenance and he rarely went to one of the sides of the house, which became overgrown with Apple, Fig and Ash trees.

I have trimmed and cut down most of the trees with my homeowners saw but there is an ash tree about 8" in diameter and 10 feet tall growing against the wall.

I am wondering if I should use the pruning saw for this one, or if there is a proper way to fall a tree in this orientation? The attached pic is not the tree itself but just an example. It's growing right against the wall and there are some water pipes nearby but not close enough to be a danger.

Any advice, links to videos, etc. would be appreciated. A million thanks in advance!

 

[JeffGu]

At 8" in diameter, you can make a face cut on the trunk, facing AWAY from the wall, about a third of the way through, with the chainsaw IF YOU ARE VERY CAREFUL and don't let the chain touch the wall or any pipes.
Instead of using a back cut, switch to a RECIPROCATING SAW with a pruning blade in it, and continue cutting through the stem from the face cut if you can't get the blade between the wall and the stem. It will pinch the blade as it starts to go over, just let off the trigger and step back, leaving the saw in the cut. It won't hurt the saw, but might bend the blade up a bit. The blades are much cheaper than a trip to the emergency room. You can buy 12" long pruning blades for a reciprocating saw, which will get the job done.

I'd make your face cut with a wide birdmouth... angled both down and up, instead of the usual horizontal bottom cut. This will lessen the risk of the trunk kicking back and damaging the wall. If you don't own a reciprocating saw, try to borrow one for the job. It is slow cutting, but I've dropped and cut up a tree that size once, when I was at a friend's house in a nearby town and didn't feel like driving home to get a chainsaw. I also use one extensively when I get in situations like yours where the chainsaw is too dangerous (like a chainlink fence grown right into the tree).

If your tree has at least an inch of space between it and the wall, you can make a normal backcut with the reciprocating saw. It will be MUCH safer than trying to complete the cut with a chainsaw.

 

[JRoland]

Take Jeffs advice...

 

[ATH]

Once it is down, treat the stump with herbicide. I like Tordon for most species. This will keep it from resprouting. The key is to treat it as soon as you make the lowest cut.

 

[klaus von herten]

Great and limb saving advice! Thank you, gents!

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Keep yer million! That tree is worth more than that!

Jesus! What a specimen!

I doubt its hurting the wall or foundation to the point where it has to be removed. The roots are not that vibrant under the concrete and you would see shifting in the bricks which I don't see.

That is one badassed tree! Crabapple?

Worst case you excavate the root system gingerly and prune it and install root barrier but I doubt you would have to.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

You chop that tree, I'll chop you!

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Call a horticulurlaistmigist to explain.

 

[ArtB]

Read the entire post vs. just looking at a picture and blathering.

re: The attached pic is not the tree itself

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Read the entire post vs. just looking at a picture and blathering.

re: The attached pic is not the tree itself

Take two steps and shut your trap!!

God forbid I get lost in the elaborate scheme of some nut who don't even post a pic of the actuall tree!

See, I would expect that if he was selling a car but why would someone take a picture of a tree then say, " this isn't the tree but its sort of like it" anyway!!??

If I had seen that at first, I didn't because that's about the last thing I would EVER expect, I would have made fun of the guy for doing that, instead of making fun of him for taking down a awesome tree.

Really, even if his tree was anything like the one in the picture you would have to be stupid to just cut it down without thinking about a good way to save it.

Plus my eyes ain't so good at my age, I missed some fine print so maybe take another step back?

 

[ATH]

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Seriously! Who asks about a tree like they are running a Craigslist scam!!??

THE ATTACHED TREE IS NOT THE TREE ITSELF!???

Who do you think you are, Donald Trump!!????

 

[JeffGu]

 

[ropensaddle]

 

[ArtB]

Simple 'oops' would be better than going into full attack mode on OP ?
Also, not a political forum so let us not be making inferred disparaging remarks about the president (whoever it may be this cycle) on the 4th of July.
Agree on one thing!

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Simple 'oops' would be better than going into full attack mode on OP ?
Also, not a political forum so let us not be making inferred disparaging remarks about the president (whoever it may be this cycle) on the 4th of July.
Agree on one thing!

Look dude, I have been here since 2006, you have been here longer than me SO you should know me by now and that THINGS are never simple.

Hell, I don't even recall coming across you before.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Call a horticulurlaistmigist to explain.

This isn't " full attack"!

I was just drunk and really worried that the espalyahmayahah was gonna get trashed.

And of course, I'm STILL pretty drunk, among other things so if you would like to continue, well, uh, go ahead.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

View attachment 588824

Going on a bender boys! Nothing new.

 

[hseII]

Look dude, I have been here since 2006, you have been here longer than me SO you should know me by now and that THINGS are never simple.

Hell, I don't even recall coming across you before.

I didn't think y'all were "dudes" anymore.

Anyone born in the 1940s has been elevated to "crabby old bastard": COB for short.

It's a term of endearment, not a literal reference to someone whom lacks of a father.

I've been referred to as "that little bastard", even though everyone knows my father.

Happy 4th of July.

And if your on the North side of the 49, Belated Happy Canada Day, Eh.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

I didn't think y'all were "dudes" anymore.

Anyone born in the 1940s has been elevated to "crabby old bastard": COB for short.

It's a term of endearment, not a literal reference to someone whom lacks of a father.

I've been referred to as "that little bastard", even though everyone knows my father.

Happy 4th of July.

And if your on the North side of the 49, Belated Happy Canada Day, Eh.

Call my office , set an appointment with the receptionist, if you need a prescription until then just tell her.