STUMP GRINDING
Stump Grinding
When you want a tree-stump stump grinding (removed), a tree stump removal company may suggest grinding it out if access and conditions around the stump allow it. Questions to ask yourself; Should you go for stump grinding? How long might it take? What is the benefit of removing a stump? Should you do yourself or employ a contractor?
We answer all of those questions about stump grinding – and more – in the article below.
HOW DOES STUMP GRINDING WORK?
A stump grinder chews away at the stump of wood that is left over after a tree removal has been done. All stump grinders use powerful, rotating blades that ginds into the wood as it turns. The blade’s teeth smash the stump’s wood into small pieces. An operator guides the blade over the stump as the blade reduces the stump to wood chips, and removes the stump to well below ground level.
Stump removal
WHAT IS A STUMP GRINDER?
A stump grinder is a powerful machine that resembles a lawnmower/circular saw hybrid. They are intended to easily access the stump and then grind it into small pieces that can be removed or distributed in the surrounding area.
Predator Stump Grinder
WHAT TYPES OF STUMP GRINDING MACHINES ARE THERE?
You can find lightweight grinder models for small jobs, as well as big, powerful grinders for large stumps and complex logistics. The types of stump grinders include:
- Hand-guided, walk-behind, or “handlebar” grinders are small and lightweight. Their small size makes them the most portable, as they’ll fit in the back of a truck.
- Rear-hitch, wheeled stump grinders can be attached to a truck or trailer for travel and are then uncoupled at the job site and steered into place.
- Riding grinders are agile, like a bobcat or small tractor, with the operator controlling the grinder from a seat.
- Skid stump grinders have continuous track treads like a tank, and are driven from behind, or by an operator riding atop. The continuous treads grip large surface areas and are used where the ground is soft and traditional wheels would churn up soil or turf.
- A stump grinder attachment can be added to a skid steer, where it will be operated by the same arms that guide its trenching or bucket attachments.
As with most powerful equipment, stump grinders are designed specifically for their purpose.
Types of Stump Grinder
HOW TO USE THE WOOD FROM THE TREE STUMP GRINDING
Stump grinding creates lots of chips of wood (lots!). You’ll be surprised by the actual amount, but they can be used as on-site mulch or added to your green waste can. You will also have a hole left after the stump grinding, since you have just ground out the stump volume that filled it.
You can shovel the wood chips into the hole to decay, or you can import soil and fill the hole so that it’s even with the surrounding ground.
Sometimes local businesses or groups (schools, nurseries, parks) may welcome you with open arms for you to drop off the “waste”. And you will be seen as helping out the community. However, this does involve you collecting it on site in the first place. Ideally, leaving it on-site is the preferred choice.
Stump Grinding waste
RENTING A STUMP GRINDER
Stump grinders that are available to rent by the public are smaller and less powerful stump grinders than those used by professionals and it is unlikely you’ will get a range of stump grinder models to choose from. So it would usually make more sense to hire a professional.
IS STUMP GRINDING THE SAME THING AS STUMP REMOVAL?
Stump grinders differ from stump removers, as a stump remover is auger-like and bores down into the stump from above, removing all trunk wood and anchoring roots.
2 different types of stump removal machinery
IS RENTING A STUMP GRINDER REALLY WORTHWHILE?
Probably not. A lightweight, small, hired grinder means more time and physical effort for you, and your stump may simply be too large for a rented stump grinder to cope with. And, as anyone who has hired them knows, there’s no guarantee that the equipment is in good working order, or even safe to use. Steer clear of this option where possible.
Typical plant hire store in the UK where you might hire a stump grinder.
DIY = DON’T INJURE YOURSELF
Industrial Stump grinders are normally used by professionals, such as trained tree-care specialists. As with most heavy, powerful equipment, the chance for injury is somewhat high. DIYers should be confident and capable before picking up a stump grinder. Make sure you have been adequately shown how to use the stump grinder you intend to hire.
Protect yourself while stump grinding
When working the stump grinder itself, operators need protective equipment to protect them (and other personnel nearby) from flying debris and noise. Debris can be more than just sharp pieces of wood, things like: dirt, stones, bricks, glass and much more.
Professional tree surgeons and tree-removal companies also have (or should have) insurance against accidental damage to property from tree removal and stump grinding. Stones may be propelled at great velocity and can easily shatter glass or damage structures, cars etc. A DIY’er should think about the possibility of this and make sure they have insurance that will cover any damage to their own and neighbor’s property.
WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN PLANNING TO RENT A STUMP GRINDER?
Things to consider when hiring stump grinding equipment
If you’re thinking of “Doing It Yourself” tree stump removal, you might first want to add up the actual time and cost of renting a stump grinder, including:
- Sheet materials to protect the surrounding ground from damage (heavy, awkward and expensive)
- Yours and any helpers time to do the work, including lost earnings away from your job.
- Chance of damage to the hired stump grinder, blade and teeth from hidden debris
- Material or screens to protect property from flying debris
- Ability to load, unload and move the grinder
- Substantial liability insurance cover
- Ability to maneuver the grinder
- Debris cleanup and disposal
- Personal safety gear for you
- Fuel to power it
If you compare what you will need to do with the time and cost of having your stump professionally removed, you may find that the professional option is the better choice. We’re experienced, fast and efficient, we have a trained crew and professional equipment, we’ll make wood chip mulch for you, and we’ll clean up after ourselves!
CAN YOU REMOVE A TREE WITHOUT LEAVING A SITELY STUMP?
Stump grinder removal of flush tree stump
Basically… No. Tree-removers can’t cut a tree down flush with the ground, so there will ALWAYS be a stump.
IS STUMP GRINDING NECESSARY?
It’s your decision, but you may want to learn more about what to expect if you don’t remove the stump after you remove your tree and what you can do with it if you decide to keep it.
Ideas for using tree stumps instead of stump grinding them away
Many cannot anticipate how much a left-over tree stump will stand out after stump grinding, especially if the rest of their garden is tidy and maintained. Grinding out the stump, by comparison, gives you a clean slate for future landscape design.
There are of course a multitude of scenarios. It depend where the stump is. Is it in the middle of your lawn? Is it a trip hazard for children, the elderly, guests etc? Or is it on the periphery and not really in the way? Are the roots affecting structures like the house, conservatory or border fencing?
Because stump grinding chews stump wood down below ground level, the stump grinder ensures that your tree stump will not re-grow with suckering growth around its perimeter. This is often the best argument for stump grinding; leaving a stump in place can mean repeated sucker pruning, a garden chore that offers little satisfaction, as you’re never done.
Tree stump with suckering well underway.
Suckering sprouts are a natural response by the tree after its trunk has been cut down, however, none of this growth is useful and won’t make a healthy new tree. Instead, you’ll have lots of sprouts that turn into branches that will need to be cut down over and over until the tree exhausts its energy reserves. This can take a long time.
NOTE: Coppicing is an ancient practice that involves cutting down woodland or forest tree trunks to ground level and encouraging new sprouts to grow from them. The new, sprouting wood grows until it is harvested for firewood, fencing, thatching, or woodworking, depending on the species of the tree. These cycles of growth and harvesting can last for decades or longer on a healthy coppiced tree. However, you are unlikely to require this in your garden!
Stump grinding is not always necessary, but consider whether you want to look at it for years or come to terms with its suckering progress. Or turn it into a garden ornament.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY STUMP?
Stump Grinding Sculpture Alternatives
A stump, depending on its size, height, and location, can be an eyesore (especially as it rots away) and a tripping hazard. As it decomposes, it can also attract insect pests, start causing fungal diseases (which can spread to nearby trees), and cause soft, sunken spots in the surrounding lawn or garden.
A stump, on the other hand, can be incorporated into a unique garden design, used as an informal base for potted plants or sculptures, and painted, decorated, or sculpted.
CAN I BUILD WHERE THE STUMP GRINDING WAS CARRIED OUT?
One important factor is whether you intend to build on top of the tree stump or add a patio or paving. A ground tree stump will rot away over time as it is made of wood, an organic material. This means that it is not a stable construction base material, and any foundations, footings, or rigid materials could very well shift over time.
Tree roots can cause severe structural damage to surrounding areas
Even if your stump is ground out, there may be trunk and root material below ground that will decompose and settle, causing potential future damage to your building. In this case, ensure that all remaining stumps and roots are removed, and that the hole is filled with native soil (not bagged potting mix) and compacted to the required level for your building works.
TIMES WHERE STUMP GRINDING CAN NOT BE DONE
The stumps of most easily accessible trees that are removed can also be ground out. A stump may need to be removed for safety reasons or because it is impeding access. However, in some cases, stump removal may be difficult or impossible.
- Trees in difficult-to-reach areas with limited access or where equipment is too substantial to bring in may not be suitable for stump grinding.
- Stumps that cannot be removed completely by stump grinding can be ground first and then pulled out with a skid steer or excavator; this adds cost but may be the only option.
- Trees growing in small planting holes and surrounded by concrete or other patio materials may leave a stump that cannot be removed without damaging the surrounding material, or the surrounding material may need to be removed first. This can be expensive or unattainable.
- If a tree stump is close to other trees or valuable shrubs, those other plants’ root systems may be injured or destroyed.
- Stumps close to buildings or other structures may be difficult stump grinding out due to the risk of damaging foundations, footings, or utility lines and pipework.
Awkward stump grinding job
It really is best to check for hidden hazards before beginning to grind a stump, especially if you’re doing it yourself.
ALTERNATIVES TO STUMP GRINDING TO REMOVE A TREE STUMP
If you have a small stump in may not be worth stump grinding it, you may be able to remove using hand tools. Having a stump with a few feet of trunk left on is useful here, as the trunk can be used as a lever to help loosen the trunk. You’ll first use a shovel or a pick axe to loosen and dig out the soil around the stump to expose its roots. After you’ve uncovered the roots, you can use gravity and your body weight to rock the stump loose. If you have loppers or a pruning saw, you can use them to sever large roots and help free the trunk. This is strenuous physical work, but it’s not impossible.
Alternative methods to remove a tree stump
You’ve probably seen bottles of chemical stump remover at your nursery or hardware store. These products are often made of potassium nitrate, and work by speeding up wood decay. They require that you drill holes into your stump, fill them with stump killer, add water, cover your stump, and wait.
Potassium nitrate isn’t poisonous, but it can cause eye and skin irritation, so you’ll want to keep children/pets away from it and the stump.
Another way people remove stumps is to pour kerosene over a stump and light it on fire. Please, don’t be the person who thinks a flaming tree stump is a good use of time and resources.
NEED STUMP GRINDING WORK DOING… CONTACT US
Feel free to contact us first. We can assess your situation and provide you with an estimate for the cost of removing the tree stump. You might be surprised at how inexpensive it can be, compared to doing it yourself. Most stump removal is quick, and even large stumps can usually be removed in a matter of hours.
When we remove a tree, we always offer stump removal services, including explaining the benefits of having your stump professionally removed and explaining the benefits of tree-stump mulch for your garden.
