Tree cabling and bracing in Meadowvale
- Fully insured
- Free written quote
- Storm calls after hours
Request a free quote
A name and a number start the file. The rest helps the arborist bring the right gear.
Your note is in. Watch for a call from us before the next workday wraps up, and we'll set a time to see the tree in person. Tree already down? Ring (289) 206-8523.
A weak fork can split a healthy tree in two
Some trees grow two trunks from one point, with a tight V between them. Bark gets pinched inside the joint, and the wood there never grows strong. In a heavy wind or under ice, the two halves pull apart.
A steel cable strung high in the crown shares the load between the two trunks. Bracing rods through the wood hold a joint where a crack has already opened. The tree looks the same from the ground, and keeps growing.
Signs a tree may need cabling
- Two or more trunks growing from one point with a narrow V
- A crack or seam running down from the fork
- One long, heavy limb stretching out over the house
- Sap or wet stains leaking from a joint
- A tree you want to keep that has a known weak spot
How cabling is installed
- We check the tree first. Cabling is for trees that are otherwise healthy.
- An arborist climbs to about two-thirds of the way up the limbs to be joined.
- Anchors are set in each trunk and joined with a steel cable, snug but not tight.
- Bracing rods go through a cracked joint lower down, if needed.
- We usually thin the crown at the same time to take weight off the fork.
What cabling and bracing costs
Plan on $400 to $1,200, set by how many cables go in and how high the arborist has to climb. Treat these figures as a guide; the number we sign on paper after seeing your yard is the one you pay.
Get my written priceLakeside trees carry more load on their forks
Trees on the open lawns around Lake Aquitaine and Lake Wabukayne take the full force of wind off the water. Basswoods and maples in those yards often grow two leaders, and every gust works the fork. A cable is a small cost next to losing half the tree onto the house.
Questions about cabling and bracing
How long does a cable last?
A good cable system lasts many years. We suggest a check every two to three years to look at the hardware and the tension.
Can you see the cable from the ground?
Hardly. Up in the crown, the leaves hide it all summer.
Can cabling save a tree that is already split?
Sometimes. A small crack can often be braced. A trunk split wide open or rotted at the joint usually has to come down.
Does cabling hurt the tree?
The anchors make small holes that the tree grows around. It's far less harm than the fork failing.
The home page covers every service. Call and we'll check the fork on your tree.
Other tree services in Meadowvale
- Plate 1Tree Trimming and PruningRed oakLimbs resting on the roof, rubbing the eaves or hanging low over the driveway.
- Plate 2Dead Branch RemovalSilver mapleBare grey limbs that shed bark and snap off in an ordinary wind.
- Plate 3Emergency Storm Damage CleanupWillowA limb on the house, the car or the fence after wind or ice.
- Plate 4Tree RemovalGreen ashA dead, split or leaning tree that pruning can no longer fix.
- Plate 5Crown Thinning and Canopy ReductionNorway mapleA crown so dense it shades the whole yard and catches wind like a sail.
- Plate 7Stump Grinding and RemovalHoney locustA stump left in the lawn that sprouts, trips people or blocks a new plan.