One thing I definitely learned from watching this video was never under any circumstances plant houses near trees 😆 🤣 😂 that was a good one! but those were some serious roots 💪😉👍

@musikdrengen02

Жыл бұрын

You can plant some trees, just do some research before planting ✌️😎

@janiedunn637

Жыл бұрын

Depends what type of tree 🌲.

@KS-ox1kx

Жыл бұрын

😂😂😂😂😂 definitely not the two story type. Even more plumbing problems 😂😂😂

@joshuakahikuata7001

Жыл бұрын

0⁰⁰9

@vickigonya9432

Жыл бұрын

😂😂😂😂❤

I followed the exact steps, but I waited until after a good rain to remove the roots. The ground was much softer and it made a big difference in the amount of energy needed.

tip. high-pressure water along the roots to expose them more.

Well done! Enjoyed watching the video and all of the spinal adjustments. 😅 In my experience, the reciprocating saw, a hatchet for the stubborn little ones (yes, you will dull it but you will sharpen it later) and the pry bar are key. I use a 60 inch pinch point pry bar that you can also use to break small roots. One tip that I find very effective: Cut some of those big roots from the surface like you did but then just -wait- a few weeks/months if possible for the root to die. For most trees, dead roots are very brittle, and they will come up easier, often just by breaking with the leverage of lifting one end. So if I were to tackle a project like that on my own yard I would get out there and do as many cuts as I could from the surface and then just focus on other projects and things for a few weeks if while I wait for the roots to die/dry out .

@rebeccajohnson1368

Жыл бұрын

Smart

Biggest lesson I learned was not planting houses next to trees. :) I would add that placing a hard board under the lever bar may prevent it from sinking into the soil and give you more leverage action. Great video!

@damong4128

2 ай бұрын

House Planting!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Yep. We just learned this same thing over the last summer trying to clear a new trail and a 50'x50' plot for a new cabin. The reciprocating saw worked like a charm.

Brad, I love your positive attitude and your humor! You are a natural born teacher. Can’t wait to see more of your home improvement videos! Thank You for sharing this.

@shayj8883

Жыл бұрын

I love his reciprocal saw. It would scare me though. I drill with my eye closed…

@Gwen-joyful-light

Жыл бұрын

@@shayj8883 😂

@ridermak4111

Жыл бұрын

This video will be handy evidence for your neighbor after the very large tree (formerly held up by very large roots) crushes his house. Your insurance company will dump you without paying one dime. Not kidding. This is real. Consult a professional arborist before cutting roots.

@gr8dvd

9 ай бұрын

​@@ridermak4111 True but ONLY if tree failed shortly after surface roots removed. For this reason I’m giving notice to my town that if they decide not to remove their tree that’s destroying my driveway plus sidewalk & curb (all my responsibility to maintain by code), I will remove roots and THEY are on notice that a failure is on them. Importantly town planted tree 3’ from driveway tho code sez 10’ minimum.

@ridermak4111

9 ай бұрын

@@gr8dvd WOW ! There’s a huge difference between concrete being damaged in slow motion, and innocent people being killed in an instant. But it sounds like you don’t much care about that difference. ….you’re responsible for the curb, too? Yeah, right. My sidewalk has been lifted by roots in two places, and lots of my neighbors have had the same problem. None of us has ever whined about it. I guess we like the shade.

Nice! Tip on the reciprocal saw for newbies-. Keep it pushed firm against what you're cutting so it works well and does not shake you apart. Buy a few blades they will dull/ break. You can sharpen them. A big bar is cool. Doesn't need to be fancy like this one but bigger is better.

@MrAstephen

Жыл бұрын

Good points. Thank you.

@aglight63

Жыл бұрын

And wear gloves! I purchased a 120v Porter Cable saw from garage sale for this purpose. Almost shook my teeth loose a gave me 2 quarter sized blisters. I knew better but was careless

This was such a great video to watch. Loved your sense of humor while getting this job done.

You are quite handy with the tools! Those roots were some serious business for sure. And, I promise to never plant my house near trees. A very valuable lesson!

This is no easy task and you did this alone. You’re a good man. Tackling this job by yourself.💪 Good work.

Charming and educational video with real world application. Thank you. Timely too; we have just removed a 30 year old deck and are leveling for pavers. But first, about these roots! I'm going out right now and show them my vintage Blank and Dexter recip saw. They'll get brittle overnight.

You did a great job. It shows how tough root removal really is.

We've just started digging up some old roots too, using a early black and decker recip saw, isn't as fast as yours but seems to work and using a thick welders glove helps to dampen the vibrations and yes we too like the way the house builders plonked our house in the middle of several oak trees! Our next project is how to burn out a massive tree stump that should be fun!

@lauranewbie8765

Жыл бұрын

You should use a stump grinder. Fast and easy.

I feel your pain! We bought an older house, and for the past three years I have been cutting trees down and pulling up roots. I have never seen a pry bar like that, but the search is on! Great video!

@alfilkemper9240

3 ай бұрын

The pry bar looks like my pallet buster tool.

You’re absolutely right about using a recip saw! I had to rip out a massive stump in my yard and I dug around it and used a big recip saw with the same pruning blades! It definitely got the job done!

@marksmith1003

Жыл бұрын

I am considering a similar but smaller scale job and am curious as to why the reciprocating saw is preferred to a chain saw?

@pqworks9019

Жыл бұрын

@@marksmith1003 when a chainsaw blade makes contact with dirt, the blades will become dull almost immediately, with recip saw blades, they are made of strong materials that are built to cut into abrasive materials, like wood, nails, and metal, so the recip saw will work very well. If the roots are small enough, an axe will be a good choice.

@workonitm8

Жыл бұрын

@@pqworks9019 YEP !

Man versus tree. Those roots are as big as the tree. You make it very fun to watch. Thank you!

Thank you for posting this. I will definitely hire someone to this job!!! You are the man!!!

Over 45 years ago I bought a corded Milwaukee Orbital Super Sawzall to cut out some rotted cast pipe under my house. Case included. I have several Makita cordless recip saws. When I have real work to do it is worth dragging out my Milwaukee. Fun video!!

My roots are seriously gigantic. It's just me, myself and I. I will go digging again and think about what to do. Great video.

Diablo blades are the BEST! Love them. Thanks for an informative video!

I'm genuinely excited about this project, waiting for part 2 :)

Another useful alternative to the reciprocating saw is to hire a stump grinder, a pedestrian type will do fine on those thick roots and with a lot less physical effort. If available, a mini digger with a ripper to rip out the other lateral roots. The mini digger will also finish off the basic site work.

@paulatiredofthisshit

2 ай бұрын

Hahaha another useful alternative is to pay someone money for other tools. No kidding!!! Not the point of the video.

I had no idea there were pruning blades. Just ordered a 6-pack of these. Can’t wait to clear some old roots!

I used a recepcating saw and a pic ax i didn't have that bar tool you were using. I got the job done by myself on a slope in my backyard after I removed all the tree roots, i put in a flower bed. Turned out nice. I enjoyed this video.

Damn! I thought my backyard was the only one to have this problem. Thanks for the info, because I'm going out to get some of those reciprocating saw blades and plan my spring. I'm working out now in preparation for the job.

I enjoyed the video - been there, done that - but I used another tool that I have - I have a 3000psi pressure washer - yep! I'm too old to be prying so one day I tried it. It's messy, but I found the water allows the dirt to loosen the ground. The 2nd day, I watered the area a lot. Then the roots + the reciprocating saw worked great. I also used the pressure washer for placing a 4x4 post for the mailbox. Easiest installation EVER.

Your such an inspiration sir ! That is why I still keep making my own KZread videos ! 🤙🏼

No trip to the ER and no cuts to the utilities -that’s a win!

I used the diablo 12 inch blade with sawsall and it worked well for me. Took time and patience, but works. Filled remaining holes four or five times over three month period.

Great job. Yes, certain trees have shallow roots that should not be planted near homes, like maples.

I have used reciprocating saws to do the same thing when I take out mulberry trees when I do yard clean-ups.

I never thought to let my blade go down into the dirt. This will be cake. Thank you for showing me that. I have a small stump about to meet its demise.

@jmodified

Ай бұрын

It will really dull the blade quickly, so just buy a pack of cheap ones if you need to do a lot of it.

Thanks for the tip. I went and ordered some of those Diablo reciprocating saw blades. I had root problem also. Not as bad as yours, but these blades made my work easy. Thank you sir.

Brad, you had me cracking me up during this whole video lol. Your humor is just great and much needed when it comes to frustrating root removal. 😅 Been there, done that. A job well done as always sir!

Thanks for the great video! I usually blast the roots with a power washer to better expose them, helps out a ton

A great video. It showed just how far tree roots can grow. I was contemplating buying a house with some cracking near trees. You have informed me how bad roots can be and It's put me off. Think you've saved me a lot of trouble Thank you

I've got this leverage tool, I've got to use it. Glad you finally realised to start with the thinner ends of the roots first and working your eay back to the main trunk.

Brad, great tips on how to remove roots. I had a giant oak tree cut down to a sump last year. After a heavy rain dampen the soil, the reciprocal saw cut through the wood and soil with ease. Afterwards the pry bar can now lift the trunk and snap the roots underneath.

I did the same thing last year after taking down a 60ft tree. I had a guy come in with a stump grinder, but he didn’t get all the roots. I had three Batteries for my reciprocating saw for continuous work. This was one of the most physical work digging out the roots, especially the ones the branch out in all different directions. He wasn’t kidding about the vibrations, I had many callouses afterwards.

Your one of the reasons why I started my KZread channel 🤙🏼🔥

You've made a fantastic video, I love the flow of it along with good use of resources. Great job! It is time-consuming to put all the efforts in well organized video.

Wow! Wish I had seen this before we spent a couple of hours trying to do this with a mini chain saw and no pry tool!!! Great video. Funny too when you do acrobatics at the end of your pry tool. Thanks for the great info!

@oNeGiAnTLiE

Ай бұрын

Chainsaws are destroyed in dirt

If you had the room to use an axe, I've found an axe to be pretty effective in cutting through roots in the ground. My project was digging a trench for a drain pipe in my yard, but the trench encountered all kinds of tree roots. I used a reciprocating saw with a diablo blade (12" !) and it only got me "so far" until my neighbor demonstrated his axe on the remaining roots...

I always enjoy these. I need to watch more.

I do tree work and your way is much better I send your video to my buddies... your tools are going to help us thanks.... But A dingo is the best thing

WOW, this is just back breaking work. Thanks for the video and be careful out there.

You were fuuuuuuuuuuuny but hard-working !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am following your lead,

LOVE IT - I bought a $50 beater recip saw from Harbor Freight. It's like 14 amp, corded and I bought 2 of those Diablo Pruning blades. One 9" and the other is 12" and I just saw some dude here on YT yesterday with an 18" blade!!! He cut up a HUGE tree that had fallen on his property like a year before. It was something like 40' in length and I'm not sure how big the trunk was but eventually he got through it. Said it took him a few hours. I've got about a 25' tall tree in my front yard that's like 1/2 dead and really needs to come out. Spent the weekend pruning out the dead and now it's lopsided so I'll prune back the branches. No ready to take it all down....going to wait for cooler weather. And I'm thinking I'm going to use the beater recip saw to take the whole thing down but we'll see. Would have loved to see the after effects of all that hard work. This vid is a bit unsatisfying in that regard. If there is a part 2 to this vid, you should link it in your description. makes it easier to get more view

Amazing job! That demolition bar is great, I'm already going on Amazon to look for one. I did a similar job in my back yard last summer, but all I had was a pick ax and crow bar. I found that sharpening the pick ax with an angle grinder every 30 mins or so really helped hack through the roots, but I swear I felt stiff for two weeks and almost still feel the shocks and vibrations in my shoulders from hitting those damn roots 9 months later.

This is why I took out all the big trees in my yard. Made life much easier.

Honestly, this was so entertaining and I don’ even have roots I need to remove!!

OMG That root is giving you the business!!!

Musí to dát hodně práce. Už teď se těším na další video s kořeny stromů. 👍👍👏🌿

I've done this before and found that dirt will dull your blade prematurely, so digging out at several cut points and trying your best to not let the blade drag through the dirt extends the use of the blade x3 at least. Still, very satisfying to create a clean slate for your project.

@salvadormonella8953

Жыл бұрын

Sounds to me like you're using the wrong blade. I've never had this problem.

@jimgraham4673

Жыл бұрын

@@salvadormonella8953 I should have told you I live in AR. and we grow rocks here as well as cotton. Either way, I find less dirt grinding on the blade makes for a longer lasting blade.

@salvadormonella8953

Жыл бұрын

@@jimgraham4673 Arkansas is home to the world's only diamond-hunting focused publicly accessible park, so I'll BET you got some stones there! I've never been to AR, but your freeway patrol sure seems to be on the hunt for fast Dodge Chargers all the time, if youtube is any indicator. I've been to 39 of the 50 states, & AR is on my list, but as of now it's one of 11 I haven't been to yet. Out here in California, our soil is like sponge cake. I have thrust many blades into much dirt & never had a problem. I chalk it up not so much to our insubstantial soil, but to the superior blades I buy, and to my deft Sawzall handling. Cheers.

@RandyBeers

9 ай бұрын

Carbide blades hold up better in the case where you have to play in the dirt...

It makes me happy that I am one of those people who consistently told you to use a sawzall lol. Back saver for sure.

I totally agree. A $20 corded Harbor Freight Saw Zall is ideal or that. 👍👍

After seeing this video and being convinced that it was a workable solution I took the recommendation and got Diablo Pruning Blades and the Gutster Demolition Tool Pry Bar (I have a Ryobi cordless reciprocating saw). My results? The Diablo blades are beasts - they cut fast and don't seem to react badly to the rocks in the soil. That pry bar is strong (much better than any shovel handle), and I'm bearing down on it with all the force necessary to bring up the roots, including snapping the offshoots. Thank you for your advice!

Seems like the kind of stuff I do many times. Always better to try and solve a problem first before hiring someone and spending a lot of money. I’ll bet you got it looking great I loved watching you work. Enjoyed the video. Thanks.

Yep.... that was me also. 8" tree roots are no joke NICELY done and I got a great laugh, also. Cheers!

Thank you for this video. I have been trying to figure out how to cut back some crepe myrtle roots so I can do a landscaped path . I was thinking of a chainsaw but the reciprocating saw is better !

Brilliant work my friend! I am dealing with the same issue in the front yard. Hopefully the tree service I have hired will take the same steps

The first thing to cut there is the tree the roots grow from. It will continue to cause problems with roots. Also, if it survives this root amputation, it will drop debris on the house and your new patio. Oaks are not good over patios. Acorns, sticks, leaves, squirrel poop and aphid pee all rain on you at one time or another. As for removal, you can rent a stump grinder that will remove all the roots and the stump of the tree in about an hour for $3-500. Be sure to plan in a big fire pit on the patio since you will have plenty of fire wood. You can dig the pit with the stump grinder. Or, as noted in a previous comment here, rent a mini excavator for $600-1k. Get one with a thumb on the bucket for grabbing. It can do all the site work and stack your new firewood as well.

FYI..One summer when i was a kid i worked on a farm and we spent a month cutting trees and above ground roots ,,,owner had us use a pressure washer to remove dirt from around roots,,its messy but makes cutting and getting to roots alot easier,,it also allows baldes to stay sharp longer,,,now fast forward 50 years im faced with alot of pine tree roots in my yard ruining lawnmower blades,,im going to use pressure washer but i will buy a few of the diablo blades

@msnita8863

Жыл бұрын

Will the root start burning because of the friction. Really scared

A farm jack would work really well. Thanks for the video

Love the video! I use my rip saw alot!!

Wow...those roots are crazy.

I was wondering about the best way to do this. Thanks for the info.

I used a chain saw fourteen inch to do mine it worked great

Loved it!!❤️

Funny that I just came in a few minutes ago after looking at our sorry excuse for a deck, and wondering if the previous owners put any thought to planting a silver Maple where they did. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

Looking forward to the next vids!

Love the video and the free knowledge. Thank you

just curious, how do you determine which root can remove and which root can't remove? Just afraid of cutting root may cause tree fall in wind.

@janeblogs324

Жыл бұрын

That's why he cut the roots facing his house, so his neighbors won't get damaged

@TheForrest73

Жыл бұрын

I dont think he does

@gtmtnbikr

Жыл бұрын

If you read the dropdown description he says he's taking out the tree out in the fall.

Great effort. I’d be cutting up the root for firewood. I’m lovin your pry tool

Keep up the great and awesome work

I had to remove some roots from my friend's house pretty much like you were doing. It was an Oak tree and the reason you can not lift up the roots even when you cut them like every 1 1/2 feet is the tap roots. The roots growing along the surface also have these at times thick tap roots going almost straight down into the ground from the surface root. Hence the name tap root. I took a shovel and dug out the ground enough beside the tap root to cut it with the reciprocating saw. The saw works great for cutting through the roots for the most part unless they are a lot bigger than 9 inches like he said. You can see these tap roots as he pulls up the surface roots. I did not have a tear down bar like his but had to use a shovel and a flat one at that but it got the job done. When the root will not lift off the ground even an inch that is where the tap root is. So just go down the root lifting and when you can not lift it hardly at all that is the tap root. Had me stumped (pun intended) until I remembered about tap roots dug out the dirt and cut it. Easy after that. The small tap roots like those up against the house are easy to man handle or woman handle or whatever gender you think you are.

I'll try my pressure washer to clear out the soil from the roots before pulling them... but i love the reciprocating saw idea 😁...

Yay. Been fighting old hedge for 2 yearsr slowly. Didn't think a power saw would cope with going in dirt. TIme to go find it in garage!

I had some type of tree/weed grow in the crack between my driveway edge and foundation. I still have the stump there. I will try the reciprocating saw to get at least less showing.

Insane! I trimmed a Red Maple. Learning how to get rid of the roots. Good job sir. Take of your back though. My suggestion is to get rid of the tree and plant some appropriate for the yard

That was strangely satisfying to see you overcome those obstacles. I also have a root problem, but after an hour of that I would definitely need a chiropractor. 😅

Great Job. Your heart is in the right place. A suggestion, power wash the steps. Just use water. I did the sidewalk 3 years ago and they are still bright.

I’m surprised you didn’t bring out the ventrac. Hook it into that V notch of the roots and pull. I removed an overgrown bush from the front corner of the house. All I had was a sawzall, and went to town on the roots. Then we used a tow strap and a truck to pull out the root ball. Even though we hacked away at another bush just a few feet away, that thing keeps coming back to life.

Stop, you're making my back hurt! Great job and perserverance.!

Very interesting. Thank you!

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

I acquired a a Root Slayer shovel when I had some similar issues. Man that thing is wicked. Heavy and heavy duty with a row of shark like teeth down each side of the blade. Probably would have been great if I had a reciprocating saw to augment the job. I was taking out Locust roots. Same winding long root trails, close to 100 ft in places.

You definitely needed to do more cuts then raise. We just removed the last 3 of 7 trees we wanted to get rid of, that was causing house damage. We still have 4, but they are staying. I did plant 2 Nellie Stevens hollies away from the house in flower beds where they should be. Good job! Don't forget to post what you did after a while.

This video makes me want to be your friend. Great stuff man.

Good topic to address.

I just finished a similar project and came to the same conclusions. Leveling the dirt was so much easier after I got the surface roots out.

Thanks for the video. I gathered that you intended to remove the tree completely. Not sure if anyone else suggested a method of using a chain and COME-ALONG. Wrap one end of the chain several feet up the tree trunk or sturdy large branch and use the tool cable with snap-hook to circle the ground roots , one at-a- time. Then crank on the hoist to break some of the smaller roots that go deeper into the soil.. It may be easier on your BACK.

Just as I was about to ask if you were at all afraid of the tree coming down with its roots all cut like that...I saw your sentence about removing it. So. Interesting video.

How has the tree held up since removing the roots?? I’m worried about the tree dying from some of the roots being removed.

@Yogi8156

Жыл бұрын

Trees have more than enough roots to live from, a few surface roots should be ok. Unless you live in a rocky area where the trees can barely root correctly. Then once cut the area Just apply a good coat of back paint, the root just not re-grow there.

@angelherrera2151

Жыл бұрын

Dios

@wkrp10splayer19

Жыл бұрын

see follow-on video "How To Remove Trees Easy DIY"

@aaronsvoboda5897

Жыл бұрын

Id be really interested to see how it looks, I mean there's no chance this tree survived unscathed that was a major root.

@stevemeisenheimer

Жыл бұрын

I think in video he said was taking tree down before he did patio

OMG! I’ll check back with you in a few years when you’re done. Good luck. 😳😳😳

Love the video! Wish I had some of those tools lol. They make the job look 100 times easier. 😁

@CopperCreekCuts

Жыл бұрын

Having struggled in the past with manual tools, I can say the reciprocating saw is well worth it. The demo bar is really well made as well, my wooden shovel would have split in half if I looked at it wrong :D

@SandrA-hr5zk

Жыл бұрын

That demo bar is pretty cool. I have a few wonder bars, but I don’t have any projects big enough to use a demo bar. I used an axe for prying up roots. The handle was strong enough to handle it.

@KS-ox1kx

Жыл бұрын

Try looking in your area for liquidation stores

@helenbarrett6196

Жыл бұрын

Sometimes you can rent them ( the tools) for a day or two. Check local hardware and even the big box lumber stores. When I purchased my house I had 6 trees on the property and they all had nice roots and didnt want to leave! Got 5 out ( yes I can add that to my lifestyle resume)( yes I rented the tools) and one day the tree next to my mailbox was leaking water..here the whole street waterline was so old as soon as they repaired the line it would break again. Got lucky..they had to remove the 6th tree to get to the water line..got out of that one..needless to say i have NO trees on my property now..just the neighbors leaves in the fall however..lol!

@Eastbaypisces

Жыл бұрын

@@CopperCreekCuts but how u cut when its against and under foundation big roots too

Expensive to have someone else do it but so worth it. I’ll save enough in mower blades to make up for it.

Thank you for the information. I'll try this

Hearing both of yall laugh as I'm laughing to you saying "this goes to show you why you don't plant houses right next to trees" was the highlight of this video. LOL