There are many reasons to fell a tree. It may be necessary that a tree needs cutting down for safety reasons including interference with phone or power lines, the tree is of ill health, or dead. Professional tree surgeons call this the 3D’s, Dead, Dying or Dangerous.

Felling large trees is very dangerous if not done correctly and by a professional. If you are attempting it, please follow the following safety and procedural guidelines. Also use common sense!

Preparation steps for felling a tree:

  1. Make sure you have all the tools to undertake the tree felling. A chainsaw.
  2. Always make sure you are wearing the correct protective equipment. Steel toe cap boots, chainsaw pants, ear muffs and helmet etc.
  3. Always assess the tree that is being felled and the surroundings, work out your drop zone and an escape route.
  4. Assess if the tree is leaning and if so the direction, assess the height of the tree, check the canopy for any broken limbs which could fall, make sure the tree is not hung up in any other trees.
  5. One more thing to consider is the wind direction.

Steps for felling a tree:

  1. The first cut is a horizontal cut, this should be a third the width of the tree.
  2. The wedge cut which should meet the horizontal cut, then a piece of wood should drop out which resembles a segment of orange, this will determine the direction the tree will fall.
  3. Make the back cut to the ‘V’ of the wedge cut, make sure you leave a substantial piece of holding wood (the hinge) of which the tree will pivot and fall, this is determined by the size of tree you are felling.
  4. When the tree starts to fall use your escape route to the safe area.

From reading the above there is more to felling a tree than just grabbing a saw. If you are feeling overwhelmed, email us for a quote, or give Ben a call on 07855 859983