How to remove a large tree: DIY vs. hiring a professional tree removal service

We love large trees. Large trees add curb appeal to any property (when they're well-placed and well-maintained). They also provide shade in the summer and can act as a wind break and drown out noise from the street.

Most trees take a long time to grow large so it's often a tough pill to swallow when a large tree has to be removed. Often, there is no choice because the tree becomes a safety hazard, or it is an eyesore due to poor tree health. Trees, like people, have a natural lifecycle and they can also be damaged by storms, pests or disease.

Of course it's safest to hire a professional arborist to remove large trees, but many people may feel they can or need to take care of it themselves. If you decide to do it yourself, there are many things to consider. In this article we'll go through all that entails. But first, you will have to assess if it’s possible for you to remove it at all or if it’s better if you go for an arborist. In this article, we will discuss how to remove a large tree from your lawn or yard.

Determining when to remove a tree

Before getting into how you may be able to remove a large tree, we will first discuss how to know that a tree must be removed.

Dead or dying trees are easy to identify when they lack foliage during the proper season. If many tree limbs are bare in the summer, it generally means the tree is unhealthy to the point that it can’t be saved. Of course dead trees tend not to have any leaves at all. One trick you can try in the winter to see if your tree still has life is to snap off a twig or scratch a branch lightly to see if you see any green on the inside. If you don't see green, you’ll have to wait till spring to find out if the tree is truly dead by looking at the growth of new sprouts. Often you'll see new buds forming in the winter or early spring, depending on the area. Also, small, living branches should be bendy and springy, not brittle.

Brown leaves are also a bad sign as they indicate that the tree is being harmed by insects, disease, or a lack of water. Oozing sap or wet streaks on the bark can indicate that the tree has a fatal injury or disease. You can buy some time before facing the need to remove the whole tree by removing dead or diseased branches. However, it’s better to tackle only the limbs you can reach from the ground. For more advanced pruning, you must hire an arborist who can get up in the canopy with a bucket truck or climbing rope.

There could also be placement issues. For example, the tree may be growing too close to the house's foundation, shading out other plants or living areas. The tree could be growing too close to power lines, sidewalks, or other utilities. You'd be surprised how much tree roots can expand and how much damage they can cause. This varies by tree species as some trees have gently roots that cause few issues.

Lastly, storm damage can often force a tree removal. When a storm removes a major part of the tree, the tree will always be imbalanced and possibly dangerous. Sometimes trees with weak roots are toppled right over in a storm.

Preparing to remove a large tree

First get the proper tools ready. To remove a large tree successfully, you’ll have the following tools:

• Large and small chainsaws

• Cherry picker or tall extension ladder (depending on the tree's height)

• Wood chipper

• Pole pruner

You must take proper safety precautions before attempting to remove a large tree. Falling trees can be incredibly dangerous and destructive. We recommend the following:

1. Carefully inspect all tools prior to using them

2. Using sharp blades and chains

3. Wear a hard hat, steel-toed boots and gloves

4. Get someone to help you direct the fall of large limbs and portions of the trunk (they will do this by pulling on a rope but they must stay clear of the fall zone)

5. Clearly communicate where people need to be to avoid getting crushed by tree debris

Steps for removing a large tree

Following these steps will help you successfully and safely remove a tree:

1. Clear the area. Make sure to move everyone and everything you can out of the area before starting to cut. Tree removal is very dangerous so you need to want to be sure to prevent any kind of accident, injury, or damage from falling trunk sections or branches. Vehicles, patio furniture, etc. must be moved away. Children and pets must be kept at a safe distance. 2. Cut off lower branches. The first step is to remove the lower branches. Because lower branches tend to be larger and heavier than the upper branches, use a chainsaw to cut them. You can control the fall of these branches with a rope that is pulled by someone not operating the saw. To remove a branch, first make an undercut by sawing upwards from the branch’s underside and then about one fourth of the way through the branch. Next, saw down from the top of the branch, which should be about six inches closer to the trunk than the undercut you made. Use of the two cuts together will enable the branches to fall cleanly on the ground, without any dangerous breaking or splintering.

3. Remove upper branches. Depending on the size of the tree, you may be able to get at these branches with a long extension ladder. Once the lower branches have been removed, use a chainsaw or reciprocating saw to cut off the higher branches the same way you removed the lower ones. Before starting this, be sure to secure your extension ladder to the tree with a rope or set up a tripod ladder. You should also carry the saw with a rope so that your hands are free to climb the ladder/tree.

4. Chop down the trunk. After removing all the branches, the next step is to use a chainsaw to cut down the trunk. First cut a right-angle notch in the trunk in the direction that you want it to fall. Cut toward the notch from the side of the tree, and the notch should be about ⅓ or ¼ of the tree’s diameter. Cut the trunk into sections if it’s too big to fall safely in one piece. In that case, climb the ladder to notch, select a point that’s 10 feet above the ground, and cut the trunk there. Attach a rope to the trunk’s top and get someone to pull on the rope to direct which way the tree falls. They must be safely out of the falling zone and at a distance that’s twice the tree’s height.

5. Cutting the stump. After getting done with the tree, cut the stump at the ground level or near it with a chainsaw. It can be difficult to remove the stump and the root system. If the stump isn’t causing many problems, simply use a stump killer on it, and allow it to decay in place. Stump killer also prevents re-sprouting.

How to know if it's safe to remove the tree yourself, or if you should hire a professional arborist

It's often not safe to cut down a tree yourself, and only a few situations allow you to remove a tree. The biggest issue is probably size. It's best to only remove a tree yourself if it is small and doesn't require climbing into the canopy or a bucket truck to remove. Large trees can damage property or kill people and pets when they come down. Professional arborists must carry insurance so if there is a problem you are covered. You may not be covered by insurance if you do it yourself.

It is difficult and very dangerous to remove a tree if you don’t have the proper tools and expertise to do it. If you try to do it yourself, be sure to follow the aforementioned steps properly to successfully and safely remove a tree and prevent any potential damage or accident. If you don’t have the proper tools and expertise, it’s a smart move to hire a professional arborist to remove the tree.