Felling trees can look easy for a professional, but if you jump into it yourself, difficulties can quickly arise. Therefore, it is important to have the process and the safety in order before you give it a try. In this guide, we help you become wiser on how to fell a tree, with a strong focus on safety and execution.
Carrying out a tree felling requires some equipment. Below you can see a list of what you need.
- Safety helmet with visor
- Safety shoes
- Work clothes
- Gloves
- Hearing protection
- Chain saw
- Rope
- A helper or two
If you do not own a chainsaw, you can rent one. Then you are sure to have the latest equipment.
Steps:
1. Organization
Before starting the tree felling, it is important to carry out a good organization of the process. Here you determine the type of wood you are felling, and get control of all safety measures.
First, it is important to know the height of the tree. It is important in terms of which direction the tree should fall and what is potentially in danger if it goes wrong. This is most easily done using a measurement pole that is set up along the tree. Then you walk 20-30 steps away and assess how many measurement poles the tree is high. This gives an approximate height of the tree that one can use as a starting point. Next, you look at the wood itself and see if it has a special design, or is uneven. In addition, you see if the wood is rotten or affected by the disease. If this is the case, it is a good idea to get the help of a professional as the felling becomes very risky. The wind is also important to include in your evaluation as it can affect the fall of the tree. Once you have considered all this, you can continue moving on to the next step.
2. Planning
Here you agree with your helper on which direction the tree should fall, so you are on the same side. The helper must be placed outside the danger zone so that the risk of an accident is minimized. investigate whether the tree leans to one side, as this can greatly affect the fall. In choosing the direction of the fall of the tree, it is optimal that it falls in the direction that would be most natural. It is important to pay attention to everything that is within the radius of the tree. If there are people nearby, it is important to remind them of the felling, as otherwise, it can lead to an accident. If the tree is in a densely planted area, it may also be a good idea to consider whether to prepare an escape route in case something goes wrong.
3. Preparation
Before you start tree cutting down the tree itself, it is a good idea to do some preparation. Here you start by pruning the lower part of the tree. This makes it much easier when it comes to sawing in the wood itself. It is also smart to clear the nearby area by the tree so that it is easier to work around and it gives one thing less to be aware of. After this is done, you are ready to cut down the tree.
4. The Actual Tree Felling
First, start by tying a rope around the tree. Preferably as high as possible as it makes the tree easier to steer from the ground. This rope must be held by a helper so that the person can pull on it, thus causing the tree to fall in the desired direction.
You start by making a pre-cut, which is what controls which way the tree falls. You decide for yourself how far down on the tree it is done, however, it is easier to remove the stump afterwards if there is any of the stump left. The pre-cut is made by sawing a wedge into the wood, but no more than 1/5 of the wood trunk. The easiest way is to start by sawing from the angle into the wood, and then making the horizontal cut. The wedge should preferably be between 45 to 60 degrees.
The next step is to make the felling cut. Here you saw horizontally from the opposite side of the pre-cut. The cut should preferably be slightly higher than the wedge. You stop sawing a little before the wood is completely cut through. In the case of a larger tree, it will often close around the chainsaw when you are halfway through. Here you must therefore use iron wedges to put in the wood before you can continue. The iron wedge is inserted into the felling section and tapped further into the wood. At the same time, the helper pulls on the rope to help the tree on its way. The combination of the two should lead to the tree toppling over. Do not forget to shout “Timber” when the tree falls.
Summary
In the case of small to medium-sized trees, you can often cut it down yourself. However, if the tree is affected by a disease, or otherwise weakened, it is best to get the help of a professional. It also offers some other benefits, including security as they are insured and have experience. Otherwise, it just requires the right equipment and planning to cut down a tree. We hope this guide has been able to help you complete your tree felling easily and safely.
