How to Remove Tree Stumps – If you’re trying to get rid of tree stumps, you might think that having a professional tree stump removal company do it for you is your best bet. After all, these companies have the equipment and expertise to get rid of tree stumps. However, doing it yourself can be more cost effective in some situations. In this article, we’ll show you the right way to remove a tree stump, whether you decide it’s better to hire a professional or decide to take on the job yourself.
There are certain situations in life, where the only reasonable solution is to bring out the heavy artillery. Tree stumps can sometimes seem like that situation, however there are methods to remove tree stumps which greatly reduce the time and effort involved. Removal of tree stumps can be a difficult job because you are dealing with a large piece of wood in the ground, with many roots sticking out from it. It is important to remove tree stumps in order for both your land and trees to remain healthy.
Table of Contents
Digging Out the Stump
- Dig around the roots. Use a shovel to dig next to the stump, exposing the roots underneath the surrounding dirt. Move around the circumference of the stump and continue digging until you’ve exposed all of the largest roots around the tree. Dig deep on either side of the roots to expose them as much as possible.
- If the roots seem very large and deep, and it’s difficult to completely uncover them, you might want to consider a different root removal method. The digging method works best when you’re able to uncover the roots almost to their tips.
2 Cut up the roots. Depending on the size of the roots, use loppers or a root saw to cut them into pieces. Cut them into manageable pieces and pull what you can out of the ground. Toss them into a pile as you go, clearing away as much of the root system as possible.
- Using an axe to cut the roots is possible, but not recommended because it can shatter dangerously if it strikes a rock, and it will usually end up stuck between roots if they are not completely exposed.
3 Pull out the roots. Use a grub hoe to wrench the remaining embedded roots out of the ground to their very tips. If you need to make more cuts as you go, do so — it will make pulling them out of the ground easier. Keep going until you’ve removed all of the major roots, then go back and pull out anything that’s left.
4 Remove the stump. After all or most of the roots have been processed, you should be able to easily dislodge the stump. You may need to use the shovel to dig underneath the stump and cut a few more roots under it before you can get it out.
- Now that all the wood has been removed, you can chop it up and add it to your compost pile.
- 5 Fill in the hole. The final step is to fill up the hole with loam or sawdust. If you fail to do so, the ground around the hole will collapse and you’ll have a large dent at that spot in your yard. As the loam or sawdust settles, the ground will sink in a bit, so you may need to keep adding material to the area every few months before the ground will stay flat.
Use a Stump Grinder
If you are dealing with a larger stump, or have multiple old tree stumps to remove, renting a stump grinder may be your best DIY bet. Stump grinders that are available at your local home improvement store generally cost between $100 and $200 to rent. You’ll also need a few extra tools including:
- Shovel.
- Mattock.
- Rake.
- Chainsaw.
How to Remove a Tree Stump With a Stump Grinder
Stump grinders are large machines that can weigh around 1,000 pounds. So before you rent one, make sure you have a vehicle that can transport it to and from your home, or that the rental company can deliver it and take it away.
Step 1: Clear dirt, debris and rocks away from the tree stump using your mattock or shovel.
Step 2: Using your chainsaw, cut as much of the stump as possible. Ground-level is ideal.
Step 3: Place the stump grinder wheel a few inches above the stump and turn it on.
Step 4: Lower it about 3 inches and move it from side to side using its lever.
Step 5: Grind it down about 4 inches using the grinder wheel and repeat until the entire perimeter of the stump is 4 inches below the ground.
Step 6: Fill the hole with the wood chips which are the remnants of your stump then cover with topsoil and/or grass.
While this is a home improvement project that you can do yourself, be sure to do your research before you begin. These machines can be a challenge to operate and you will need the proper safety gear and attire.
Burning the Stump
- 1 Find out if it is legal to burn the stump. There may be restrictions in your area for open fires, especially if you live someplace with draught conditions. Before you begin, call the local fire department to make sure it’s okay to burn your stump.
2 Build a wood fire on top of the stump. It might be handy to use the chopped-up tree you just cut down as fuel to burn a fire on top of the stop. Lay out the wood on top of the stump. Surround the stump with more wood, so that the stump will be at the center of the fire.
3 Keep the fire burning. It will take several hours to burn the stump. Keep adding more wood so that the fire stays large and hot. Keep it burning for as long as it takes for the stump to alight and burn down to the ground.
4 Shovel out the ash. After the stump has burned, shovel the ash out of the hole and discard it.
- 5 Fill the hole. Replace the ash with loam or sawdust. Keep adding matter to the area when it sinks every few months.
Chemical Stump Remover
1 Drill holes in the stump. Use a drill with a large bit to drill a series of holes in the top of the stump. The stump will absorb the chemicals through these holes, so make sure you space them evenly.
2 Apply the stump remover. Most stump removers are composed of powdered potassium nitrate, which reacts with the wood to soften and rot more quickly. Check the directions on the package and apply the stump remover to the stump as instructed.[1] 3 Keep children and animals away from the stump. If the stump removal powder is ingested, it can cause harm to kids and pets, so make sure they don’t go near it.
4 Monitor the stump. It should begin to soften and rot within a few weeks. When you deem it to be soft enough to easily remove, it’s time to finish the job.
5 Chop it up. Use an axe or a shovel to chop up the softened stump. Remove pieces as you chop them away. Keep going until you’ve leveled the stump.
6 Burn the rest. Build a fire over the remaining softened wood and let it burn all the way down. This way you’ll remove what’s left of the stump and its roots. 7 Replace the ashes with loam. Dig out what’s left after the fire has burned and discard it. Fill up the hole with loam or another filler, like sawdust. Keep adding more material over the next few months until the ground stays leveled.
Call in the Pros
If waiting weeks, working on it for hours, lighting fires, or operating heavy equipment don’t appeal to you, you can always hire someone who removes tree stumps for a living to help you. If you’re already getting a tree cut down, ask that company to remove the trunk. They will charge you an additional fee, but you may be able to negotiate a favorable rate since you are already working with them.
It generally costs between $60 and $350 per stump for removal. To get a good estimate, measure the diameter of the stump and multiply this by $2 to $3. The average cost for professional removal is $165 and most charge a minimum of at least $100.
Since the cost to rent a stump grinder ranges from $100 to $200, you could actually come out ahead by hiring a service instead. Gerald Williams, owner of C-Trees & More in Houston, Texas said that in many cases the stump grinders available for rent at places like Home Depot are not big enough for most jobs. And he should know, his company has been removing trees and stumps for over 30 years.
“I’ve seen people rent these machines and try to do it themselves,” he said. “They get worked to death trying to remove the stump with one of these small grinders, and then they still end up calling a professional in to do the job.”
He said that you can rent a stronger, professional-grade stump grinder, but warns that these can cost around $400 to $500. Additionally, he said that the commercial-grade grinders require skill to operate as well as the proper equipment to haul them.
“When you hire a stump grinding company like ours, you don’t have to worry about getting it to and from your home or figure out how to use it. And our costs start at $100 so you could actually save money by bringing in a pro,” he said.
Conclusion
Stump removal can be one of the most annoying tasks if you do not have all the right tools. If you are looking for the fastest way to remove a tree stump, then this article will definitely help you. There are certain things to do when removing a stump that many people do not know or forgot about. The roots of the tree feeds the stump and in order for you to remove that it really takes some brute strength. This is why getting rid of stumps by yourself is sometimes impossible, no matter how large or small they are. That’s when it’s best to call professionals who can help you with this removal process.