First published: 25 May 2022 @ 6:00 pm
You may have fallen trees blocking your road, but there are a few tricks you can use to get rid of them without much hassle.
Fallen trees are the worst roadblocks you can face, and they can be incredibly annoying. If you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and a tree has fallen across your path, you’re going to have to wait until it’s removed.
It doesn’t help that fallen trees often pose an immediate danger. For example, some felled trees have been known to catch fire from the heat from traffic passing underneath.
So if you’re trying to get somewhere in a hurry, it’s best to avoid the potential dangers of falling trees.
Photo by Quick PS on Unsplash.
Luckily, removing fallen trees is a relatively simple process once you are the know-how. The only thing that might trip you up is knowing what type of tree falls where and when.
There are a few tools that we can use to make our lives easier. In this article, we will go over how you can get rid of a fallen tree from your path by using those tools and a little common sense.
Types of Fallen Trees
There are three main types of fallen trees: hardwood, softwood, and conifer.
If you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and a fallen tree blocks your path, it’s best to be prepared.
We’ll go over how to remove each type in turn.
1. Hardwood
Hardwood trees fall with a huge amount of force, so you should be prepared for a few things when you encounter one.
First of all, the fallen tree may have split or broken off from the trunk and may still be connected to it in some way.
The whole tree may have broken into pieces as well. So you should check underneath your car as well if possible to make sure there isn’t any loose wood from the trunk still sticking out from under your car or another vehicle that could hurt someone if they ran over it! (Though it’s unlikely.)
Also, make sure that no parts of the tree are still in contact with your vehicle or body parts before proceeding!
2. Softwood
Softwood trees fall more easily than hardwoods because they tend to be lighter in weight. This means you probably will encounter these types of fallen trees more in your everyday life.
However, softwood trees do have a few potential dangers. First of all, there is the potential for a fire underneath the fallen tree. You should make sure that there isn’t any loose wood from the trunk still sticking out from under your car or another vehicle that could hurt someone if they ran over it.
Also, make sure that no parts of the tree are still in contact with your vehicle or body parts before proceeding.
3. Conifer
Conifer trees fall very easily because they are much lighter in weight than hardwoods and softwoods. Therefore, the fallen tree will likely fall over without breaking apart.
However, since they don’t break apart easily, they are much more difficult to move if you don’t have a professional tree removal service.
The biggest issue with conifer trees is that they can sometimes contain sharp needles that can pierce through the skin and become embedded in your body. Therefore, it would be best to be very careful when moving these trees.
Tools Needed
you’ll need a few tools to remove a fallen tree from your path. A chainsaw is ideal for clearing large fallen trees and should be the first tool you should use to remove the tree.
If you have a chain saw that can cut through branches, it will be more efficient than an ax.
An ax will be fine for smaller fallen trees though, so if you don’t have a chainsaw, an ax will do just fine!
Next, we need something to pry up the tree and break it apart. Many tools can do this, such as an angle grinder or a crowbar.
However, you can also use something as simple as a jackhammer to break up the tree into smaller pieces.
Suppose you’re not too worried about being able to get under your car to fix it later on. In that case, an angle grinder or crowbar is ideal because it will also help ensure that no parts of the tree are still in contact with your vehicle or body parts before proceeding.
It’s also important to know what type of tree fell where and when so that you can avoid using dangerous methods of removal, such as using gas torches and cutting through live electrical wires.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash.
How to Remove a Fallen Tree
Before removing the tree, check underneath the car. See if there isn’t any loose wood from the trunk sticking out underneath the car.
If someone runs over that tree and hits something, they may be injured. Also, check that no part of the tree is still in contact with your vehicle or body parts before moving.
Now it’s time to remove the tree.
Start by putting on some protective gear. You don’t want to be injured when you remove the tree because you will need to be careful not to hit any branches with your chainsaw or other tools.
If there is any wire around, you will also need protective gloves. It’s also a good idea to use eye protection and a respirator if possible too because wood chips and dust can be very dangerous for your lungs.
Once you have all of your protective gear on, it’s time to remove the fallen tree. The best way to do this is by using a chainsaw, as it is best at cutting through wood. However, if you don’t have a chainsaw, then an ax will do just fine!
The easiest way to remove the tree is to start from the top and work your way down. Once you have removed all the smaller branches, then you can move on to cutting through the trunk.
If there are any live electrical wires around that could be dangerous for you or your vehicle, then check them before cutting through them!
Once you have removed all the smaller branches and cut through the trunk, it’s time to remove the tree. Again, make sure that no parts of the tree are still in contact with your vehicle or body parts before proceeding!
You should now be able to drive over your fallen tree with no issues safely.
Learn More About Handyman Projects
As you can see, removing fallen trees is fairly simple once you are the know-how. The only thing that might trip you up is knowing what type of tree falls where and when.
Luckily for us, there are some tools we can use to make our lives easier. In this article, we have gone over how to remove a fallen tree from your path using these tools and a little common sense as well!
Our blog, HandyWork, has been created to help you learn more about DIY and help you out with your handyman projects. To read more of our articles, click here!