Cutting Trees - Tree Cutting Tips

Old oak tree demise

Sometimes cutting trees is foisted upon you. Old trees die, wither and rot and can come tumbling down without warning.

Old oak tree

This tree (see images below) was hundreds of years old but fell during the night. Luckily it did not cause injury to anyone, not even the cattle who are in the field. No property damage occured either. The road was blocked for a time until the cutting commenced.

Using the wood

This oak tree produced a lot of firewood but many sections were kept for wood carving and for flooring lumber. Oak is a very solid wood and was used extensively in the past for making really beautiful furniture.

Using tree wood

Big trees such as the one pictured can be used to make wooden garden furniture. Occasionally a large trunk can be left where it fell and can be carved into a seat or bench. Some of the wood is too heavy to lift even in 6 foot lengths. Smaller pieces are good for making wooden planters or better still, creating craft pieces with your carving chisels. The straighter boughs can be sent to the sawmill to be cut into lengths for use as natural wood flooring.

Cutting down trees

Replacement tree regime

Tree cutting is never a pleasant experience but when it is unavoidable I always ensure that I plant another tree to replace what I have taken away from the environment. Quite often I will replace a single tree with two or more small trees. Cutting trees is not a pleasant job for me except when I have no control over the matter, as is the case with fallen trees.

Tree cutting safety

Cutting trees is a part of garden maintenance because it is surprising how quickly trees mature. Some fast growing trees will get too big too quickly (50 foot high in 4 or 5 years) and may require professional help if you need to remove them. Once you know your tree types you can keep them pruned and suited to your garden or yard size. Coppicing, instead of cutting, is an option that will limit the growth and provide firewood for you at the same time. As with all tree cutting great care is needed and safety equipment should be used at all times when you are cutting trees, even small ones.