Tree felling is dangerous and can be unpredictable. Even Wildland Firefighters, some of the best fellers in the business, only get trees to fall in their intended direction about half the time.
If you want to learn how to get rid of a tree, it is always recommended that you do so under professional supervision.
That said, learning how to remove a small tree can be a fun educational experience if you do it right. Read on to find out more about tree removal.
How to Get Rid Of a Tree With a Chainsaw
The most tried and true method of tree removal is by using a chainsaw. Whether you are learning how to remove a dead tree or one that is still living a chainsaw is your most important tool.
Tree removal starts with you picking the direction you want to lay your tree down in.
This involves “sizing up” your tree. This includes identifying any hazards such as dead hanging branches. It also means determining which way the tree leans.
Once you have sized up your tree, walk your intended lay to make sure there is nothing that it may hit.
Clear out the area around the tree with your saw and identify which direction you will run once the tree begins to fall. Clear out this escape route with your saw as well. You are now ready to start cutting.
Starting Your Face-Cut
The face-cut is a triangle-shaped wedge of a cut. It consists of two parts, the flat-cut on the bottom and the angle-cut that runs into it from the top. The face-cut occurs on the side of the tree that you want to hit the ground first.
Use the gunning sites of your saw to line it up with your intended lay. Use the dogs on the end of your saw’s powerhead to “dog in” and stabilize your saw.
Make a bottom-cut by bringing your bar into the wood using your dogs as a pivot point. Check to make sure your gunning site is still lined up.
Then without removing your dogs from the tree, angle your saw up and cut a pie-wedge from the tree with your top-cut using the same method.
Making Your Back-Cut
You have now completed your face-cut. Move to the back of the tree. Dog in once more. This time pivot your saw on its dogs in the same way you did with your bottom-cut.
Make sure not to cut all the way through the tree and to leave a gap of wood between your face-cut and back-cut. This is your holding wood, it steers the tree fall and prevents it from coming back on you.
Your tree should start falling at some point into your back-cut. As soon as you hear it start to go, run away down your escape route to get out of harm’s way.
Using Heavy Equipment
If chainsaws are not your thing, you can always use heavy equipment. Attachments such as the skid steer tree shear are compatible with most heavy equipment and are great for taking trees.
When in Doubt, Don’t Cut
Tree felling is a dangerous thing best left to the pros. That said, learning how to get rid of a tree is an important part of being a woodsman.
Even though you now know how to remove a tree with the information in this guide, you should still call a professional if you don’t know what you are doing.
Call a professional, or try your hand at felling under close supervision today. If you liked this content, check back with our page for other useful info!
