Large Red Oak Tree

[jrdepew]

All,

I have a large red oak in the front yard, about 30" diameter at chest height off the ground. The main trunk is a good 25' long, and straight.

Long story short, the tree is dying due to pine beetles (according to one of the tree companies).

I think what happened is that about 25% of the roots were cut to install a driveway, and then fill dirt was brought in too high around the trunk of the tree when the lot was built up. This was when the house was being built around 3 years ago, all weakening the tree. There is now some sort of insect living in the bottom of the trunk (they make sawdust piles all over the trunk), and bark is peeling off many of the larger branches. It has dropped one branch on our house and one on our cars.

So, unfortunately, it is time for the tree to go. It is one of the reasons we bought the house...these mature trees.

The quotes to get it removed have been around 3k for removal, including stump grinding. One company will do it for 2k, but doesn't do stump grinding.

I am wondering how much good wood will be left in this tree because of the beetles? It seems crazy to take a red oak tree this big and turn it all into firewood. I was considering having a company take the whole top off, and the drop the main trunk in 2 sections. Then I could get a mobile sawmill service to turn it into usable lumber. I have never done anything like this before, but if there is a bunch of good lumber to keep/sell, maybe it will be worth it?

Anyone have any opinions on this or been through something similar?

Thanks,
Joe

 

[smstonypoint]

My impression is that loggers/mills avoid dealing with trees around home sites -- there's always a chance that they will run into embedded metal and it isn't worthwhile to move their equipment for a single or limited number of logs.

Steve

 

[ovrszd]

Bummer. Human's lifespans are too short to replace such a tree.....

Maybe ask around in the community if someone does woodwork such as furniture building, etc?? They might be able to guide you in how to process the log. Maybe the mobile sawmill guy could suggest someone?

 

[ovrszd]

Bummer. Human's lifespans are too short to replace such a tree.....

Maybe ask around in the community if someone does woodwork such as furniture building, etc?? They might be able to guide you in how to process the log. Maybe the mobile sawmill guy could suggest someone?

 

[jrdepew]

It really is a bummer. It sits right in front of the house and is a beautiful tree.

I will continue to ask around.

I do dabble in woodworking and am always building something, so having the lumber would be great. I have an old 12" parks planer with a 3hp motor that would plane it down smooth as glass after a long drying session too...

It does seem like a lot of work to move a mobile mill for one tree though.

Even if someone had a rig that could haul the trunk home and process at their place...if they could move it they can have it all. It would save me money because hauling off the tree is a large part of the cost, and someone would potentially get some nice lumber. I am not sure that is a fair trade with all the effort involved though.

-Joe

 

[/pine]

IMO there is no telling what you might find inside the tree...As soon as it's cut you will have a better idea about the lumber...The tree could be hollow at the very center and also be full of water...you never know...I've seen even healthy looking trees (no sign of insects etc...) that were not worth milling because they were rotting from the inside...
If the cut/stump looks solid you won't know about the insect damage until you start slabbing it off...could go either way...
When you're inquiring about a sawyer be sure to ask about quarter sawing as it is a preferred method for the grain of red oaks...

Good Luck...

 

[Teachu2]

I would seek out a certified arborist first - the tree may be able to recover. Calving limbs is not at all uncommon on oaks. We have a couple hundred in 5 varieties on my little piece of ground, and typically calve a couple large limbs a year. The last one was about half a cord of firewood, and had a few lbs of acorn hulls stored in it by some enterprising squirrel. The main trunk and remaining branches appear sound.

 

[RNeumann]

IMO there is no telling what you might find inside the tree...As soon as it's cut you will have a better idea about the lumber...The tree could be hollow at the very center and also be full of water...you never know...I've seen even healthy looking trees (no sign of insects etc...) that were not worth milling because they were rotting from the inside...
If the cut/stump looks solid you won't know about the insect damage until you start slabbing it off...could go either way...
When you're inquiring about a sawyer be sure to ask about quarter sawing as it is a preferred method for the grain of red oaks...

Good Luck...

Yep no way to know. Oaks (and others) can live with a lot of rot on the inside.

I’d caution a full removal until you try killing the funk growing in the tree. Tree “experts” are typically tree trimmers/removers. Not that they are bad or unethical but it’s human nature to look at the world through your own lens- carpenters grab a hammer, engineers grab a slide rule etc.

We were told our red oak needed to be removed as well. Same situation with new sidewalks and new landscape under the canopy. We also had a big limb hit the house. We were also finally told it was over pruned (tree was trimmed when we had the limb hit the house). We finally found someone who suggested we shut off all water under the canopy (lawns, bushes etc) and treat with “X” chemical. Low and behold the stuff growing out of the bark went away and the tree is doing good to this day!

 

[Sonny580]

If that many roots were cut PLUS dirt piled up around the trunk, sorry to say "it's gone"--Around here the dirt piled up on the trunk invites carpenter ants and they will kill the trees in a couple years.
Check around, maybe an ad on cl or similar sites and see if someone is interested.
Wish you were close to me, as I would cut it for you! thanks; sonny580

 

[jrdepew]

Yep no way to know. Oaks (and others) can live with a lot of rot on the inside.

I壇 caution a full removal until you try killing the funk growing in the tree. Tree 兎xperts are typically tree trimmers/removers. Not that they are bad or unethical but it痴 human nature to look at the world through your own lens- carpenters grab a hammer, engineers grab a slide rule etc.

We were told our red oak needed to be removed as well. Same situation with new sidewalks and new landscape under the canopy. We also had a big limb hit the house. We were also finally told it was over pruned (tree was trimmed when we had the limb hit the house). We finally found someone who suggested we shut off all water under the canopy (lawns, bushes etc) and treat with 店 chemical. Low and behold the stuff growing out of the bark went away and the tree is doing good to this day!

Interesting...I will get ahold of someone to look at it that doesn't stand to make their living taking them down.

I did find a local guy with a portable bandsaw mill that travels. He charges a 400 dollar minimum and says if I have 2x 12' trtunks he expects it will take about that 400 dollar minimum to slice them up. If he is close with his estimate, and the wood looks good, that sounds like a good deal to me. I have space to stack and sticker the wood and let it dry...use some here for some projects and maybe sell a slab or two to help with the cost...we will see.

It would be awesome if the tree could stay though...that would be the best outcome.

-Joe

 

[teg]

I'm with Sonny, hate to say it... around here, when they build, it almost seems like the builders do there best to abuse and kill a tree. No protection what so ever to try and save a tree. Trees will look like they are alive but they take a few years to succumb. If you started to save the tree as soon as you moved in, you might have had a chance... but no one thinks of that until it's too late.

PS. Pine beetle do not eat oak trees, you have wood borers... and they usually feed on dead wood.

 

[newbury]

<snip> I have space to stack and sticker the wood and let it dry...use some here for some projects and maybe sell a slab or two to help with the cost...we will see.

It would be awesome if the tree could stay though...that would be the best outcome.

-Joe

Johns Island, SC seems to be in a pretty humid area. You might need to build some shelter for it to dry properly.

 

[nybirdman]

If I had a diseased tree that large and close to the housed it would have it taken down for sure and I hate taking trees off my property especially a large nice looking tree.
If it's dropping branches;I would guess it's done for.Sounds like a lot of money to take it down but probably less than the repair bill if it hits your house.
Locally were loosing our Elms,Pines have some kind of disease and the Ash are being infected by Ash borers.Not good,only thing we will have is our Oaks,Butter-nut(also in trouble) and Maple.

 

[/pine]

Interesting...I will get ahold of someone to look at it that doesn't stand to make their living taking them down.

I did find a local guy with a portable bandsaw mill that travels. He charges a 400 dollar minimum and says if I have 2x 12' trtunks he expects it will take about that 400 dollar minimum to slice them up. If he is close with his estimate, and the wood looks good, that sounds like a good deal to me. I have space to stack and sticker the wood and let it dry...use some here for some projects and maybe sell a slab or two to help with the cost...we will see.

It would be awesome if the tree could stay though...that would be the best outcome.

-Joe

Just a suggestion should the tree have to come down and it is fairly solid...And you can possibly market some of the lumber...Consider having the sawyer leave you some live edge slabs..."live edge" is quite popular right now...

 

[jrdepew]

Just a suggestion should the tree have to come down and it is fairly solid...And you can possibly market some of the lumber...Consider having the sawyer leave you some live edge slabs..."live edge" is quite popular right now...

This was the sawyer's suggestion as well. It is a sales tool for him for sure, as he said a few slabs could be sold off to cover the cost of hiring him, but it does make sense.

 

[jrdepew]

Johns Island, SC seems to be in a pretty humid area. You might need to build some shelter for it to dry properly.

Shelter as in protection from rain? Or that the wood would need to be in a climate controlled area?

Humid might be an understatement

 

[Egon]

Figure out how many board feet there is in the tree so the economics can be figured out. Also, try and determine what type of boards you want cut. ( quarter, rift, flat sawn )

You might try and sell the tree as felled. ???

Chainsaw mill may work but sawyer is more practice.

 

[newbury]

Shelter as in protection from rain? Or that the wood would need to be in a climate controlled area?

Humid might be an understatement

Protection from rain and bugs immediately.
But perhaps you could erect a minimalist tent frame over a well stickered stack, throw a tarp over and put a fan on it to force air through.
/edit - remember it's the rule thumb - an inch a year for drying. So if you cut a 4" thick slab it might take 4 years to dry.

Figure out how many board feet there is in the tree so the economics can be figured out. Also, try and determine what type of boards you want cut. ( quarter, rift, flat sawn )

You might try and sell the tree as felled. ???

Chainsaw mill may work but sawyer is more practice.

Really difficult to tell what the wood will be like without cutting it open. Cavities, insect damage, rot, embedded metal are all possible.
Almost every tree I've milled has had some surprise inside.

The quotes to get it removed have been around 3k for removal, including stump grinding. One company will do it for 2k, but doesn't do stump grinding.

Removal means ALL problems are gone. You don't worry about climbing up in the tree, limbing, disposing etc.

I'd view that as a 3k "grant" to buy more equipment and talk that tree into laying down. But then I enjoy getting up in trees with a chain saw

 

[EddieWalker]

Sadly, big old trees are the most delicate. While it's sometimes hard to understand, it's smart business taking out all the trees around a house when building and then planting new ones.

$3 grand to take it down, haul it off and grind the stump is a very reasonable price. Just make sure that you have in writing that it will all be done and cleaned up before you pay them anything. Usually they will get rid of the tree, and then it's weeks or months later that the stump is finally ground up, and who knows how that will look.

Getting it cut into lumber is never worth the effort if you do not have a mill, or access to one. You can have the guys cutting it down cut the trunk into 9 foot lengths so you can have it milled, but then you will have to either hire a guy to come to your place to cut it into boards, or you will have to haul it to him. Then what will you do with the lumber? It will have to dry out before it's usable, which takes up a lot of room. If you want to sell it, you have to be cheaper then Home Depot, and finding buyers costs time and money. Do you have a need for it?

In my experience, it's cheaper in the long run to just get rid of it.

 

[big bubba]

should you decide to have it professionally removed, ensure the guy is bonded/ insured esp having to cut it that close to house. maybe ask for documentation. if someone or property is damaged, liability for you could be a concern if an outfit is not properly covered
best of luck, sorry to see the old warrior fade.