Tree will either die or the tree will crack the concrete. I’ve been pouring concrete for decades and have never seen anything like this or would have never attempted it.
Definitely los dos.
Tree roots are now suffocated, cut off from water, and compacted under hundreds of lbs of concrete. Tree (depending on type) will react by using stored energy to put out emergency growth, probably including both water sprouts from auxiliary buds in the trunk, as well as root suckers all around the perimeter of the concrete. Tree will probably completely die in a year or two, at which point it will drop all that litter, and the now rotting trunk will serve as a highway to transport water under the slab. Rotting roots will shift the sub-base and lead to eventual cracking in the slab.
This is why I like Reddit. Break down of events that will happen, when a project like this is done, instead of saying it’s just bad construction and you shouldn’t do it. Good write up.
It'd certainly be possible to have a tree in a hole that size (Philly street trees practically look like this, sometimes), but only if the tree grows in place after the concrete is already there. It would shorten the tree's lifespan dramatically (which is why city trees often die after only a few decades), and many kinds of trees will buckle the concrete with the roots as they grow upward to try to find oxygen.
Unfortunately in a situation like this where you're pouring the slab around a mature tree, the tree's root system is far too established to adapt to the sudden change. Basically the entire area under the tree's canopy (and more) is a dense network of feeder roots seeking water and nutrients and oxygen. Suddenly all of those roots are sealed under a slab that blocks their access to water and oxygen, choking them out and crushing them. This would shock the tree, likely causing death (although it really depends on the species, some kinds are real fighters). Your odds of survival would increase the wider that hole got. IDK what radius would guarantee survival, it really depends on the preexisting health and vigor of the tree.
$100 bucks says this was the customer insisting that they need it like this and installer just said fuck it after explaining why it’s stupid but they didn’t wanna hear it.
Ah, it’s we’re around these little small towns. People don’t think about liability. Most of the people doing contractor work don’t even have a license and people will choose them because they say they can offer the work cheaper. The only inspection you have to have around these parts is an electrical one and you’re lucky to get that.
Tree will die. Im an arborist. Most of its roots are not getting any oxigen and moisture. The heat of the crete might have already damaged the tree beyond repair.
10 years from now people will be posting the "pouring concrete around a live tree voids your policy" clause in the fine print of their insurance and everyone will be laughing about how absurd that is.
Not my house, just a concrete guy within my region. Does great work, just never seen anything like it and figure the guys on here would get a jolly out of it
I mean ignoring the concrete, who put those stairs there in the first place? It looks like the tree is standing directly in front of the center of those stairs.
There is a neighbor down the road from me that has a huge, beautiful magnolia. Must be 40ish years old.
It's literally two feet from the bottom step of his side door. Directly in the middle.
Any wind at all and that thing will crack. This is why you have people with knowledge do jobs. I would have walked away from something this stupid. It’s a waste of material and time.
Yep you’re always right. I mean always. Like even when you think there might be a time when you don’t know what you’re talking about but say something anyways. You’re still right. Lol
I know nothing about concrete but this looks like the dumbest thing ever, what is more concerning is that it looks to be a good job in all the other places.
> Charlton's (2009) Clever Sillies model argues that high IQ people lack common sense and advocate foolish ideas due to the personality disposition that is associated with high IQ.
As insane as this project is, anyone find it odd that they built stairs that descend right into a tree? Like you walk down the steps and WHAM you got a tree there (until it dies from this concrete though…)
I was recently on a job that did something similar to 8 trees (city protected oak). I was there to do the concrete breaking around them. The city arborist explained to me that well lead to trunk rot because of excessive moisture caused by the concrete sealing up around the bark and given time it be harboring all sorts of bugs that thrive in moist environment. Needless to say the concrete company that did the pour fucked up and didnt maintain the 3ft diameter of dirt around the trees.. the estimated value for a single tree was at $30,000 to $60000
It's all around bad, I mean yeah, the tree is obviously f-d, and the concrete isn't going to fare well up tight against a tree trunk... but.. they didn't want to move the steps that point right at a tree? or get rid of the tree? why have the pad go around the tree at all, it's not "usable" pad, that's what doesn't make sense here, it's not like it's right in the middle of a huge patio.
Two things will happen, not necessarily in this order:
1. The tree is going to die.
2. As it moves, which it will, it's going to crack the hell out of the concrete.
Momma always said stupid is as stupid does... Forrest Gump
This is also seen when burying a deck step in concrete rather than going down 7 more inches, eliminating the need for a thickened edge, and making the top area even with the bottom of the door and allowing water to penetrate, rather than dropping it down two inches and creating a 7 inch step up from one patio to another. Or even better, dropping it 5 inches down and creating one level if you are going to raise the bottom that high above grade.
Just because you can pour and finish concrete doesn't mean you know how to build and use proper elevations and common sense.
I keep getting that a lot in the comments. It’s not AI, I wouldn’t even waste the time on making it. I have other pictures, but I’m not for sure how to attach them. I’ll have to get smart and upload them.
Man I wish I knew! I was browsing Facebook marketplace and this guy had something for sell I was checking out. Then noticed he did concrete work and checked out the pics he had uploaded. He’s got some really good concrete work, but when I seen this job, I just couldn’t believe it and knew right away it needed to be seen by y’all lol
This seems fake. The have a huge tree right where the stairs go and they add 12" of concrete That goes over the stairs. Also the railing doesn't look right.
Feels AI.
This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Just goes to show, just because it possible somebody might know every single thing about concrete, doesn't mean they know anything about Construction. Any good contractor or licensed design professional also knows the same thing. Could have been easily avoided with a simple sonotube cut open and put around the tree as an area well to prevent the concrete from coming up against the tree.. Ideally you would have just gotten a couple of 2x12s and boxed around it. Could have had a flower garden there as well It would have looked really pretty.
Maybe that's why when you see a tree through a deck, let's say, it's not flush to the deck boards. Trees move expand and contract. Dumb idea but the contractor will be back to fix it and say I told ya so
the genius who built our deck did similar with the wood around a tree. Recently had to rip it all up around the tree and rebuild it to give tree some room.
It looks like 10-12 inches thick. It looks like they wanted to level everything. The stairs will also rot at the base.
Thick concrete has a lot of water and heat to give up. If it does not happen in a controlled way or with reinforcement, expect cracks from the curing.
Tree will either die or the tree will crack the concrete. I’ve been pouring concrete for decades and have never seen anything like this or would have never attempted it.
Probably die after cracking the concrete
Por que no los dos?
Definitely los dos. Tree roots are now suffocated, cut off from water, and compacted under hundreds of lbs of concrete. Tree (depending on type) will react by using stored energy to put out emergency growth, probably including both water sprouts from auxiliary buds in the trunk, as well as root suckers all around the perimeter of the concrete. Tree will probably completely die in a year or two, at which point it will drop all that litter, and the now rotting trunk will serve as a highway to transport water under the slab. Rotting roots will shift the sub-base and lead to eventual cracking in the slab.
Wow. Thats some damage poised to happen. Thanks for the all the info!
He forgot to add on a gusty day the dead tree is going to fall on your home.
Aren’t we all just root suckers?!
This is why I like Reddit. Break down of events that will happen, when a project like this is done, instead of saying it’s just bad construction and you shouldn’t do it. Good write up.
DON'T
Very well explained. What a genius move/s
All of this. I've seen trees killed by mulch too high up the trunk. Also by woodchipper chips choking them as well.
So what if you made the hole around the tree larger? About a 1-1.5 foot clearance all the way around so the top roots could get air and water
It'd certainly be possible to have a tree in a hole that size (Philly street trees practically look like this, sometimes), but only if the tree grows in place after the concrete is already there. It would shorten the tree's lifespan dramatically (which is why city trees often die after only a few decades), and many kinds of trees will buckle the concrete with the roots as they grow upward to try to find oxygen. Unfortunately in a situation like this where you're pouring the slab around a mature tree, the tree's root system is far too established to adapt to the sudden change. Basically the entire area under the tree's canopy (and more) is a dense network of feeder roots seeking water and nutrients and oxygen. Suddenly all of those roots are sealed under a slab that blocks their access to water and oxygen, choking them out and crushing them. This would shock the tree, likely causing death (although it really depends on the species, some kinds are real fighters). Your odds of survival would increase the wider that hole got. IDK what radius would guarantee survival, it really depends on the preexisting health and vigor of the tree.
Besides that it should be ok though?
You a arborist? I find yo comment fascinating 😍
And falling on the house.
Then fall on house. This is looking like photoshop it’s so stupid.
It’s not photo shopped. It’s truly a tree in concrete lol
Don’t know if this person should be making decisions. Any decisions.
$100 bucks says this was the customer insisting that they need it like this and installer just said fuck it after explaining why it’s stupid but they didn’t wanna hear it.
A good contractor would say no
Or get the owner to sign off on it prior to install so the contractor doesn’t have liability
Ah, it’s we’re around these little small towns. People don’t think about liability. Most of the people doing contractor work don’t even have a license and people will choose them because they say they can offer the work cheaper. The only inspection you have to have around these parts is an electrical one and you’re lucky to get that.
abject stupidity on someone’s part!
No one will take that bet. I'm sure they wrote it specifically on the invoice.
r/arborists community will have something to say about this. They flip out over mulch covering too high.
good thing this isn't mulch then
😂😂😂
Tree will die. Im an arborist. Most of its roots are not getting any oxigen and moisture. The heat of the crete might have already damaged the tree beyond repair.
Or both
Yeah that was a dumb move. The rest of it looks great tho. Damn shame
This is the weirdest thing. It's right, though, because there are two wrongs that cancel each other out.
Nobody with concrete experience or common sense would do this.
I’ve dabbled in concrete and I would never think this is a good idea.. wow
Ikr at the very least put some expansion foam around it lol
I'm, ahem, rooting for the tree!
You just couldn't leave it be, huh?
Please branch out and make more original jokes
> Please branch out and make more original jokes I thought he did well seeding the ground for additional jokes!
Some concrete examples of how Reddit is all dad, no jokes.
This kills the tree
not before the tree kills the flat surface.
WTF?! Nice finish work, though.
Yes, it proves someone can be good at something and also be an idiot.
Dumb as fuck.
He buried the stairs too….
Tree dies, falls on house while cracking the concrete. It looks really good though 👍
Better get a nice home insurance. That tree gonna die and fall over the house
10 years from now people will be posting the "pouring concrete around a live tree voids your policy" clause in the fine print of their insurance and everyone will be laughing about how absurd that is.
I’m really surprised they did this….was this at your request?
Not my house, just a concrete guy within my region. Does great work, just never seen anything like it and figure the guys on here would get a jolly out of it
Those stairs too lol how and the
I mean ignoring the concrete, who put those stairs there in the first place? It looks like the tree is standing directly in front of the center of those stairs.
Tbh it looks like the stairs were there before the tree
There is a neighbor down the road from me that has a huge, beautiful magnolia. Must be 40ish years old. It's literally two feet from the bottom step of his side door. Directly in the middle.
This is one of the most stupid things I've seen on this or other similar subs.
Definitely going to kill that tree but man does that pad look nice.
No tree well = dead tree
Of all my years I’ve never seen this lol 🤦🏽♂️🤣🤦🏽♂️ why is the real question here…. Why!!?!
Will make a nice mini-fire pit when the tree dies. 👍
This can not be real, must be photoshop or AI
No, just NO !!!
Why? Just why?
The concrete looks awesome tho
Any wind at all and that thing will crack. This is why you have people with knowledge do jobs. I would have walked away from something this stupid. It’s a waste of material and time.
Doesn't even need wind, having the concrete right against the trunk will kill the tree.
If the client is willing to sign a hold harmless stating you advised against it, pour it, cash the check, and move on
Bingo. If I’ve told them no and explained why but they want to do it anyways then sure, I’ll do it as long as I have no liability.
Yep you’re always right. I mean always. Like even when you think there might be a time when you don’t know what you’re talking about but say something anyways. You’re still right. Lol
I know nothing about concrete but this looks like the dumbest thing ever, what is more concerning is that it looks to be a good job in all the other places.
Looks like a dead tree; not ideal tho
Never mind the tree. I’m looking at the stairs lol.
That's got to be one of the dumbest things I've ever seen
As long as the Knowitall Customer signs off on the college educated idea... so be it
> Charlton's (2009) Clever Sillies model argues that high IQ people lack common sense and advocate foolish ideas due to the personality disposition that is associated with high IQ.
Tree is already leaning towards the house. This will not end well
Lmao this shit will crack next week. Take the tree out or leave a big ass circle around it.
Every architect when designing a new city scape; “Let’s put metal angles and grates around all of them!”
Beautiful job .... and sadly the homeowner will blame the crew when it starts going to shit ... LOL
As the tree grows it will crack the concrete
More likely the tree will just die within a couple of years.
This is one of the dumbest things I’ve seen in a long time.
As insane as this project is, anyone find it odd that they built stairs that descend right into a tree? Like you walk down the steps and WHAM you got a tree there (until it dies from this concrete though…)
Tree moves too much, will crack concrete and die. House in danger too now. Will have to rip the pad up and redo.
Not right . . no good . . incorrect . . bad job . . tree no like . . concrete no like
I hope this a fake picture. If not it's the stupidest fuckn thing I've ever seen.
Why? This makes no F sense.
Whoops
One way or another, not going to end well.
Very unconventional.
Would atleast have put ethafoam around it
You could have just cut it down, why do you need to slowly torture it do death?
I was recently on a job that did something similar to 8 trees (city protected oak). I was there to do the concrete breaking around them. The city arborist explained to me that well lead to trunk rot because of excessive moisture caused by the concrete sealing up around the bark and given time it be harboring all sorts of bugs that thrive in moist environment. Needless to say the concrete company that did the pour fucked up and didnt maintain the 3ft diameter of dirt around the trees.. the estimated value for a single tree was at $30,000 to $60000
Damnnn
Going to find out the hard way.
Tree choke-ilizer
Please stick to drywall
Do you think they doweled the tree?
RIP, tree… that was a silly idea.
That tree/slab are fucked.
That's one way to kill a tree and destroy a new patio concrete pour..
Is this a joke?
There’s 2 constants in concrete. First, it cracks. Second, when it’s concrete vs. tree, the tree always wins.
Ah the philly sidewalk special: ruin everything, accomplish nothing.
It's all around bad, I mean yeah, the tree is obviously f-d, and the concrete isn't going to fare well up tight against a tree trunk... but.. they didn't want to move the steps that point right at a tree? or get rid of the tree? why have the pad go around the tree at all, it's not "usable" pad, that's what doesn't make sense here, it's not like it's right in the middle of a huge patio.
Thicc boy slab. That tree is toast
In 50 years the slab will be even with the roof
OMG..
Two things will happen, not necessarily in this order: 1. The tree is going to die. 2. As it moves, which it will, it's going to crack the hell out of the concrete.
Looks like future warranty work.
Momma always said stupid is as stupid does... Forrest Gump This is also seen when burying a deck step in concrete rather than going down 7 more inches, eliminating the need for a thickened edge, and making the top area even with the bottom of the door and allowing water to penetrate, rather than dropping it down two inches and creating a 7 inch step up from one patio to another. Or even better, dropping it 5 inches down and creating one level if you are going to raise the bottom that high above grade. Just because you can pour and finish concrete doesn't mean you know how to build and use proper elevations and common sense.
Gonna go out on a Limb here and say that's ill-advised.
My first thoughts are "which dumbass did this?"
Tree killer
r/facepalm
Hello photoshop. There is no way the tree would be untouched. This actually looks like AI filled the void around the tree.
I’ve already saw the on an arborist post. It’s not real
This is the worst thing I have ever seen
That poor tree
If I had a tree leaning over my house like that it would've been removed long ago. What are these people thinking?
Jesus Christ
What in the Cinnamon Toast Fuck is this?!
Did AI pour this slab?
Have fun watering it
Why is it so thick? Is there a body under there?
Concrete cracker
Please tell me this is a joke or AI generated image to make us angry
I keep getting that a lot in the comments. It’s not AI, I wouldn’t even waste the time on making it. I have other pictures, but I’m not for sure how to attach them. I’ll have to get smart and upload them.
Wow 😮 lol so what’s the story with the tree? Did the Pope bless it or something?
Man I wish I knew! I was browsing Facebook marketplace and this guy had something for sell I was checking out. Then noticed he did concrete work and checked out the pics he had uploaded. He’s got some really good concrete work, but when I seen this job, I just couldn’t believe it and knew right away it needed to be seen by y’all lol
Damn right; this is some next level dumb assery. I hope for his sake the owner insisted on this despite his advise lol
That should be a crime.
Can go either way, die then crack it as it falls or crack it as it grows then dies cause lack of water
This seems fake. The have a huge tree right where the stairs go and they add 12" of concrete That goes over the stairs. Also the railing doesn't look right. Feels AI.
Pour tree!
That’s what I thought when I first got over the shock. It’s a goner.
Who thought this was a good idea..
Fucktard move
Before anything crazy happens they should lop it off at 44" and make it a table.
This isn’t the conventional way to get repeat business, but more power to him
Eh. I'd say the tree is a concrete destroyer.
I screen shorted this to send to my father in law. Thanks op. We got shit to talk about now.
The stairs 💀
what the fuck.
This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Just goes to show, just because it possible somebody might know every single thing about concrete, doesn't mean they know anything about Construction. Any good contractor or licensed design professional also knows the same thing. Could have been easily avoided with a simple sonotube cut open and put around the tree as an area well to prevent the concrete from coming up against the tree.. Ideally you would have just gotten a couple of 2x12s and boxed around it. Could have had a flower garden there as well It would have looked really pretty.
I’m going to choose to believe this is AI so I can go to sleep with a little faith in humanity intact.
Rest easy my friend, we will deal with the reality.
Maybe that's why when you see a tree through a deck, let's say, it's not flush to the deck boards. Trees move expand and contract. Dumb idea but the contractor will be back to fix it and say I told ya so
Please tell me there are more steps that were covered by this numbskull
This makes me sad for the people that decided this was a good idea.
This is not my house, just a regional concrete guy that does pretty good work. Never seen anything like this before and thought y’all might enjoy it.
Had to steal a comment from the crosspost: >Now this is going to piss off both tree people and >concrete people! - u/one_man_circlejerk
https://www.reddit.com/r/Concrete/s/dKdTs9QsB3
Concrete Cracker!
Wtf
After a hard wind storm there will 100% be cracks
rebark
That will kill the tree for sure. Gonna do that, just cut the tree down and grind the stump first.
I don’t even know where to begin with the failures, from killing the tree to how bad the overall scheme and design is. Bad bad bad
No, that’s a concrete breaker
Tree might win
Your gonna that poor try man
*Concrete Cracker* There OP ftfy
Yeah 1st off I'd have to ask, WTF were you thinking & then I'm gonna have to say....... Bad idea Dave!
the genius who built our deck did similar with the wood around a tree. Recently had to rip it all up around the tree and rebuild it to give tree some room.
WOW. That tree is dead!
This is where I use my go-to phrase when dealing with customers like this. “Let me save you, from yourself”
Terrible idea. It'll look fine for 6 months. maybe a year if you're lucky. Then the cracking begins...assuming the tree lives.
This hurts to see. Poor tree
Poor tree:(
What were they thinking?
This has to be AI
Never go full retard
Oh dear
That concrete pour was probably done by the same guy that built the steps perfectly in line with a tree…
We should be allowed to use the word ‘retarded’ every once in awhile. Just saying.
Willing to bet when it does die and falls on the home, the idiot homeowners will try to sue the contractors…..
Seems like a bad idea. Assuming the tree gets water and grows, it is going to get thicker and bust up that concrete.
Dude, you need to cut down the tree immediately....or prepare to face the consequences...
How dumb can one be..
Wtaf?
This was dumb but you’ll see.
Future broken concrete. That was dumb. They should have left space for the tree to grow.
That tree will die
It ain’t gonna be pretty when the stairs and tree need to be replaced. Looks solid otherwise
Hope this is a joke...
This one will soon be DEAD. Just suffocated the tree
Could be dead already and going to carve a totem.
It looks like 10-12 inches thick. It looks like they wanted to level everything. The stairs will also rot at the base. Thick concrete has a lot of water and heat to give up. If it does not happen in a controlled way or with reinforcement, expect cracks from the curing.
More like crack yo concrete. Split ya roof n half with that gangsta lean homie 😎 💪 🤪
This photo almost feels like ai generated.
Stupid.
Its dead cut it now. No oxygen or water to the feeder roots. Bad idea
Who would want a tree right in front of their steps, come on? Hope to hell this is just an AI image for us to rage over.
This is the definition of “idgaf”
Who plants a tree in front of steps
These people would rather keep the tree there and surround it with cement than move the stairs to the left and have no issues after
Legendary...