---
title: Sectional Dismantling: Taking a Tree Down in Pieces
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/sectional-dismantling/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

- [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/)
- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- Sectional dismantling

# What is sectional dismantling?

Sectional dismantling is taking a tree down in pieces, working from the top, with each limb or trunk section cut and lowered under control rather than dropped. It is the usual way to remove a tree that stands near a house, wires, fences or other trees.

## How it differs from felling

In a felling the whole tree falls at once. In dismantling, a climber or a lift operator takes the crown apart, branch by branch, then the trunk in lengths. Each piece is controlled by a rope system (see [rigging](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/rigging/)) or taken by a crane (see [crane pick](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/crane-pick/)) and set down in the [drop zone](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/drop-zone/).

It is slower than felling and needs more people and gear, which is why it is used where felling is not safe.

## Why it matters in Northern Nevada

Much of the town housing is older, with mature trees close to buildings and overhead lines, and there is rarely a free lane for a tree to fall. Sectional work protects roofs, landscaping and neighbors' property. For heavy or awkward trees, a crane takes the sections so that less weight and force come down on the tree and the ground. Battle Born's own words for crane removals are less time and less impact on the surroundings. See [crane-assisted tree removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/crane-assisted-tree-removal/).

Power lines are a separate matter: NV Energy handles its own primary lines.

## What an arborist does about it

The arborist plans the order of the pieces, where each will go, and which method moves it: ropes, boom truck or crane. The plan is checked against the site before the first cut, and the crew works to ANSI Z133 safety practice. If the tree is a hazard because it is dead or damaged, the plan accounts for that too. The free estimate lays out the approach; call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243).

On an estimate you may see it described as removal in sections, piece removal or a rigged removal. It is the same idea: the tree comes down in controlled lengths, and the cost of the extra care is the reason such jobs take more people and gear.

### Sources

- [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Why Hire an Arborist](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Why%20Hire%20An%20Arborist_0321.pdf) (read October 17, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- [Rigging](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/rigging/)
- [Crane-assisted tree removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/crane-assisted-tree-removal/)
- [Crane vs climbing vs bucket truck: which job needs which](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/crane-vs-climbing-vs-bucket-truck/)

## See also

[Speedline](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/speedline/) [Climbing spurs](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/climbing-spurs/) [Rigging](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/rigging/) [Crane pick](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/crane-pick/)