Tell the tree service you want to keep the log before they bid the job, and ask for three things: leave the trunk in the longest straight sections they safely can, cut at bends and big limbs instead of through clear wood, and don't chunk the trunk into firewood rounds. Then agree on who moves the logs and where they go. Those decisions happen in the first hour of a removal and can't be undone.
Most tree crews are happy to save a log when they know in advance. The problem is usually that nobody asked until the trunk was already in rounds on the driveway.
We're a sawmill. We don't cut trees down, so the crew on your property is a tree service. This guide is what to tell them.
Ask before they bid
Saving a log can change how a tree comes down, how long the job takes and what equipment the crew brings. It may change the price, up or down. A crew that doesn't have to cut the trunk into small pieces and haul them away can sometimes save time. A crew that has to rig long, heavy sections in a tight yard may need more.
When you get bids, say something like: "I want to keep the trunk for lumber. Can you leave it in long sections, and can you help get it to the sawmill?" The answer tells you a lot about the crew.
How the trunk should come down
Cut at the defects. A good climber or ground crew can choose where to make cuts. Ask them to cut at the base of big limbs, at bends and at damaged spots, not in the middle of a clean, straight section.
Leave the butt log clean. The bottom log is almost always the best one. Ask the crew to cut it just above the root flare, where the trunk starts to widen, instead of flush with the ground. Flush cuts bring dirt, rocks and buried fencing with them.
Keep the fork if you want a crotch slab. If the trunk splits into two big leaders, ask them to leave a foot or two below and above the fork.
No notches, plunge cuts or wedges in the good log. Felling notches and back cuts belong at the stump. Rigging points and wedging cuts belong in the waste sections.
Big trees in tight spaces. When a crew has to remove a tree over a house or fence, safety controls how it comes down, and some trunks have to be lowered in short pieces. That's fine; just ask which sections can stay long. Even one good 8-foot log is worth saving.
What the crew should leave alone
- No firewood rounds from the trunk. Limbs and the top can go to firewood or chips. The straight trunk sections stay long.
- No dragging logs through dirt and gravel. Grit in the bark dulls saw blades. Lift, roll or skid logs on something when possible.
- No spikes or nails in the log. If they need to mark or tie off a section, use paint, crayon or a strap.
- Tell you about metal they find. A chainsaw that throws sparks or a chain that dulls suddenly usually means metal in the wood. Ask them to mark the spot with paint and tell you. That's exactly what we need to know. See why yard trees cost more to mill.
After it's on the ground
Once the logs are down, the clock starts. Ask the crew to:
- Set the logs on cross pieces, not on bare dirt or in a ditch.
- Leave the bark on.
- Let you seal the ends, or seal them themselves if they carry end sealer.
Then get the logs milled. Our guide on how to cut and store a log explains why waiting through warm weather costs you wood.
Who hauls the logs
Crews can read how log drop-off works, and storm-downed trees has the short version of this guide for homeowners.
Questions to ask the crew
Bring these to the bid:
- Can you leave the trunk in sections of 8 feet or longer?
- Where would you make the cuts on this tree?
- Will the butt log be cut above the flare?
- Can you set the logs up off the ground?
- Can you haul the logs to the sawmill, and what does that add?
- Will you tell me if you hit metal?
- Is the removal price different if I keep the trunk?
If the tree is already down
Storms don't wait for planning. If a tree is already on the ground, it's usually not too late. Uncut trunks, and trunks cut into long sections, can still be milled. See storm-downed trees for what to do next, and is my tree worth milling? to decide whether to bother.
If the tree is an ash, read milling ash before the borer ruins it. Dead and dying ash gets brittle, and that changes how a crew handles it.
Get a Quote
Before the crew comes, send us a photo of the tree, your best guess at the trunk diameter, and the species if you know it. We'll tell you which sections are worth saving and what milling will cost, so you can pass that to the tree service.