Spaded dirt where footings are to be poured around live oak today. the home owner and i do not want to cut the roots. i am thinking of putting some kind of boot around the roots with room for the roots to move, then the rebar followed by the concrete. any ideas?
airspaded- preservation on live oak roots
- Thread starter Fatcord
- Start date
- Location
- Thunder Bay, Ontario
Not sure about how to build such a structure. Are you planning an irrigation system? The roots under the structure would surely dry out and die without one.
Sounds like a fun problem to solve.
v
Sounds like a fun problem to solve.
v
the footings are 10 inches wide. i was thinking of some kind of tubular boot, cut it down the side and work it over the root. I really think it woodnt dry out because both ends outside the boot wood stihl be in the dirt??? more damage is going to be done by cutting the roots.
2-3.5 inches
tomthetreeman
Participating member
- Location
- Rhode Island
Good call, Eric.
You could use some footing tube (heavy cardboard type) Cut to length the thickness of the footing. Cut 2 pieces. Cut 1 slit in each tube. Put tube over roots. Put second tube over first tube, slits 180 degrees apart. Duct tape around second tube. Drive long nails through form material to just inside inner edge of tubes to hold them in place during pour. Choose whichever size of tubes you think will allow the roots to grow.
[ QUOTE ]
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/csc/article.html
Could you use structural soil?
[/ QUOTE ]Origanilly that was the plan. But after further research it wood not work for this application. It wood if the finish grade was higher giving more depth for the CU Structural Soil.
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/csc/article.html
Could you use structural soil?
[/ QUOTE ]Origanilly that was the plan. But after further research it wood not work for this application. It wood if the finish grade was higher giving more depth for the CU Structural Soil.
[ QUOTE ]
You could use some footing tube (heavy cardboard type) Cut to length the thickness of the footing. Cut 2 pieces. Cut 1 slit in each tube. Put tube over roots. Put second tube over first tube, slits 180 degrees apart. Duct tape around second tube. Drive long nails through form material to just inside inner edge of tubes to hold them in place during pour. Choose whichever size of tubes you think will allow the roots to grow.
[/ QUOTE ]Thats what I am thinking about. but i will have to look into footing tubes as I diont know what they are. Thanks
You could use some footing tube (heavy cardboard type) Cut to length the thickness of the footing. Cut 2 pieces. Cut 1 slit in each tube. Put tube over roots. Put second tube over first tube, slits 180 degrees apart. Duct tape around second tube. Drive long nails through form material to just inside inner edge of tubes to hold them in place during pour. Choose whichever size of tubes you think will allow the roots to grow.
[/ QUOTE ]Thats what I am thinking about. but i will have to look into footing tubes as I diont know what they are. Thanks
If you were to cut the roots, how many are we talking about. Out of the whole tree's critical root zone, if you were to cut these roots, what would be the percentage? 1-5, 5-10%.
In my experience, cutting roots that size is not a big deal and should not adversely affect the tree. I worked on a project at the US Capital where they were installing bollards around the perimeter for security. No trees could be cut down so we had to air spade through the root mass so they could install the bollard. We cut roots much larger in size and did not harm the trees. I know what you are trying to do because I've tried it myself. Most engineers don't like things growing through their footings.
In my experience, cutting roots that size is not a big deal and should not adversely affect the tree. I worked on a project at the US Capital where they were installing bollards around the perimeter for security. No trees could be cut down so we had to air spade through the root mass so they could install the bollard. We cut roots much larger in size and did not harm the trees. I know what you are trying to do because I've tried it myself. Most engineers don't like things growing through their footings.
Percentage wise I really dont know how to estimate it. If I were to divide the tree into 4 sides we are talking removing half of the surface roots (in the top 8 to 10 inches) in close proximity to the base, about 8ft. With a total canopy spread of 55ft.
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
