If you are planning to cut down some trees in your backyard or on your property, then you need to have the right tool. Generally regarded as being the best tool to cut down trees is the chainsaw.
With that being said, cutting down trees with a chainsaw can be fairly dangerous, so you do need to follow the right steps. Today, we’re going to teach you how to cut trees with a chainsaw in a safe and effective manner.
Is a Chainsaw the Best Tool for Cutting Down Entire Trees?
Indeed, when it comes to cutting down trees on your property, the chainsaw is generally the best tool to use. Yes, there are other tools that you can use to cut down a full-sized tree, but a chainsaw is indeed the best one.
The reason for this is that the other tools you might use generally don’t have motors and require manual power. Chainsaws, on the other hand, make easy work of trees.
You can find small chainsaws designed for small diameter trees, and you can find massive chainsaws designed for trees that are 10’ in diameter or larger. Moreover, you can also find small electric chainsaws designed for light work as well as large gas-powered chainsaws designed for heavy-duty work.
Although a chainsaw is fairly noisy, heavy, and takes great skill to operate, it will make the fastest work out of a tree when compared to any other tool. Yes, the chainsaw is the number one tool to use for this job.
Another tool that you may of course use to cut down a tree is an ax. You can use an ax to cut down both small and large trees quite effectively. An ax will also provide you with great control over the location of your cut. You may also use a hatchet, which is like a miniature ax, to cut down smaller trees.
There are also other manual tools that may be used to cut down a tree, mainly crosscut saws, and bow saws. Both of these saws are old-school saws that have been in use for hundreds of years to cut down trees.
Of course, while they do work, and they can be pretty efficient if you know how to use them, they do require great manual labor. Therefore, if your goal is to simply cut down a few very large trees, and you plan on doing so on a regular basis, then the fastest, easiest, and most efficient way to do so is with a chainsaw.
Can You Use a Chainsaw to Cut Branches?
Yes, the chainsaw is also a tool that you can use to cut branches. In terms of the size of branches that can be cut with chainsaws, the maximum size really isn’t a problem. However, what is an issue is if the branch is too small. Therefore, it is recommended that you not use a chainsaw for any branch that is less than 3 inches in diameter. In those situations, you might want to use a reciprocating saw instead.
Now, you might be wondering about extension pole chainsaws, which are like small chainsaws that are attached to a long pole, which allow you to reach high up into trees. Well, the case is more or less the same here. That chainsaw still won’t be able to cut very thin branches. Yes, some extension pole chainsaws may be able to cut branches as thin as 2” in diameter, but there is still a minimum limit to that branch size.
If you want to cut relatively thin or small branches up in a tree, a better tool to use is a tree pruner or a bush trimmer. These are smaller motorized tools with special types of blades designed to cut small branches and twigs. You may also use manual tools, mainly some good old bush trimmers or tree scissors. The bottom line is that you really don’t want to use the chainsaw on any branch under 3” in diameter.
How to Cut Trees Using a Chainsaw
Let’s now go through an in-depth step-by-step tutorial on exactly how to cut trees using a chainsaw.
Step 1: Make Adequate Preparations
First, you need to make adequate preparations, which starts with checking your local government for any permits that you might require.
Next, you also need to get yourself the proper safety gear, as using a chainsaw to cut down entire trees is very dangerous.
This means that you want to wear Kevlar pants, and possibly a Kevlar jacket, combined with a helmet and goggles designed for this exact purpose.
Step 2: Examine the Tree and the Surrounding Area
The next thing you need to do here is to check the surrounding area for any structures that a tree might fall onto when you cut it. You need to consider things like roads, fences, power lines, and of course houses and sheds.
If there are a lot of structures, you need to make sure that the clear areas have no debris on the ground so you could easily move around. Moreover, if there are many structures around, you might want to consider hiring professionals to do this job for you.
You then also want to see how much the tree already leans to one side and how stable it is. You want the tree to be healthy, not rotten, as a rotten tree will fall very unpredictably. Moreover, if the tree already leans in one direction, this can also make it very unpredictable.
Therefore, if the tree is rotten and in bad shape, you will also want to hire professionals to do it for you. If you have determined that the tree is safe to cut on your own, you will want to determine what the fall path of the tree is. This is so you can get out of the way when needed.
Step 3: Prepare the Tree and the Surrounding Area
You then want to prepare the tree and the surrounding area, which starts with cutting off all of the side branches up to the top of your head. You want the tree trunk to be completely clear of all branches and twigs, so you can easily access it and move around it.
Therefore, use either your chainsaw, ax, or trimmer to cut away any existing branches up to your head.
You then also want to clear the surrounding area of stones, logs, sticks, and other debris. You don’t want any debris present around the tree, so when you go to move away from it when it falls, you won’t trip over anything.
Step 4: Plan an Escape Route
One of the most important steps here is to plan an escape route. Therefore, you need to know exactly where the tree will fall. Of course, you should never walk in the path of a falling tree. Moreover, a good idea is to try to determine how tall the tree is, so you know where the tip is going to land. You always want to have an escape route in case the worst scenario comes to pass.
Step 5: Cut Notches Into the Tree and Use Blocks to Fell it
Now comes the hard part, actually cutting down the tree with your chainsaw, which we have conveniently divided into steps for you to follow:
- First, you will need to cut a notch into the tree according to the direction that it will be falling. The side of the tree that you cut the notch in is the side that it will fall towards. You are going to cut a notch at a 70-degree angle, and the top of the notch is going to be the shallowest part of your cut, with the bottom part of the notch being the deepest cut. Keep in mind that when making this notch, your chainsaw cannot pass through more than 1/3 of the tree, with the bottom of the notch being around one to 2’ off of the ground. In other words, you are cutting a small triangle out of the tree, with the bottom of the triangle being a 90-degree angle through the horizontal plane of the tree. You will start by making a cut 1/3 of the way through the tree in a horizontal manner.
- Right beside the notch that you have just cut, on the side of the tree, you are now going to create a bore cut. A bore cut is when you insert the saw blade into the tree from the tip to the end of the blade. You’re going to cut a borehole around 2 inches away from the edge of the notch you cut and push it all the way through to the other side of the tree. This will cause the tree to weaken, but also won’t cause it to fall over.
- Now, you are going to use a hammer to insert wedges into that bore cut. Hammer them about 2 inches into the bore cut. Go to the other side of the tree, where the other end of the bore cut is, and repeat the step over again.
- You are now going to position the chainsaw on the other end of the notch cut, or in other words, you’re going to be cutting through the remaining portion of the bore cut. If you have done everything properly, the tree should now fall over.
Mistakes to Avoid, Tips & Tricks
Let’s go over some quick tips and tricks to help make this process as easy and safe as possible:
- Always wear protective gear designed specifically for using a chainsaw.
- You should first learn proper chainsaw techniques, as these are dangerous tools.
- When the tree begins to fall, remove your saw and get out of the way.
Summary
As you can see, the chainsaw is the best tool to use to cut down trees. This is the case whether you are cutting down entire trees or cutting large branches off of a tree. That said, if you are cutting smaller branches off of a tree, there are other tools that you may use.
The bottom line here is that while the chainsaw is the best tool to use for this task, it is a very dangerous tool, and therefore needs to be used in a safe and proper manner. If you have any doubts about using a chainsaw to cut down a large tree on your property, it is best to call a professional.