Used a ratchet strap to pull a split trunk back together and it held for a year

Last spring, I had a big silver maple in a client's yard that had a bad vertical split, maybe two inches wide, running up about four feet from a crotch. It wasn't a full removal case yet, so I figured I'd try a last-ditch cabling job. Instead of just drilling for a static cable, I cleaned out the crack, coated the inside with a pruning sealant, and then used a heavy-duty ratchet strap to cinch the whole split closed while I drilled and installed the bolt. I left the strap on for a week while the sealant set, then took it off. The weird part? That tree didn't just hold, the split actually started to callus over like crazy. I drove by it the other day and you can barely see the seam now. I guess the tight, even pressure helped the cambium layers line up and knit back together way better than if it had just been bolted while still gaping open. Has anyone else had luck with a temporary clamp like this on a salvageable split, or did I just get lucky with a really healthy tree?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_andrew15d agoMost Upvoted

@the_sean but that sealant can trap moisture.

the_sean15d ago

Nice! That's actually a solid method for a clean vertical split. I've done the same thing with a heavy duty come-along on a big oak, pulling it tight before putting in the bolt. The key is getting that pressure right so the bark edges meet but don't get crushed. It gives the tree a real chance to heal instead of just bolting a wound shut. Your sealant idea was smart too, keeps the bugs and rot out while it knits together.