ISA Certified Arborist RM-8846A
Tree Cabling and Bracing in Boulder, Colorado
Braided cable support for codominant unions that are pulling apart, installed to let the tree keep flexing.
Short answer
Cabling is for a tree with two nearly equal stems joined in a union that is pulling apart, where a support system can prevent the split rather than waiting for the failure and losing half the tree.
Trees sometimes develop codominant unions, where two limbs of roughly equal size meet in a single union and pull away from one another. Sometimes those unions become included, meaning bark is trapped inside the joint instead of wood knitting together, and they weaken. An included union on a large tree over a house is a genuine structural concern.
The fix is a long-lasting braided cable support system installed between the stems. Done properly it supports the union while still allowing the tree to grow and flex, which matters, because a tree that cannot move does not build the reinforcing wood it needs. The support supplements the tree's own structure rather than replacing it.
Cabling is not a substitute for an assessment. Some unions are better served by a reduction pruning of one stem to lower the load, and some trees are too far along to be made acceptable with hardware. Which one applies depends on what is found at the union.
What does this service include?
- Union assessment Evaluating codominant and included unions for actual failure risk.
- Braided cable systems Long-lasting support installed to allow continued growth and flex.
- Load reduction Reduction pruning where lowering the load beats adding hardware.
- Follow-up inspection Support hardware needs periodic review as the tree grows.
Where is this service available?
Cabling and Bracing is available across Boulder County and Broomfield.
Answers
Cabling questions Boulder homeowners ask
What is a codominant union and why is it a problem?
A codominant union is where two stems of roughly equal size meet, with neither one clearly dominant. Because neither is subordinate, the joint between them is often shallower and weaker than a normal branch attachment. When bark gets trapped inside the joint, an included union, there is even less connecting wood. Under snow load or wind these unions can split, and the failure typically takes a very large portion of the tree with it.
How long does tree cabling last?
A properly installed braided cable support system is designed to last for years, but it is not permanent and unmonitored. The tree keeps growing around and against the hardware, so any cabled tree needs periodic inspection to confirm the system is still doing its job and still correctly fitted. Cabling is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time installation.
Will cabling guarantee my tree will not fail?
No, and any arborist promising that is overselling. Cabling meaningfully reduces the risk of a specific union failing under load. It does not make a tree immune to an extreme weather event, and it does nothing about unrelated defects elsewhere in the tree. It is a risk reduction measure applied to a defect that has been identified and evaluated.
Boulder County
Call for a site visit today
Early site visits and preventative maintenance catch conditions while they are still fixable. Talk to an ISA Certified Arborist about what your trees actually need.
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. All site visits include a 30 minute arrival window.
Kryn Dykema · RM-8846A