I foresee bewilderment in the eyes of readers: it’s winter outside, and he’s worried about removing unnecessary vegetation. But right now, when the snow is still far from waist-deep, it is more convenient to get rid of old, sick trees that threaten to fall on a fence or house. Do not damage the carrot, cucumber and other beds; the housewife will not feel a pang in her heart at the sight of the forest covering the flower garden. And there will be fewer problems with branches; the branches have already been freed from foliage.
Felling trees is an expensive business. Urban and country woodcutters call themselves in a foreign way - arborists. They have the right, since they are contracted not only to cut down trees using climbing equipment, but also to treat them and shape the crown. Removal of one trunk is estimated at five thousand rubles and more. It all depends on the size and thickness of the plant, its location.
But not all trees, even very impressive ones, are classified as problematic. I know from my own experience: a summer resident can independently cope not only with apple and pear trees that have stopped bearing fruit, but also with birches, fir trees, poplars, and maples that have become obsolete and have become a threat to the safety of people and buildings.
Have a working tool
Gone are the days when trees were felled with an ax and a bow saw. Today, many summer residents have easy-to-use chainsaws. This tool needs to be monitored. The fuel mixture and lubricating oil must be clean and free of foreign impurities. The saw chain requires special attention. If the saw does not eat into the wood well, it leads to the side, and the sawdust looks more like wood dust, then the chain is dull. You cannot cut down a tree with such a saw. You can sharpen the chain yourself using a file of the required diameter.
Be sure to check the chain tension. Pull it from the middle of the top of the tire; if the tension is good, the bottom of the guide teeth remains in the groove. Otherwise, the chain needs to be tightened.
The ax remains a necessary tool for the woodcutter. You can use it to clear the trunk of not very thick branches. Professional fellers use a felling wedge. You can make it yourself, hew it out of birch wood with an ax.
Nowhere will God send
Decide in advance where the tree will fall. There should be no wires, buildings, or fences in its path. Choose the direction taking into account the curvature of the trunk and the location of the branches. You should fall in calm weather. But if the breeze is weak, that’s okay too. The main thing is that it blows in the direction you want.
It is important to determine your escape routes from the cut plant. When the tree starts to fall, you need to quickly remove the saw from the cut and step to a safe side. Avoid the appearance of people or pets in the area where the trunk falls!
A mandatory element of safety precautions is the correct choice of shoes and clothing. Shoes should be comfortable, non-slip, clothing made of durable material that does not hang on the body. Don't forget about gloves.
But we still recommend watching how professionals do it!
But if you still decide to fell the tree yourself, then the algorithm of actions should be as follows
First we prepare the tree for felling. We remove unnecessary objects from the trunk, cut down the lower branches so that they do not interfere with work. From the fall side of the tree, ¼ of the trunk deep, make a cut from top to bottom at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Then we cut it horizontally and get a wedge-shaped undercut. The next cut is made from the side opposite to the fall. Experts call it a felling cut. It is located a few centimeters above the undercut in the form of a wedge.
Even at the dawn of my gardening career, I bought a rope about forty meters long at the market. It looked like it was a piece of climbing equipment. Before felling a tree, I tie a rope to the trunk at the maximum possible height. I do this from a sliding stepladder. If I succeed, I lift the loop of the rope with a light pole as high as possible. It is advisable that someone help you with this, supporting the rope on the trunk with light tension, otherwise the loop may slide down.
I pull the other end of the rope towards the intended fall of the plant. While sawing the trunk, an assistant can hold the free part of the rope, and if you are working alone, tie it to another tree, stump, peg or other object. The length of the rope must be at least twice the height of the tree. The free end must be outside the fall zone of the tree.
Make the felling cut carefully, do not miss the moment the tree begins to move. Without finishing about a tenth of the trunk diameter to a wedge-shaped cut, take out the saw and pull the free end of the rope in the direction the tree is falling. I repeat, you must be at a safe distance from the tree. I personally tried the described method of felling trees, but the diameter of the trees in the butt did not exceed thirty centimeters. I think that for felling more powerful plants it is necessary to involve specialists.
That's all, the main difficulty is over. Using a saw and an ax, we clear the trunk of branches, cut it depending on its purpose: into posts or into logs.
The main thing is to be extremely attentive and careful, then everything will work out for you.
How to cut down a tree
It is not so easy to remove an old tree from the territory. You must have knowledge of how to cut down a large tree, what tools to use, and what safety precautions to follow.
Cutting methods
There are several ways to cut down a tall tree. These include the following techniques for removing old plants from residential areas:
- A safe method for removing a tree that is in disrepair. This includes the removal of all sawdust that will be formed during the cutting process.
- Felling a whole tree at its natural growth angle. Work is carried out only on the ground. First, a wedge is made on the tree itself. He cuts exactly in the direction where the plant will fall. After the wedge is made, the base is undercut and the tree is pushed in the direction it will fall.
- Felling a whole tree using a guy rope. First of all, the master, whose profession is called an arborist, climbs to the top of the tree and secures the guy there. Next, all work is carried out exactly as in the previous method. Only the angle of incidence is set artificially. A pre-tied guy helps to do this.
- Removing the tree piece by piece. This method involves deleting branches separately. Then the trunk itself is cut down in parts. Pieces fall only with the support of the brace in the desired direction.
- Removing the tree piece by piece using heavy equipment (aerial platform, truck crane).
- Felling a tree and hanging its individual pieces. Then they carefully lower themselves to the ground.
To choose the required method, you need to know the working conditions. There are different ways to answer the question of how to cut down a tree near a house, in a country house, or on a plot of land. Space does not always allow the use of technology in work. The entire felling can be used if the question is how to cut down a tree on your site. However, this also has its limitations. The territory must be large enough in area. No residential buildings should be erected nearby.
If there is difficulty in choosing the right way to eliminate the old tree, then it is better to use the opinion of an expert. First you should invite an appraiser. He will help you decide how to cut down a tall tree in parts or as a whole, what to use for this, and how to carry out all the necessary work in the most economical way. Only after this is a working team invited and work begins.
What tools are needed for the job?
Once the decision has been made on how to cut down the tree, you need to prepare all the proper tools. Every worker involved in the project must have them.
Tools:
- work uniform;
- gloves;
- reinforced boots;
- a helmet equipped with a protective shield;
- headphones;
- chainsaw;
- cord or twine for pulling, cutting branches;
- plastic or wooden wedge.
Safety regulations
Deciding how to cut down a tree in the yard is not enough; you need to have all the safety rules for carrying out such work.
Important:
- Never operate a chainsaw with one hand. Always hold it firmly with both hands. Moreover, the thumb of the main hand should always be under the handle of the tool.
- Do not cut wood with the end of the cutting blade. This will cause severe vibration and increase the risk of serious injury.
- Smoking while working with the tool is strictly prohibited.
- Do not leave the chainsaw where animals or children are nearby.
Useful tips
You can learn how to cut down a tree on your property from specialized literature. However, in practice the theory often does not work. Only experienced craftsmen can tell you the secrets of how to cut down a tree with a saw in the shortest possible time, with the least amount of effort and time.
Expert recommendations:
- Before cutting down a tree near your house, you need to contact the city administration and obtain the necessary permission. The same applies to the question of how to cut down a tree in a cemetery.
- It is important to study the condition of the tree. Only after this can you decide how to cut down the tree in parts or as a whole.
- How to cut down a tree in a dacha yourself, or by inviting a special team, is up to the owner of the plot to decide. It is important to remember that many people die when working with a chainsaw while felling old trees. This is dangerous work.
How to cut down a tree safely
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Autumn is a hot time for gardeners - they have to harvest the crops grown during the season, prepare the garden for wintering, plant new young trees, clear the garden of excess and damaged branches, and often have to remove old trees that, due to old age or illness, have stopped bearing fruit and have stopped their active development . Since trees differ significantly in size, the problems that arise when it is necessary to cut down a tree can also arise quite varied. It is especially difficult to remove tall trees located near buildings, fences, and power lines. In this case, you will need to know how to cut down a tree correctly, so as not to harm yourself or your neighbors. In addition, quality tools such as saws and axes will be required to complete the job successfully.
Content:
- How to properly prepare for tree removal
- How to cut down a tree with a chainsaw
- Cutting down trees more than 50 cm thick video
- Removing trees in parts of video
- What rules should be followed to ensure safe tree cutting video
How to properly prepare for tree removal
You can cut trees manually or with a chainsaw; needless to say, the second option will greatly facilitate and speed up the process. But a chainsaw is a serious professional tool that requires special training and careful handling. Before you start using a chainsaw, you should make sure that there is an adequate amount of oil and gasoline in its tank, and check that the tool is in good working order.
Experts also recommend carefully inspecting the tree and analyzing its condition: determining whether the tree is standing level, if not, then calculating the approximate angle of inclination, choosing the side in which it will be more convenient to fell the tree.
You will also need to free the space around the tree from unnecessary objects, remove all protruding twigs and fragments of branches and shoots from it. On the tree itself, it is advisable to remove all protruding fragments located less than 1.5 m from the ground level.
Experts recommend performing this experiment. Take the ax in your hands, place it parallel to the tree trunk, holding the ax at arm's length and move towards the intended fall at a distance that equalizes the height of the ax with the size of the tree. The top of the cut tree will most likely be located where you stop. There should be no obstacles on the way to this point; in this case, the side of the dump was chosen correctly. If problems arise with moving, it is advisable to remove the obstacle; if this is not possible, you will need to choose the other side of the fall.
How to cut down a tree with a chainsaw
It should be immediately clarified that the technologies for cutting down a large and a small tree will be slightly different. In order for the process to go smoothly, some nuances should be taken into account. Of course, the main thing is to know how to cut a tree in the right direction. Since cutting down small trees is easier, you should consider this procedure first. The cut begins from the side in which the tree is inclined. An upright tree begins to be sawed from the side of the desired fall.
The depth of the cut should be equal to half the diameter of the trunk. Next, the notch is made from the opposite side, sawing continues until the tree falls. Trees, even small ones, are cut down not completely - first to a height of 1.3-1.5 m, then, guided by the same principles, the remaining stump is removed.
At the next stage, you will need to remove all branches from the cut trunk. They start working with the most distant ones. Small ones will not create any problems; they can be removed from above. Larger ones should first be filed from above, then cut from below, otherwise the file may become jammed.
Sawing of a trunk cleared of branches is done from below; if you start sawing from the top, the file may become jammed. When making a cut, do not allow the chain to touch the ground - this will cause the saw to quickly become dull.
Cutting down trees more than 50 cm thick
If the tree has a sufficiently large diameter, the order of work will be slightly different:
- first you need to select the direction of fall,
- then make a cut from the side of the proposed fall, its angle should be about 60 degrees to the base of the trunk, and the depth of the cut should reach approximately a quarter of the diameter of the trunk,
- When making a cut, it is recommended to monitor the correct angle and position of the saw.
After making the top inclined cut, you will need to make a horizontal cut so that it meets the top one. The result will be a side frame.
Then make a notch on the back side of the tree, located higher than the first. The undercut should be horizontal, it should not reach the first undercut by about ten percent of the diameter. You will need to insert a felling blade or wedge into this notch. Next, you should finish the trunk from the inside to the frame or knock it down using a spatula.
Sometimes another method is used: the tree is sawed through, then the saw is moved in the opposite direction to the middle. In this case, the undercut ends up on the side. The wedge is inserted into another cut, and the wood is sawed from the back side.
Removal of branches is carried out as follows: the branch is cut from the top, then cut from the bottom. If the branch is large, then they are cut slightly away from the trunk, and the knot is removed later.
The correct order for cutting the trunk in this case will be as follows:
- the trunk is cut halfway from the top,
- do not remove the saw, drive in a wedge - this will prevent the possibility of clamping the barrel,
- saw the trunk to the end.
If the saw still gets stuck, you should not attempt to pull it out; it would be more rational to turn off the saw, press firmly on both sides of the cut trunk from below, the saw will free itself when a certain force is applied.
Removing trees in parts
A safer method is when the tree is removed in parts. The use of this option will avoid damage to lawns or nearby plantings; each cut part of the tree will slowly fall to the ground, and its landing point can be adjusted. The disadvantage of this option is that it takes a lot of time; the advantage is the ability to preserve lawns and flower beds, which is very important in a small area.
Trees can be cut down in this way even on city streets with busy traffic of cars and pedestrians, i.e. places where it is impossible to fell a tree in the usual way.
A more complex and dangerous version of this method is when hanging the cut parts is done on nearby other trees.
It is used in cases where it is impossible to remove trees by other methods - the working person is on the tree and his life is in danger.
What rules should be followed to ensure safe tree cutting?
Among the basic safety rules, it should be mentioned that:
- working in the garden with a chainsaw requires a complete cessation of smoking; the threat of fire when cutting down dry trees will be present in any case,
- When starting work, you should make sure that there are no animals, children, or strangers nearby,
- The chainsaw must be held firmly in your hands; falling may cause serious injury.
- you should not try to cut wood vertically with the edge of the saw - in this position the saw may be thrown back and fly towards you,
- You should protect yourself from possible contact of wood chips or dust with your eyes; to do this, it is enough to wear safety glasses; by wearing protective headphones, you can protect yourself from excessive noise; it is also advisable to wear protective clothing.
It will not be superfluous to draw up a detailed plan in advance. You should not show excessive self-confidence when performing such work, even if this is not your first experience. Statistics show that injuries among experienced lumberjacks are quite common, especially when they neglect safety precautions.
Author: Sergey and Svetlana Khudentsov
10
Cutting down trees - how and why
December 23, 2021 Trees are born and grow, live and delight us, get sick and die. At the same time, they often become a threat to human life, healthy and valuable plants, the integrity of buildings, landscape elements or power lines.
Why cut down trees?
For example, poplars often rot from the inside, their trunks become hollow, and the wind easily knocks them onto nearby buildings and nearby cars. And their appearance at first glance does not indicate danger. But there are plants whose unreliability can be determined visually.
- Trees that are dangerous are:
- the trunk of which has an inclination of more than 45 degrees;
- with large dry sides along the trunk;
- hollow or broken;
- with a rotten or empty barrel inside;
- with an infected and rotting root system.
How to cut down trees?
The work of removing large trees, especially in disrepair and near residential complexes, is very difficult. You can die while cutting down a trunk alone.
For the simplest types of work, 2 experienced workers are enough, and when performing more complex techniques, a whole team works.
Special equipment, climbing equipment, and winches are important assistants in the safe removal of trees in settlements.
Removing old specimens or clearing an entire area for construction is not so easy. First you need to evaluate the method and complexity of the work. It depends on the location of the tree, its size and condition. Think about what tools or special equipment you can use, and take the necessary safety measures.
The master will determine the scope and complexity of the work, taking into account all the wishes of the customer. To remove trees in public places, you will first have to obtain permission from the organization that owns the site and issue a felling ticket.
*Preliminary visit of our appraiser is free.
Over the centuries, several methods have been developed for removing tall trees, which are used today by specialists from all logging organizations:
- cutting down the entire plant and felling it in the direction of the natural inclination of the trunk and crown;
- cutting down entirely, but felling using a winch or pulling a cable in the desired direction;
- removing the tree in parts and freely throwing its fragments in the desired direction;
- fragmentary removal with hanging its parts on a winch or on the branches of a nearby tree and safely lowering it down.
Entire felling with and without guy
Conducted in open areas. The tree is felled in the direction of its slope, in the direction of the greatest development of its branches or the smallest diameter if the trunk is oval. On a calm day, a tree with a natural slope can be cut down and simply dropped. 1-2 people can handle this kind of work.
They will first cut a wedge from the side of the future fall to a depth of 1/4 - 1/3 of the trunk. If the tree is strongly tilted, the cutting angle will be made smaller by tilting it in the direction of the tilt, or more - if necessary, drop it in the direction opposite to the curvature of the tree. After the preliminary work, the main cut is made on the other side, while the cut is not brought to the main cut by 2-5 cm and at the same time the tree is pushed with a pole or hand. When filed correctly, the tree falls on its own.
It seems that there is nothing complicated about this. But it is important to correctly calculate the direction of the wind, the center of gravity and the condition of the wood. After overturning, the tree is knotted and sawed into logs that can be easily moved, the stump is removed or it is uprooted along with the roots.
If it is necessary for the tree to lie in the direction opposite to its natural inclination, then a guy rope or winch cable is used. For such work you will need a tree climber (arborist). It will strengthen the guy rope at a height of 2/3 from the base of the tree trunk. Using tension, helpers will create a falling trajectory. After this, the trunk will be cut down and dumped in the desired direction.
When pulling back, there is a possibility of the barrel splitting or the saw blade being pinched. Therefore, it is better to do this for those who have encountered different situations many times and can cope with any complexity of work.
Removing a tree in parts
If there are power lines near the plant, there are buildings, or the tree itself is so old that it cannot be felled without damage, then the technique of cutting down in parts is used. This work is done in two ways:
If there is enough space nearby for parts to fall freely and safely, then filing with dumping is carried out. The arborist, on a fixed safety rope, begins to cut down the branches from the bottom to the top. And throws them down. Sometimes they are used to construct a “cushion” to receive heavier parts of the tree. He divides the trunk with a saw into parts, taking into account the thickness of the tree and the size of the free cushion under it.
If there is no dumping area or the tree is in disrepair, then it is cut down in parts and lowered on a suspension. The climber performs the same actions, but before sawing, he secures each piece of wood by tying it with a cargo rope. His assistant carefully moves and lowers the parts to the ground on a mechanical suspension or uses a winch.
After the parts of the tree are on the ground, workers cut them into small pieces that are convenient for carrying, and if necessary, split them into firewood, remove or uproot the stump and clean the area.
Cutting trees with aerial platform
Thin, rotten or dry trunks do not allow industrial climbers to work on them. They are removed using an aerial platform, but only on condition that there is room for its access.
This method is safer for the climber. He is not on a tree, holding on with the help of a safety net, but in the cradle of a car lift. The work that an arborist carries out on a tree is no different from what he would do if he were on the trunk. The specialist ties up a part of the trunk above the cut point and makes cuts in the required directions. The assistant, using the equipment, lowers the fragment down.
Methods for cutting down a tree at the dacha
There are different ways to cut down trees in your dacha. Some of them are less complex and labor-intensive, so they require less time and cost less. Others, of course, are much more complicated, requiring highly qualified arborist, and sometimes the use of specialized equipment. So the answer to the question of how much it costs to cut down a tree in a country house, as a rule, directly depends on the technology that will be used. Doctor Forest specialists are fluent in all of them, so they always select the most optimal option. You can deal with a tall plant:
- cut down entirely without a guy or using a guy. This means that the work will be carried out in such a way that: the trunk falls into a free space in the direction of its growth (in the first case) - there are no buildings or landscape objects nearby that could be damaged (the cheapest method);
- in the direction that the arborist will set (in the second case) - there are buildings nearby, but there is the possibility of falling in a certain direction (costs a little more).
Whichever of these methods our specialists choose, you can be sure that the work will be carried out at a decent professional level without unpleasant surprises. Contact us!
Is it possible to cut down trees on the site and how not to earn a fine for it
Ignorance of the laws is no excuse
The Civil Code regarding the right to own property in the form of a land plot states: “The owner of a land plot has the right to use at his own discretion everything that is located above and below the surface of this plot...”. However, the end of the phrase sounds like this: “... unless otherwise provided by laws on subsoil, on the use of airspace, other laws and does not violate the rights of other persons” (Article 261, paragraph 3 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).
The trees on your property may be part of the forest plantings. Especially if your house is located near a forest
Here are these
other laws that are also worth studying:
- Article 260 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Illegal felling of forest plantations”;
- Federal Law “On Environmental Protection” dated January 10, 2002 No. 7-FZ;
- Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO), articles 8.25-8.28;
- Order of the Federal Forestry Agency No. 513 dated December 5, 2011 “On approval of the List of species (species) of trees and shrubs, the logging of which is not permitted”;
- Forest Code of the Russian Federation.
You may ask, how can a maple, ash or birch tree on a summer cottage be forest plantings?
It’s very simple: the Forest Code gives a very vague definition of what is meant by the terms “forest” and “forest plantings”. And also - about the categories of lands on which these same plantings can exist: in addition to forest lands, forests can be located “... on agricultural lands and other lands established in accordance with the Land Code of the Russian Federation” (Forest Code, Chapter 1, Art. 6). There are also forest-park protective belts around cities, especially large ones. Ignorance of the laws is no excuse
And finally: large single trees can turn out to be geodetic landmarks and can be taken into account and plotted on a variety of maps, from cadastral engineering to military. Therefore, before cutting down trees and shrubs on your site, you must apply for permission from the environmental department of the district administration. The application must indicate the reason for the need to demolish the tree or trees, approximate dimensions (trunk diameter at a height of about 1 m), and species.
Of course, in many areas, especially those remote from the capitals, many have never heard of any permission to remove vegetation from their own land. But you shouldn’t hope that if your matchmaker, neighbor or acquaintance 10 years ago cut down his tree without any problems, without asking anyone, and he didn’t have anything to do with it, then the same thing will happen to you. Everything changes, including laws. In the last decade, environmental police, a special unit within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, began to operate in some regions. And there are plenty of vigilant comrades everywhere, driven by thoughts about protecting the environment or how to harm their neighbors.
If your area is not particularly strict with trees, the settlement administration will simply give you written permission, which will protect you from your environmentally wary neighbor. And if everything is serious, then a specialist will come to the site and evaluate the trees you don’t need and the real need for their removal. He will draw up his conclusion, on the basis of which you will receive (or not) a felling ticket by paying the appropriate fee.
The cost of removing an old tree is equal to the cost of planting several new ones. In addition to the duty, you may also have to pay the cost of measures to restore green spaces. For example, in Kazakhstan these measures are estimated at 1:5 (that is, the cost of removing one tree is equal to the cost of planting and growing five new ones), and there is talk of increasing this amount to 1:15.
And yes: if you plan to use the services of professional sawyers, they will begin their work only after you receive permits. Separately, it is worth mentioning that in a situation where a tree is bothering you, but does not grow on your land (for example, on municipal lands or behind a neighbor’s fence), permission to remove it must be obtained by its owner.
Permission to demolish a tree must be obtained from its owner.
What do we need
To properly cut down a tree on your property, you need to think in advance about the tools that will help you with this.
- Chainsaw or electric saw. We will not consider working with a hand hacksaw. It can be used as an aid. Cutting down a thick tree with this tool will be quite problematic. Whether you use a chainsaw or an electric saw is your own choice. The main condition is that the chain is well sharpened and the cable from the power tool does not interfere with work.
- Rope or cable. If necessary, you will have to call someone for help. Because there are times when a tree trunk needs to be “helped to fall.” This is exactly why you will need a rope or cable, one end of which is tied to a thick branch (the higher it is, the better).
- Gloves, glasses and other protective equipment. The process of cutting down a tree is accompanied by flying chips, the possibility of driving a splinter and getting an abrasion. Therefore, before performing work, it is necessary to wear at least basic protective equipment. It is better to do this right away, since pulling a small splinter out of the eye in the ENT department is not a very pleasant experience.
How much does it cost to cut down a tree on your property?
The price depends on many factors, and can reach up to 20,000 rubles per tree.
Prices depend on the region, remoteness of the territory, characteristics of the tree, and other factors. The service includes not only cutting down the tree, but also removing it from the yard. Its cost can range from 500-700 to 1-2 tr, and can reach several tens of thousands of rubles.
The service is ordered and provided at the expense of the territory owners, namely:
- For a private house - its owner pays;
- For an apartment building - the cost is included in utilities;
- For institutions and organizations - at the expense of their budget.
