Removing my 6'7" coastal redwood yard tree

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Yes, it was an absolutely beautiful tree and I would have loved to have kept it if it had been towards the back of the property. It has roots that are 2ft thick on the surface which are under the shop and lifting up the neighbors driveway. The root ball and stump have also created a small mountain in the backyard and was choking off the alley access to the backyard as well. The tree sheds year round, pretty bad, and shades most of the backyard killing the grass in a 25ft radius. If I wanted to keep the tree, I would essentially need to let it have the entire backyard. This was one of three larger trees that all came down the same week. The second tree was a beautiful sycamore tree that was planted right next to the driveway and destroyed it, also sending roots out into a busy street and lifting up the asphalt. I'm surprised the city hadn't come down on the previous owners about it. The third tree was a large cedar, around 4-1/2ft in diameter with 18 co-dominant tops(poor topping in the past) that was planted close to the other side of the property and had grown over the property line and was wrecking the opposite neighbors driveway. It looked liked a giant cactus when delimbed. The previous owners pretty much gave everyone around them a big FU and let their property go. As for milling, the best I can do is chainsaw it and wedge it into smaller pieces then have them milled. The cuts won't make a flat slab, but that's what is going to happen. It's really just an emotional battle but like the rest of the mills told me, its just not worth the cost.

The redwood was 71 years old, and based on the chunks cut down it was around 100ft.