My walnut tree is dying? Carpenter question....

[Scarlet]

I have a big walnut tree, I had it pruned maybe four years ago but it's never really recovered. The lack of water last year didn't help. Pretty sad about it actually

But I wood like to make some tree stump coffee tables.....anyone know how I prepare it. Do I need to dry the wood, take the bark off? Oil it etc...

[Small pumpkin]

Do you mean leave the stump in the ground at about 3ft ( guessing) and use it as a coffee table?
Has the tree been cut down already?

[burnie]

If you mean to cut the timber, then yes it does need storing in the dry to season it for a year or so, you remove the bark later if you want. If you plan to just use the stump as S.P. suggests, then I would leave it as is for a year, then you can treat it like any other garden furniture, oil, wax or whatever takes your fancy. Walnut is a wood much favoured by those who work with wood.

[Scarlet]

The tree is still standing. I will take pics tomorrow. It's not quite dead yet....but this will definitely be its last year.
It's been my favourite tree while I've lived here. I would like to make bedside tables/or a couple of coffee tables. Yes I know it's odd...

I want to know what's best to do. I don't want to cut it until then.

[veggiechicken]

I don't think this is what you mean, Scarlet, but when the ash tree was cut down, I had it cut into slices and stacked them around all the stumps (mainly old, well dead, fruit trees) that were already in the garden. About 6 of them.
Not quite coffee tables but very useful for pots, coffee cups and dumping things on in passing!

[Snoop Puss]

Don't give up on it. I thought our walnut tree was dead after a couple of years of very little rain and a truly dreadful very late frost. But this year it has put up whips. Not dead after all, just resting.

[Bobh]

Hi Scarlet
SP's better half here, woodturner and general woody type person
So good that you asked this question before having the tree taken down, the default for tree surgeons and arborists is to cut the trunk into manageable bits, small enough to lift and carry away. Unfortunately this makes the timber pretty much unusable for anything but firewood.
To get usable timber the trunk needs leaving in long lengths and then planked, I often plank to 4" thick which can then be cut down into smaller pieces once dried

[Small pumpkin]

Hi Scarlet
SP's better half here, woodturner and general woody type person
So good that you asked this question before having the tree taken down, the default for tree surgeons and arborists is to cut the trunk into manageable bits, small enough to lift and carry away. Unfortunately this makes the timber pretty much unusable for anything but firewood.
To get usable timber the trunk needs leaving in long lengths and then planked, I often plank to 4" thick which can then be cut down into smaller pieces once dried

I'm not sure about better half

[veggiechicken]

I'm not sure about better half

Don't put it to a vote, SP.

[Small pumpkin]

Don't put it to a vote, SP.

Harsh

[veggiechicken]

Shall we set up a Poll?

[Mikey]

Will it be anonymous...

[Scarlet]

Photo of tree...it does have some leaves. Not many. I won't cut it down yet. The birds use it all the time



I don't think it's good for "planks" cos it branches off at about 6 foot?

What I would like is stump tables like this :

[Snoop Puss]

Could you give it a good prune? If it's anything like ours, you'll get future branches sprout from near the trunk.

[veggiechicken]

One thing - the ash slices I have are blummin heavy. There are some bigger "drums" that can only be moved by rolling. Not sure I'd want one in the house as I couldn't move it.