You may look to your tree as a starting point whenever you want to do an outdoor project. Perhaps you are planning a romantic plaque sitting center and front of the trunk, or perhaps you are planning to have a small birdhouse attached to your tree.
However, can you drill safely a screw or nail to your tree? Well, several trees are durable enough to be drilled with a screw or nail. However, others will not be able to handle the damage.
Should You Avoid Particular Trees?
This is an excellent question. The short answer is yes. You should not poke a tree with screws, staples, or nails if it is already damaged from infection or weak. The hardware will drill into the layer under the tree bark. This layer is responsible for transporting nutrients and water across the tree. For those who don’t know, a tree that’s already weak will have a difficult time acquiring nutrients. It will need time to get its strength back. In addition to that, a new hole will produce an access point for deadly pests.
To make things simple, do not further damage a weak tree.
What’s The Best Location to Drill a Hole in the Tree?
The truth is that the right area you drill into does not make a huge difference. You can drill holes anywhere you want. However, the tree’s health plays a huge role in your project’s stability.
If your tree is healthy, then it is already hard. A tree will begin a process called compartmentalization whenever you drill a screw or nail into it. This means that they heal naturally the spot around the hole and protect the entire tree from possible infection. Thus, always pick a strong and healthy tree for ideal stability.
What Nails or Screws Should You Use?
You don’t want your screw or nail to rust over time. That is the number one thing you should consider. If you let the nails, screws, or staples to rust, you are allowing an infection to happen to your tree. Because of that, it is ideal to select aluminum, stainless steel, or any screws and nails for your project that are rust-proof.
How to Hammer a Nail or Drill Into a Tree without Damaging It
Well, the short answer is you can’t. In fact, hammering a nail or drilling a screw into your tree will leave a wound inevitably. However, you can prevent long-term and severe damage if the job is done properly on the right tree.
If you want to keep your tree as safe as possible, here are several things you have to consider:
- Keep in mind that several trees are better candidates than others.
- Do not get happy with your hammer. You will stress out your tree more if you create more holes.
- Be wary about the type of screws or nails you utilize.
- If you’re having a hard time doing your project, you can always count on a professional Southlake Tree Service company to help you.
Recent Comments