Using PL-Premium (construction adhesive) to fill holes in tree trunks - Page 2

 


Actually the wood inside the tree is dead.  Only the outer layer of a
tree is alive.  But generally it is best of you just let the tree bark
grow over the wood.  The black tree paint inhibits that and does trap
moisture.  It will eventually heal it's self but it will never repair
the rot inside.  If a substaintual part of the truck has rot in a spot
it is now weakened.  If that is the case and the tree has the
potential to land on your house then have it removed.  Lots of times
if you look at trees that have broken off during bad storms you see
that it was at a spot like this.  Used to be people would clean out
holes like this and fill them with concrete.  Don't know how well that
works.  It's possible your holes were made by wood bees.  Were they
about a 1/2" round and so well done that they almost looked like a
drill had done them?  Wood bees will go a long way into wood.

 

jamesgangnc wrote:


Pruning paint does not inhibit bark growth over the exposed cut surface,
and it does not trap moisture because the exposed heartwood quickly
dries out once exposed to the air after it's cut, and any moisture
deeper in the wood under the painted area will find other ways to move
within the tree.


I know that, but I'm thinking that the glue will (a) kill whatever
organisms/insects are in there causing the dammage, (b) fill the voids
to prevent re-introduction of similar pests, (c) perform mechanical
bonding and return strength to the dammaged area (in a way that other
simple fillers wouldn't).


We call them carpenter bees, and they have drilled those perfectly round
holes in the side of my eaves under the gutters in previous years before
I replaced the wood and covered them with aluminum siding.  I have lots
of other lumber that sits in my back yard (remnants from other projects)
but I've never seen these bees go after that wood, nor the exposed eves
of my shed.

In the case of the fissures on the exposed cut surface of the silver
maple, these are not the perfectly round holes made by carpenter bees.

 

JimT wrote:


As has already been mentioned, the wood inside a tree under the bark is
actually dead wood.  The only difference between it and the lumber you
buy at Lowes is that the wood in the tree hasn't been milled.
 

If the exposed surface is large enough, the wood can rot and/or be
attacked by insects before the tree has a chance to grow bark to cover
it.

I think that different climates can be more problematic than others.  In
the north-east and great-lakes area, you have a shorter growing season
(takes more time to cover exposed cuts with bark) and lots of humidity
and freeze-thaw action in the winter, both of which is hard on untreated
exposed wood.

 


The non-cambium layers of a tree's wood is dead, but not dead in the
way animals die.  Wood is pretty stupid, pardon my French - it doesn't
_know_ it's dead.  So it keeps on trying to fulfill its function which
is to transport water.  It will do this whether or not it is still in
tree form or built into a deck or whatever.

Any coating put on a tree that is intended to protect it from water
will interfere with the tree's eons-long evolution of its healing
process.

It is important how, when and where to prune limbs.  Improper pruning
will not allow the tree to heal.
http://www.gardenguides.com/69432-prune-silver-maple.html
"Prune maples during their dormant period when you can see their shape
and branches. Pruning in late fall or early winter removes wood when
pests and diseases are not likely to thrive on the green wood."
"Avoid making "flush" cuts that destroy the bark collar or "stub" cuts
that leave exposed wood beyond the collar that may be susceptible to
disease."

Murphy's Law predicts that the most 'important' trees will suffer the
most egregious fates.  If you need a tree for privacy, don't expect it
to be around forever.

A general overview of the Silver Maple:
http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/ACESACA.pdf
It's not a forever tree, it has 'issues'.

R

 

RicodJour wrote:


Again you are talking about the recently-dead layers (xylem) immediately
under the vascular cambium.  Under that layer is the secondary xylem,
which no longer conducts water and is used to store waste products (in
some cases - resins).  The secondary xylem is also known as heartwood,
and this is what is used to produce modern dimensional lumber.  

Both the Xylem and heartwood (secondary xylem) are composed of dead
cells.  They are structurally intact, but they no longer respire (ie -
they are not biochemically active).

When a limb of sufficient size is cut near the trunk, you will be
exposing this dead heartwood region, which is incapable of protecting
itself against weather, sun, fungal and insect dammage.  Only new
cambium growth over the exposed area will eventually provide this
protection.  


Not really.  Heartwood is not a good conductor of water.  In fact, it is
necessary that the heartwood not contain significant amounts of water,
since that would dammage it during freeze-thaw (expansion-contraction)
cycles in the winter.


Heartwood is not normally exposed, so the application of a coating to it
will shield it against sun, rain, humidity, fungal and insect attack.
Normally the cambium and bark performs this function.


Yes, there is a correct cut-line to use for the most optimal removal of
a limb from the trunk.  But we digress.