Thought tree wound paint was just old school nonsense until a job in Tacoma

For years I rolled my eyes whenever someone brought up tree wound dressing. My old boss called it 'putting a bandaid on a chainsaw cut' and I believed him. Then I got a call to look at some big leaf maples that got hit by a truck, the city wanted them saved if possible. The arborist on site, this guy named Frank who's been doing it since the 80s, insisted we use a specific thin coat of a black asphalt-based paint. He said for certain wounds over 3 inches, especially on maples in a damp climate, it can slow decay just enough for the tree to start closing over. We did half with it, half without. Checked back two seasons later and the painted ones had way less rot starting inside the wound. Still not for every cut, but I have a can in my truck now for the right situation. Anyone else found a use for it on specific species or just in wet areas?

2 comments

2 Comments

william91710d ago

Hey, that's a really good point about the climate. But I gotta say, it's not really about SLOWING decay, that's a bit of a myth. The paint just keeps the wood from drying out too fast and cracking open, which lets the tree's own natural barriers form without extra stress. So it's more about preventing checks in the wood than fighting rot directly.

sarahsullivan10d ago

Actually the USDA Forest Service guidelines from the Pacific Northwest region specifically state that applying a sealant to fresh cut ends does slow fungal growth by limiting moisture uptake. If it was just about checking, they wouldn't bother specifying a water-repellent coating. The science shows it creates a physical barrier that delays spore germination.