Cutting down a tree can be extremely dangerous, even for tree cutting professionals.
In fact, the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) reports that the chance of dying in a job-related accident is 30% more likely for some tree care professions compared to others.
If you can’t afford to call on the professionals or would rather do the job yourself, it’s possible if you follow the right steps.
Read on to learn how to chop down a tree safely.
Wear the Right Safety Gear
Wearing the right safety gear can be the difference between life and death when cutting down a tree.
You’ll need to invest in a safety helmet to protect your head in the case that any branches fall off during the process.
You should also wear a face mask and safety glasses or goggles to prevent debris or splinters from getting in your face.
Before cutting down trees, always ensure that your children are safely away.
Find Out Where the Tree Will Fall
If you’re wondering how to chop down a tree in your own yard, the first step is making sure the fallen tree won’t accidentally crush anything. This goes for cars in your driveway or even your house itself.
It can be difficult to tell how long a tree truly is, but there are tree cutting techniques to help.
One such technique is the axe trick. Hold an axe upright at arm’s length from your body with one eye closed. Once you’re far enough away that the bottom of the axe handle aligns with the base of the tree and the top aligns with the top of the tree, that’s how far the fallen tree will reach.
If you need an axe, you can get the perfect one for your needs at clutchaxes.com.
Know When to Call a Professional
While the way you cut the tree can influence the direction it falls in, some trees can’t be controlled so well. Trees heavily leaning to one side or with more branches on one side than another will fall towards that side.
Does the tree have any dead branches still attached? These can fall on you while you’re cutting down a tree.
It’s also a bad sign if anything important like your property or powerlines are in the way of the tree’s fall.
These are all signs that you should call a tree cutting professional who knows how to cut down a tree in these circumstances instead of doing it yourself.
Cutting the Tree
If you’ve covered all of your safety measures and checkpoints, it’s time to get rid of the tree once and for all.
On the side you want it to fall towards, you’ll make a notch cut. This is a triangular-shaped wedge that should come right out.
Next, you’ll make a felling cut. This is simply a one-line cut on the opposite side of the tree. This cut will continue until the tree starts to fall. Never cut all the way through to the other side of the tree.
If the tree starts to move, get out of the way immediately.
You Know How to Chop Down a Tree: Now What?
Now that you know how to chop down a tree safely, you can get to work!
It’s advised while cutting down a tree that you have a partner who can keep a lookout for you.
Once the tree has fallen, chop off the branches and cut up the trunk. This makes for easy removal. You can even use it for firewood.
If you found this article informative, be sure to visit the mom blog regularly for everything a parent needs to know.
