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Tree close to proposed barn, how close is too close?

Started by grweldon, November 02, 2012, 04:05:26 PM

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grweldon

I have a cedar tree that will be within 4-6 feet of the lean-to on the side of my barn.  It's about 10-12" DBH and has a perfect form.  There are other smaller pines near it that I will be clearing out, but my question is this, how close is too close for a tree next to a barn.  Honestly, I think if it fell in the proper direction as it is now, it could hit my house... not by much, but still.

I've never milled cedar and I'm waiting for the opportunity to do so, but as I said, this is a beautiful example of an Eastern Redcedar.  I'm torn as to what to do and wondering what the general consensus is...
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clww

If it were me, I'd remove it now, before you get the barn built. Even if the entire tree doesn't fall over, there are still pieces and parts to deal with. Limbs can put nasty holes in that new roof. Sap, cones and needles clog gutters.
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beenthere

It's your call. Some would leave it, and some would remove it.
For me, I'd remove it when it was in the way. Can always take it down.
Can't put it back.
This being a new thread, seems the other thread showing the footings, there was a tree close to a footing. The roots of a live tree may move a footing so if this is the same tree, might want to remove it. No problem until the roots rot away, leaving an empty spot below a footing (if under the footing).
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tcsmpsi

10-12" dbh is not very restrictive or problematic for an ERC.  Limbs from it will be little problem.  Those pines, require a little closer scrutiny. 

As beenthere mentioned, you can always take it down, but you can't put it back.  Besides, I never cut trees down without casting a line and helping them, unless on rare occassion they're heeled right, and nothing but other trees it can hit in any direction.  An 80-90' pine, even if it is only 12" dbh has a lot of mojo. 

ERC at the size you mention, is likely quite healthy.  Me, I have always only taken down what is necessary and let the others grow, until it becomes necessary for them to be harvested.  Sometimes makes it a bit more difficult, but, I figure I was put here for difficult stuff.    ;D
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SPIKER

I'm with the others, leave it till you think it NEEDS to come down...   I have 3 or 4 around my barn I set the barn between them all when they were smaller, looking at them now one Pin Oak has tripled in size and looks really nice off the barn corner.   the Willow which I cut a bunch of it's roots is about 1.5X it's original size with a swell cut between it and the barn there is less moisture near the barn so the roots seem to have gone away towards the uphill berm that traps some runoff.    One Maple is the east sun rise block has nice rounded form but suckered rather bad looking at planting out farther and taking it down.   There are 2 Poppels that are coming down maybe this winter as they have 4x their size and dropping black sap...

mark
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grweldon

I was looking at it again today and it appears that some of the limbs will be hanging over the lean-to on the side of the center section.  I'm going to leave the cedar for now, who knows when I'm going to get around to building the lean-tos on each side.  Thanks for everyone's advice.
My three favorite documents: The Holy Bible, The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.

Onthesauk

When we had our site work for the house built, the cutter took down anything that was leaning toward the house that could reach it.  Here in the NW our trees grow 3 to 4 feet per year and 14 years since the site work was done means we have a lot more trees that will reach the house now, kind of sneaks up on you. ;D
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