LOL True, too true. The other error is planting one in the wrong spot. It cost me $850 to have a big spruce removed from my backyard. I planted it there about 30 years ago...too close to a retaining wall. Got another one that I will have to pay to get removed. I planted that one too - too close to the driveway.
Harry K
Don't let the greenies find you! How dare you cut down a mega-CO2-to-oxygen converter for a remodel!
What you can make out of it depends on the equipment and skills you have. You can rough it and chain saw some nice barn wood type lumber and add it to your addition. You could make a porch swing. You could make a lot of nice things if this is cut properly. Just make sure you have a metal detector to make sure you don't cut into some nails.
My late grandmother resembled that remark. She WAY overplanted the yards on the small-lot house she owned, too close together and too close to house. (No old trees, other than the old fenceline by street. Subdivision was an old farm field.) Me and my brothers ended up ripping out a lot of trees and bushes over the years.
Around here, the lumber harvestors won't deal with urban trees, mostly because of the probability of nails, but also because its a lot tougher cutting down a tree surrounded by houses than one in a wood lot.
Oak does make excellent firewood.
Thanks for feedback,
It is sad and we are very sad to remove it. We don't want to remove it. We bought... "for the trees" as there are=20
9 others on this small property and they are about 80 years younger.I am just going by what the contractor / builder has surmised. The=20 tree is 10 ft from the side of home now (too close originally).=20 They're surprised it didn't die from first build over roots. The C/B=20 also added that this tree is pretty much grown to its full expectancy.=20 The problem is not so much the going out or up a few feet as is the=20 going down and out feet. Builder says it probably will not survive and=20 will be much more expensive hassle to remove later than during the=20 project.
Thanks again I think i'll talk to the contractor/builder again to see=20 if we can not save it. We like it and would like to keep it. My neighbor though fears our trees and has offered on many occasions=20 to help pay to remove some of these trees.
robb
My father in law had some black walnut growing at a home he lived at. When the state bought the house to bring a road through he harvested the trees and made Grandfather clocks from the wood.He also made a nice oval table by taking a diagonal slice out of one of the trunks. He sanded it smoth with a floor sander.
Jimmie
Cutting down trees in Austin is touchy business.
The city goes out of the way to preserve the trees by building around them. There are at least 2 houses in my neighborhood that are literally built around trees. I have ancient live oaks on my property. The city would rather bulldoze my house than cut down the trees. The utilities can only trim old trees when they have to. I think it's cool. Austin is a beautiful city.
I find it hard to believe the OP can't make changes in his plans to preserve an old tree if it's healthy. Put the room somewhere else.
Jim
Thanks to all who responded and for the helpful replies.
Although i didn't mention it in OP.. We do *NOT* want to cut the tree we were told by the=20 Builder/Contractor that the tree will not survive the nature of the=20 remodel and the tree appears to have grown past it's expectancy=20 anyways. They recommended removal.
I asked my question to make best of bad situation and to try and=20 honor the tree we like by using the wood in the house (furniture,=20 flooring, staircase, etc).
The problem is they built the house to close to the tree to begin=20 with.
At the very least i plan to revisit the idea of saving it with=20 Builder/Contractor push the point a little harder.
Looks like the time and effort to cut/store/dry/season wood is going=20 to be problematic but doable.
Thanks for help responders. robb
"robb" wrote
If the tree is going to die, better to remove it now rather than later when it can damage the house if branches fall.
I forgot to mention, some of the sawyers won't do yard trees. They may do the upper portion, but there is risk of finding nails or other inclusions on the lower portion and that can damage the blade. Others may want you to cover the blade cost if damaged by foreign objects.
You can start your search here
Ask advice of: (1) A cabinetmaker or antique repair shop in your vicinity. (2) Operator of a sawmill in your vicinity. Costs of transport (from your property to a user's) are the second factor likely to determine utility. The first factor is the particular species of timber and its dimensions (before and after felling.) It is common to discover theoretically beautiful and strong timber has no market value locally (although in another place it might be very valuable.)
It would make good barbecue wood, especially if mixed with a little mesquite and pecan. Bob-tx
We've got Red & White oaks in NY. I wouldn't want either near any BBQ. [good firewood-- but the smoke smells 'off' to me- maybe some folks like it]
What kind of oak do you use for BBQ in TX?
Jim
I don't know about white oak, but I cut some red oak from my property in 1983. I had to wait until the mill's blade was due for overhaul; that is, where any "wire" in the logs would do the least damage to the teeth. (And people - they had a death from flying wire a few decades back).
After sawing, the oak was kilned.
I use it for wood woodworking and still have about 200-300 bd ft left.
I also used red oak for firewood. Lots of heat and it splits easy.
Gary
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