Removable Trees

Don’t know if this has ever come up or if many even have the need. But in my instance I have to be able to remove all trees and houses as my platform as it is only up for 4 or 5 months before it comes down. My platform is in 5 sections and has a 1" foam base to work off of. I usually use Woodland Scenic’s value trees or their kits for this process but any tree that has a plastic trunk could be used.

What you need is a heating source lighter or in my case propane torch faster than the lighter (just keep track of where the flame is), pair of pliers, nips, wire cutters, and a box of map pins ones with the round ends, and obviously the trees.

First need to make the bottom of the tree flat as there is a plastic point that fits into the base that comes with the trees, cut the plastic pin and base off the tree, so now have a flat base. Pick up one of the pins and heat the pointed end until turns red, in the other hand hold your tree and slowly press the pointed end into the tree doesn’t have to be perfectly strait but try for the middle where the pin was, and don’t stab your finger. You don’t have to push in very far once the plastic cools the pin will be part of the trunk. Take your wire cutters and cut right under the ball of the pin. Now you can place the tree anywhere and remove with only a small hole left where it was which usually cannot be seen with ground cover.

Hope this helps as I know it makes it easy to plant when set it up.

…or just drill a hole in the bottom of the tree and insert wire…no need to play with noxious fumes…'specially in California!

Welcome to the forums.

Agree with David on this one. After cutting the nubs off, I clamped my drill to the bench and drilled each trunk. I used a stiff wire that I happen to use for fencing, any fairly stiff wire should work. Use a drill bit that makes a hole that the wire fits tightly into the hole. If you start to drill through the side of the trunk, you can feel the drill under the surface, so can stop. Even if you tear through the trunk, a little glue, putty, latex caulk or similar material will smooth it over. Next I painted mine a gray, mixed by eye. By not having a specific formula, I get different looking trunks, just as different varieties of trees vary slightly.

Good luck,

Richard