How to Cut Down a Dangerous Tree | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook cuts down a tree that’s leaning dangerously towards a house.
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Time: 4 hours
Cost: $1,000 and up
Skill Level: Expert
Tools List for Cutting Down a Dangerous Tree:
Bucket truck
Chainsaw
Hard hat
Safety Glasses
Gloves
Ear protection
Harness
Chaps
Wood chipper
Shopping List:
Rope
Steps:
1. Removing a large tree with a dangerous lean is only recommended for a certified arborist with the correct tools and safety equipment.
2. Put on all safety gear and use a bucket truck to reach the highest point in the tree.
3. Use the chainsaw to cut off the smaller branches.
4. Put the smaller branches into a wood chipper.
5. Once the small branches are out of the way, wrap a rope around the tree, and then tie off sections of the large branches one at a time. Cut the large branches and use the rope to safely guide them towards the ground.
6. Once all the branches have been removed, cut the trunk in small sections and push them safely to the ground. Towards the top of the tree, the sections can be 3’-4’, but as you get closer to the ground, cut the sections about 16”-18”.
7. Once the tree has been cut down to a manageable size, tie the rope from the top of the tree to the base of something else in the direction the tree should fall.
8. Cut a wedge section out of about _ of the base of the tree in the direction the tree should fall.
9. Cut straight back into the tree from the other side of the wedge and the tree should fall.
10. Buck the trunk into 16”-18” pieces that can be used for firewood. Only cut about _” down, then rotate the trunk and cut from the other side to avoid damaging the chainsaw.
Resources:
For a tree this large that’s leaning, hiring a certified arborist to remove it is recommended.
Expert assistance for this segment was provided by Peter F. McBride Tree Service ()
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Cut Down a Dangerous Tree | Ask This Old House
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