Glossary term

What is DBH?

Short answer

DBH, short for diameter at breast height, is the width of a tree trunk measured about 4.5 feet above the ground.

DBH, explained for tree service owners

DBH stands for diameter at breast height. Foresters and arborists measure the trunk about 4.5 feet above the ground on the uphill side, so every tree is measured the same way. You can wrap a tape around the trunk to get the distance around (the circumference), then divide by 3.14 to get the diameter. For a tree service owner, DBH is a quick way to size a job, since bigger trunks usually mean more wood, more time and heavier rigging. It also helps when you describe a tree to a customer on the phone or write it on an estimate. Keep a tape in the truck so you can measure it on every site visit.

Read the related page →

Related terms

Estimate
Estimate is the price quote a tree service gives a customer for a job, often after looking at the trees on site, before the customer…
Rigging
Rigging is the use of ropes, blocks, slings and friction devices to lower cut tree pieces to the ground in a controlled way.

More terms, A to Z

All 199 glossary terms This term in the A-Z list Learn by topic Our services Pricing

Want to know how your company does on this?

Get a free 5-minute audit of your phone, website and Google profile. We check what you can see from the outside, in plain English. No call needed.

Get my free 5-minute audit