How to sever / cut tree roots?

[Fordiesel69]

I ended up commissioning a well on a friends property and thru using it, and testing its flow, the well is suitable to use. It took a long time to clear up and start producing acceptable recovery rates but it eventually got there.

Problem is we are not finding a good way to get the water pipe from the well house to the garage as there are tree roots in place. We made the decision that we will sever the tree roots and take the gamble on it killing the tree. There is a likely chance it will, but there is also the 20-30% chance it won't. What is the best way to cut or sever the roots? The backhoe will not do it.

 

[Nukeman7]

I ended up commissioning a well on a friends property and thru using it, and testing its flow, the well is suitable to use. It took a long time to clear up and start producing acceptable recovery rates but it eventually got there.

Problem is we are not finding a good way to get the water pipe from the well house to the garage as there are tree roots in place. We made the decision that we will sever the tree roots and take the gamble on it killing the tree. There is a likely chance it will, but there is also the 20-30% chance it won't. What is the best way to cut or sever the roots? The backhoe will not do it.

Go to your local Ganzer Equipment Grand Rental Station and rent a wheel trencher for a few hours. I used one to cut through many tree roots when replacing my water line and was able to trench ~20" deep (although it is advertised as reaching 24" depth).

Grand Rental Station Trencher

 

[tmorris1]

I had to do this when running a gas line to my garage. I used a sawzall with a long aggressive wood blade. Can you go under them?

 

[Pablo]

What kind of tree?

 

[PontiacHO]

I’ve cut many with an axe. It’s hard work but it’s that or dynamite.

 

[wpod]

I’ve cut many with an axe. It’s hard work but it’s that or dynamite.

Dynamite is always more fun.

 

[2005jettatdi]

Dynamite is always more fun.

But a little bit more dangerous. I have always used an either an ax or an axe.

 

[burbguy82]

wheel trencher or elbow grease, the only ways.

 

[facility1]

a Sawzall would work the best with a long pruning blade as mentioned above and or a long handled heavy ice chopper/floor scraper (or build one out of heavy plate steel and solid steel handle ), sharpened to a fine edge is what we used on a cemetery when a grave is near roots.

 

[vwmaniaman]

I used a sawzall when my wife wanted a certain location for a knockout rose bush. Harbor freight has blades that have just 5 teeth per inch. That's what I used and it was done in almost no time.

 

[vwmaniaman]

That root it cut was 4 inches across.