Home About ServicesAll Services →Tree Surgery Tree FellingCrown ReductionsCrown ThinningPollardingTree PruningDead Wooding Hedges Hedge TrimmingHedge Reductions Removal & Site Stump GrindingSite ClearancesEmergency Tree RemovalWood Chipping Planning & Care Tree Surveys & ReportsTree Planting AreasAll Areas →Counties LondonSurreyKentWest SussexEast SussexHampshire Local Areas CroydonWimbledon & MertonKingston upon ThamesEpsom & EwellBromleyRichmond & TwickenhamGuildfordReigate & RedhillCaterham & OxtedBanstead & TadworthDorking & Mole Valley Advice Reviews Our Work Specials Contact 07825 669720Get a Free Quote - Home - Services - Dead Wooding Dead Wooding # Remove Dangerous Dead Branches Before They Land on Your Roof or Car Dead branches don't fall on schedule. They drop without warning — and they're heavier than people imagine. Carpenters Tree Care removes dead and dying limbs from mature trees across London and Surrey. NPTC-qualified climbers, full insurance, no mess left behind. Get a Free Dead Wooding Quote 07825 669720 ★ 5-star rated on Google · 10+ years experience · Free, no-obligation estimates 10+ yrs Experience 2,000+ Dead-Wooded £10M Insured Most Jobs Single Visit Same Week Free Quote ## Everything You Need to KnowAbout Dead Wooding ### What It Is Dead wooding is the systematic removal of dead, dying and broken branches from a tree's canopy. The work is specified by minimum branch diameter (e.g. 'remove all deadwood over 25mm') and follows BS 3998. It is one of the most cost-effective safety interventions you can carry out on a mature tree. ### Who It's For Owners of mature trees over driveways, parking, conservatories, decking, footpaths, swimming pools or play areas. Schools, care homes and commercial sites with public access under tree canopies. Insurance-conscious landlords and estate managers. Anyone who has noticed a tree looking 'thinner at the top' than it used to. ### When You Need It Best done in late autumn through to early spring when leaves are off and dead branches are visible. Urgent dead-wooding can be carried out at any time after a storm, after sudden branch drop, or following a tree-risk inspection. Mature oaks should ideally be done outside April–July to reduce oak wilt risk. ### Why Professional Help Matters A single dead branch the size of a man's arm, falling 8 metres, hits the ground with enough force to kill. Householders have a legal duty of care for trees on their land. Insurers will reject claims arising from dead branches that 'should have been identified and removed'. Prevention costs a fraction of cure. ## What Happens When Dead Wood Isn't Removed ! Dead branches fall in still air. They don't need a storm — they shed when their weight finally exceeds the strength of the dried-out attachment point. ! Dead wood is colonised by decay fungi (coriolus, ganoderma, polyporus). Once these are established they spread back into the live wood, hollowing the tree from the inside. ! Falling deadwood is a leading cause of conservatory roof damage in London. A 30cm-diameter branch falling 6m generates more than 2 tonnes of impact force. ! Owners of trees over public spaces have a non-delegable duty of care. Failure to inspect and remove obvious deadwood is the textbook example of negligence under the Occupiers' Liability Acts. ! Insurance loss adjusters routinely refuse claims where deadwood was visibly present and uncleared. The cost of a £400 dead-wooding visit is far less than the cost of a £20,000 conservatory replacement. ## How We DeliverDead Wooding 1 ### Visual Tree Assessment We inspect the tree from ground level and from height, identifying every dead branch over the specified minimum diameter. 2 ### Specification Written quote specifies minimum diameter ('all deadwood over 25mm') and method (climbed, MEWP-assisted, or rope-and-harness). 3 ### Climbed Removal Climber works systematically through the canopy, cutting at the natural target collar with no stub left behind. All cuts to BS 3998. 4 ### Ground Crew Support Brash lowered or dropped to controlled drop zones. Sensitive areas under the tree (planting, glasshouses, parked cars) are protected. 5 ### Site Clear All arisings chipped on site or removed. Lawns brushed, paths cleared, tree photographed for client records. ## Why Clients Choose Usfor Dead Wooding ### Significant Risk Reduction One dead-wooding visit removes the most likely source of branch-drop injury and damage from a mature tree for several years. ### Often Done in a Single Visit Most domestic dead-wooding jobs are completed in 2–4 hours by a two-person crew. ### Documents Your Duty of Care Written invoice, photographs and date of works form your defence against any subsequent occupiers' liability claim. ### BS 3998 Compliance Proper natural-target pruning cuts at branch collars — never leaving stubs that promote further dieback. ### MEWP Capability We bring a 19m mobile elevated work platform where climbing is unsafe or where the tree's structural integrity is in question. ### Honest Pricing Fixed written quotes. No upselling to crown reductions you don't need. ## How Often Should Mature Trees Be Dead-Wooded? There is no single right answer — it depends on species, age, condition and what is underneath the canopy. As a working guide, mature urban trees over high-traffic areas should be inspected annually and dead-wooded every 2–3 years. Trees over low-use areas can be on a 5-year cycle. Some species are natural deadwood-shedders. Oaks, beech and London plane all retain dead branches in the canopy for years before dropping them — these species are the highest priority for routine dead-wooding. Birch, lime and field maple shed deadwood less aggressively but still need inspection. Signs your tree needs dead-wooding: visible dead twigs and branches in the canopy when the tree is in leaf; bare or sparse sections of crown; brown leaves clinging through summer; recent branch drop on the ground; bracket fungi appearing on the stem or major branches. Dead wood accumulates faster after stress events — drought summers, late frosts, herbicide damage, soil compaction or root disturbance. After the very dry summers of recent years we have seen substantially more deadwood in London's mature trees than was historically normal. We classify deadwood by diameter for pricing and prioritisation. Class 1 (>50mm) is the urgent safety priority. Class 2 (25–50mm) is the standard specification for routine work. Class 3 (<25mm) is normally only specified for high-amenity ornamental trees. Proper dead-wooding is climbing work — there is no shortcut. Spraying deadwood off from a long pole pruner from ground level leaves stubs that rot back into the tree. Climbing arborists make the cut at the branch collar, where the tree can compartmentalise the wound naturally. Where the live structure of the tree is also compromised, we may recommend dead-wooding as part of a broader package alongside crown reduction or structural pruning. This is set out clearly in the written quote — you decide what is in scope. For commercial clients, schools and housing associations we offer scheduled dead-wooding programmes integrated with annual tree-risk inspections. This documents duty of care and spreads cost across the year. ## Frequently AskedQuestions How much does dead wooding cost in London? How do I know if my tree needs dead wooding? Is dead wooding the same as crown reduction? Will I need permission for dead wooding a protected tree? How long does a dead wooding job take? Can dead wooding be done in summer? Will the tree drop more deadwood next year? ## Related Tree Surgery Services Tree FellingCrown ReductionsCrown ThinningPollardingHedge TrimmingHedge ReductionsStump GrindingSite ClearancesEmergency Tree RemovalTree PruningTree Surveys & ReportsTree PlantingWood Chipping ## Areas We Cover Tree Surgeon LondonTree Surgeon SurreyTree Surgeon KentTree Surgeon West SussexTree Surgeon East SussexTree Surgeon Hampshire ## Ready for ProfessionalDead Wooding? Get a free, no-obligation quote today. We’ll assess your needs and provide an honest, fixed price — no hidden extras. Fully insured · BS 3998 compliant · 10+ years experience · 100% satisfaction Request a Free Estimate 07825 669720 Professional tree surgery and arborist services across London, Surrey, Kent and the South East. Fully qualified and insured. 07825 669720 0203 745 8958 info@carpenterstreecare.co.ukTegan Court, Sutton SM2 6GS ### Opening Hours Open 24 hours · 7 days a week ### Our Services - Tree Felling - Crown Reductions - Crown Thinning - Pollarding - Hedge Trimming - Hedge Reductions - Stump Grinding - Site Clearances - Emergency Tree Removal - Tree Pruning - Tree Surveys & Reports - Tree Planting - Dead Wooding - Wood Chipping ### Areas We Cover - London - Surrey - Kent - West Sussex - East Sussex - Hampshire - Croydon - Wimbledon & Merton - Kingston upon Thames - Epsom & Ewell - Bromley - Richmond & Twickenham - Guildford - Reigate & Redhill - Caterham & Oxted - Banstead & Tadworth - Dorking & Mole Valley ### Quick Links - About Us - Tree Care Advice - Reviews - Our Work - Special Offers - Contact Us © 2026 Carpenters Tree Care Ltd. All rights reserved. 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