Stump Grinding Service
1, 2 Tree Care
We are a tree service company and we offer stump grinding services to our residential clients in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam and the Lower mainland area.
Eliminate the threat of human harm or property damage. Increase your property value. Create a visually pleasant environment where you feel good.
Stump grinding
Your arborist has finished the tree removal job, loaded the tree for disposal and cleaned up the site. But there is still one thing to do. Getting rid of the stump.
You have multiple options. You can remove the stump the old fashion way, grind it to wood chips or use chemicals to dissolve it.
What is stump grinding?
It is an effective and environmentally friendly method of removing tree stumps.
Is stump removal necessary?
Yes. Removing the stump brings many benefits.
You will increase the visual appearance and value of your property by making your landscape neat and clean.
Stumps may support the growth of new sprouts and weeds that you’ll need to repeatedly take care of.
Leftover stumps are a potential tripping hazard, especially for elder people and children.
Stump removal prevents the infestation of the area by pests, insects and rodents. These might also spread to the surrounding trees and plants.
Grinding the stump away prevents the spread of disease, infections, rot and decay in the area.
Existing stumps decrease the accessibility of your lawn for your other landscape and gardening projects.
Stump grinding vs stump removal: Why is grinding the best method to remove tree stumps?
Trying to remove the stump manually is a lot of hard physical work that will cost you time, resources, wasted tools and even health problems. Stump removal leaves a giant hole where the tree stood and is not as environmentally friendly as grinding it to wood chips.
Using larger digging machines to remove the stump may cause damage to the surrounding landscape and infrastructure.
Removing the stump will still leave the actual stump that you need to take care of. You need to transport and dispose of it
which costs extra time and money.
Using chemicals to dispose of the stump takes weeks or months.
Burning out the stump is not effective plus it leaves a lot of mess from burned wood and charcoals.
Pulling out the stump with a truck usually ends up with a broken car window, damaged tires and chains flying across your property that might hurt someone.
Grinding is usually less expensive than any other method. It won’t damage your lawn, nearby plants and trees as stump removal and other methods might.
Stump grinding removal process
Before we get onto the actual grinding, we make sure to remove the tree with a cut as close to the ground as possible to minimize the grinding procedure.
We start the process by setting up a safety barricade around the stump to prevent the debris from flying around and hurting people or damaging property.
Wearing protective safety gear is necessary for and tree service job.
And we grind the tree.
Based on clients’ requirements, we either take and dispose of the wood chips, fill the remaining stump hole or leave them for the client to use.
We finish up the process with a thorough clean-up of the site.
Can I remove the stump myself?
You should not.
There are options for a machine rental but you need to consider the transportation costs, gas cost, safety gear cost, site protective material, manpower and strength to load, unload and operate it, clean up and disposal issues, insurance and even the possibility of damaging your property or even the machinery. And most likely you’ll be able to remove only smaller stumps.
This is hard and professional work that should be left for professional tree care services that have the experience, knowledge and tools to grind the stump safely and efficiently.
It really doesn’t make much sense to try to put so much time, resources and work into questionable results.
Always hire a tree service company to take care of your trees and stumps.
1, 2 Tree Care
Eliminate the threat of human harm or property damage. Increase your property value. Create a visually pleasant environment where you feel good.
What is the ideal grinding depth?
Stump grinders usually get 4-6 inches below the surface. This is an ideal balance between cost and effectiveness. Most tree stumps don’t exceed the depth of 6 inches.
How much does stump grinding cost
A general rule of thumb is that it costs $5 per inch of diameter. Other factors like access to the site, presence of rocks, number of roots, tree species, type and condition of the soil, type, shape and condition of the stump or the terrain itself can increase the cost of the job.
Generally, the prices are anywhere between $900 to $2500.
| 11″ or less | $190 – $250 |
| 12″ to 23″ | $230 – $330 |
| 24″ to 35″ | $310 – $410 |
| 36″ to 47″ | $390 – $490 |
| 48″ to 60″ | $460 – $720 |
The stump is ground into million pieces. What’s next?
What happens to the roots?
Since the grinding process targets only the stump, not the surrounding roots, many people are concerned about what will the roost do.
Roots will gradually decompose in a few years. They will not create any vacuum or a possibility of a sinkhole. There’s no need to be concerned about tree root removal.
What to do with the wood chips after the grinding process
You can use the wood chips as mulch. This is a great way to add nutrients to your soil.
You can dispose of them as any other standard biowaste.
Or you can use them to fill the hole that is left after the grinding process.
Vermicomposting (using worms to create compost) is another great way to get rid of wood chips and turn them into nutrient-rich worm casting that benefits the soil.
What to do with the leftover hole after the stump grinding process
Some debris may be still left even after a thorough cleaning job. Make sure to clear the area of any debris like leftover branches, exposed roots and wood chips.
Fill the hole with topsoil a little above the ground.
Saw the grass seeds evenly in the area.
Rake seeds into the soil and cover the area with topsoil.
Keep the area moist, but don’t overwater.
Can I plant a new tree where the stump was?
It is not recommended as there always be roots and stump leftovers. Leftover decomposing roots alter the acidity of the soil making the new roots harder to grow. Our recommendation is to fill the hole and plant new trees nearby.
How long does it take to grind the stump?
It may take anywhere between 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on multiple factors I have mentioned above.
Type of stump grinders
Hand-guided, walk-behind or handlebar grinders.
These are small lightweight and portable machines used for smaller stumps. The main benefit is the ability to transport them relatively easily compared to the bigger machines.
Rear hitch, wheeled stump grinders.
This is pretty self-explanatory. You attach these grinders to the back of the truck for transport. You unhook them and operate separately.
Riding grinders.
These are small tractor or bobcat size machines with the operator controlling them from the seat
Skid stump grinders.
The main difference is the inclusion of track treads (similar to a tank) which is best used for larger surfaces and soft ground where the traditional wheels get stuck. The operator controls them from the seat at the back or atop.
A stump grinder attachment.
This is a grinder that can be attached to a skid steer.
How does a stump grinder work?
The stump grinder uses a high-speed cutter wheel with fixed carbide teeth that grinds the stump and roots into small wood chips.
Grinder grinds away the stump wood into wood chips
Do you need to get rid of a stump?
Eliminate the threat of human harm or property damage. Increase your property value. Create a visually pleasant environment where you feel good.