When asking the question – do I need a license to cut down trees, you first need to figure out what specific trees you talking about. If you mean a couple trees in your backyard, then you free entirely free to do so, as these trees are your property. But be careful not to damage anything when the tree falls down — this includes you and your property as well as your neighbors and their properties. Make sure that you are taking the right precautions.

How to Cut Down a Tree

Dress for the occasion: A simple t-shirt and jeans won’t cut it. Wear a durable jacket, some protective headgear, jeans, and closed toe shoes to account for the tree debris. Then choose the direction which you want the tree to fall and clear that area of all objects. Make sure people in the area steer clear of the area and are aware of your tree removal project.

Next, assess the tree. Look at the slope of the ground and the slope of the tree itself. Needless to say, the slope in which you cut the tree and the slope of the ground is a more favorable direction for the tree to fall due to sheer gravity. Also, watch out for the branch distribution of the tree — the more branches it has on a side, the more weight that side carries.

Start by using a chainsaw to make a wedge cut from the direction which you want the tree to fall. Take the chainsaw at an angle that is slanted upward, at a 30 degree angle. Run the chainsaw through the tree at that slope, but do not cut the entire width of the tree. Only cut about 70% of it. You should now have a hanging cut in the tree.

Now make another wedge cut, slanted downwards at about the same angle and the same direction from which you want the tree to fall into. The two cuts should converge and leave a block of wood hanging loose in the tree. Take the block of wood out and you should have a “chipped” tree.

Push or kick the tree in the direction you want it to fall. This shouldn’t be too hard, as you have a chipped incline in the tree that guides the fall. Stand in the opposite direction of the incline and kick the tree away from you. Take into account the evenness of your footwear and the wind current if there is any.

Additional Help

If you feel like you need professional consultation on how to cut tree, TalkLocal can help with finding the correct local experts in this case, saving you time and energy in what may be a stressful situation.

Trees play a critical role on our planet. They are responsible for providing us with food and oxygen, they filter our air and make Earth livable for humans, and they preserve soil and support wildlife. In short, trees are an essential part of our lives and deserve our respect. However, sometimes, trees become cumbersome and difficult to manage when they become too big and get in the way of other things you may want to grow. Alternatively, a tree can break due to a storm, leaving just the stump and roots remaining. With either of these situations, removing roots may be necessary. Unfortunately, removing a tree’s roots, especially older, larger trees, can be a tough, long process. Luckily, this is the perfect article to read if you want to know how to remove tree roots.

Since the first step to removing roots is to remove the stump, you will want to make sure this has been removed before proceeding. If you haven’t yet completed this step, go here to learn how. Removing tree roots requires the proper equipment, meaning a shovel/hoe and a chainsaw/ax/loppers.

Once you have gathered all your materials, the next step is to expose all the outlying roots. Dig around the base until the roots are exposed. Then, use your root-cutting equipment (chainsaw, ax, or loppers) to cut the tree roots. The key to root removal is to dig all around the roots, including underneath them, to make it easier to cut the roots. The best way of cutting thicker roots is to make a clean cut in a circular shape around the different sides of the root to join the incisions into one large incision. Also, cut smaller roots before moving on to larger roots. This will allow you to remove older and thicker tree roots that have had time to grow.

Once you have finished digging and cutting, you will have a large hole in your ground where roots used to be. To make the land fertile again, clean away any old fragments of root or stump. Then, place soil and/or sod to ensure the area returns to its previous glamour.

If you need help removing your tree stump or roots, consider using TalkLocal to find a tree removal specialist for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, tree removal companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location, and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.