How can I level some ground to place pavers when tree roots from nearby Oak are present?

Question

When my home was built 12 years ago, the builder planed three small Oaks in the front yard. Due to some erosion and lack of grass, one trees roots are exposed right where I want to create a paver walkway.

I can't build the walkway up because it is adjacent to the driveway and I want it to be level with the driveway (not a trip hazard).

Should I start cutting the roots so that I can lower the path? It seems that I'd need to get down 5" or so, to place a marle foundation for the pavers.

I think this would represent a tremendous amount of work! Are there any tools that would help? Could I kill the tree if I cut through some roots?

Thanks.

Answer 1

I did the same thing you want to do. I placed a walkway right in the path of some tree roots. I thought it wouldn't matter too much if I just cut back some of the roots. Well I used a chain saw to remove a section of root and I thought all went well. I got the walkway in, but next spring, the tree died. I felt pretty bad about it because so many different birds loved to hang around that tree.

Answer 2

Cutting roots can cause problems. You might design the walkway as a series of steps. That sort of walkway tends to end up looking really pretty, but they are hard to walk up.

Five inches seems like quite a bit of root system. I normally use an axe, shovel, and sometimes a pruning saw, but a stump grinder would probably prove far more effective in this situation. The problem is, stump grinders also tend to be pretty good at killing the tree.

You should try not to cut any closer than about three feet away from the tree,so your walkway may need to have some decorative curves in it. Anything closer than this will tend to either kill the tree, or get torn up by new root growth in the future.

To best avoid killing your tree, you may want to get some tree tar, or other type of sealant to cover up the cut roots once you've got them chopped to the right length. You will also want to water the tree quite a bit more than usual for several weeks, or even months after the process, so that the tree can grow new roots, and make up for the lost water that the roots you cut off would have given the tree. Even with that, there are likely to be a few dead spots after a while, and these will need to be carefully removed.

To protect your walkway from roots, it may be worthwhile to lay down some "weed" preventing tarp under where you plan the walkway to be. The fiber on these tarps allows moisture to go through, but not roots, and these may help keep any cracks that form in the concrete from getting new roots in them. Also be sure to get a plastic drop cloth to cover the sidewalk, as you'll be watering quite a bit even before the pavement hardens completely, and the drop cloth will help to keep the water from ruining the concrete before it hardens.

Best wishes, and good luck. Fortunately for you, oak trees are pretty hardy, or so I understand...

Answer 3

Hello there, yes there is tools to use called a stump grinder that you can rent from a rental yard. But of all you need to check for the roots that are in your way of your project. Make sure the main roots are not in the way of your project. Other than that you should be fine. Without me looking at it. I do Landscaping construction for a living.