Stump Removal Service
1, 2 Tree Care
We are a tree service company and we offer stump removal 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 removal
We have cut down and removed your tree. But there is one thing left. The tree stump. What do you want to do with it?
Is tree stump removal necessary?
There are many positives in removing the leftover stump right away.
The existing stump decreases the visual appearance of your property by making the landscape tidy and messy.
Removing the stump removes its ability to start new sprouts and growth.
The existing stump is a tripping hazard and can cause injury to you and your family.
A stump is a perfect place for insects, pests and rodents to start the infestation that can spread to other areas of your property.
Leftover stumps are a great source of disease, decay and rot in the area.
The stump will be in your way during your garden chores like moving.
When should you remove a stump?
Right after the tree removal. There are no positives in having a stump in your yard. Get rid of it and have peace with it.
What are the various stump removal methods?
Stump grinding: If you want to learn more about stump grinding, visit our service page here.
Manual removal: Good old digging and cutting.
Chemical tree stump removal with optional stump burning: Chemically decompose the stump.
Excavator removal: Involves heavy machinery and digging.
How to choose the most suitable method to remove a stump?
Depends mostly on your goals and what you consider a successful removal.
Should you try to do it yourself?
We wouldn’t recommend you to do stump grinding by yourself. But you would probably be able to remove the stump chemically.
Manual stump removal
What gear do you need?
Safety gear: Remember that you’re handling big trees with heavy and sharp tools. This is a dangerous job. Protect your health at all times.
Tools: Chainsaw or limbing saw, pick mattock, a shovel, a digging bar, an axe.
What are the steps to remove the stump manually?
Remove lower branches from the trunk but leave the top portion as leverage. Use your tools to reveal roots and root ball. Rake and rinse away the dirt to reveal and cut more roots.
Try pushing, pulling and haggling the stump around to reveal more roots that you can cut. Cut them off with an axe. Shovel away the dirt and debris and repeat the process until all roots will be cut so you can uproot the tree trunk entirely.
What to do with the tree stump?
Find out if your city is able to take it away with the rest of your yard waste. Alternatively, you can burn it or chip it in a wood chipper.
Do you need to remove some stumps?
We create safe and pleasant spaces by caring for trees
Tree stump chemical removal/burning method
This method may or may not contain burning the stump at the end.
What tools do you need?
Safety gear: Remember that you’re dealing with heavy wood and sharp tools. Protect your health. Add gloves, eyewear to protect you from chemicals.
Fire protection: Add a fire extinguisher to your safety gear as you’re dealing with chemicals and flames.
Tools: Drill and drill bit. Buy high-quality 20-volt. This won’t be the only job you can use it for so invest in quality tools. Buy bit made for wood drilling that can go 10 inches deep. Plastic tarp to cover the decomposing tree stump.
Chemical solution: Stump killer product or DIY stump killer remedy. No matter what stump killer you choose, the process remains the same.
Flammables: Kerosene for the tree stump (optional). You will need a minimum of one gallon but it all depends on the size of the stump. Be ready to buy more than you think.
Tools to start and keep fire (optional).
What is the process to chemically remove a stump?
Choose a dry day. A tree stump will be looking for liquids and will soak up the chemicals faster and better.
Do a safety check. Make sure there are no pets or children around. Secure the area with tape. Let people know that you’ll be using chemicals and fire on the property. Make sure to have escape routes and a first aid kit on hand.
Use the chainsaw to remove extensive parts of the tree stump. You’ll be drilling from the sides too so leave some wood intact.
Drill a number of holes downwards, covering the whole area of the stump. The bigger the drill bit the better. Drill holes 2 inches apart about 8 inches deep.
Drill holes from the side of the stump (at a slight angle downwards) and try to intersect the vertical holes.
Pour your chemical solution into the holes. Use as much as possible and try to pack the holes. Pay attention to instructions of your specific chemical solution.
Water the area around the stump. Wet the top, sides and other visible parts of the stump.
Cover it with a plastic tarp to trap the moisture. This will help the chemicals to break down the tree stump. Cover the plastic tarp with mulch and weights to secure it in place, retain the moisture, and prevent access by children or pets.
Periodically check on the stump to manage the process. To speed up this process, apply the chemical solution when the mulch around the dries out.
In a few weeks or months, the stump will turn into a soft, sponge-like texture.
Now you have two options. Break it down with an axe. Or burn it.
If you choose to burn it, pour Kerosine over the stump and let it soak for a few weeks. You may repeat the process several times. Clear the area of any surrounding debris, create a safety ring to prevent the fire from spreading, envelope the stump into a chicken wire and set it on fire. This will burn the stump and the roots to charcoals.
Fire safety. This is a long process of controlled fire so make sure to follow the safety procedures and measures.
Use flammables that burn gradually. Keep surroundings clean so nothing catches on fire. Make sure that you can do it in compliance with the law.
The fire should go out when the organic tree material is completely gone. Remember that remaining amber can take days to burn down so make sure to put it out and never leave the fire unattended.
Excavator tree stump removal
Involves heavy machinery and some digging. This is a good option if you are removing a large number of stumps and don’t care about the final condition of the landscape.
What to do after you successfully remove the stump?
Are any roots left? Pull them out.
Clean up wood chips and debris.
Fill the whole with high-quality lawn soil.
Sprinkle a lawn fertilizer that is high in nitrogen.
It is common for the grass to grow where the stump was because it deprecated the soil of nitrogen.
Sprinkle your seed on top of that.
Water the area a lot. Make sure to keep the grass moist while growing and not allowed to dry out.
Add nitrogen fertilizer every couple of months to help grass establish itself.
Re Fertilize the area as the grass takes hold of the soil.
Can you plant a tree in the hole
It’s possible but it’s not a good idea.
The tree has stripped the area of many nutrients.
Sawdust and chemical residue from the removal process is not the best base for the tree as well.
There might still be well-hidden roots that would interfere with the new growth.
Was the old tree removed because of a disease? Then definitely don’t plant a new tree into the old spot.
If you really want to do it. Give the soil some time to recover.
Ideally, plant your new tree at least 6-8 feet away.
How much does a tree service company charge for removal?
The stump removal cost can vary but 200 CAD – 550 CAD is a typical price range. Or 3 – 6 CAD per inch diameter. Larger stumps can cost significantly more.
What affects the stump removal cost?
Preparation: Does the stump need to be shortened to ground level? Is there any additional work around the stump?
Stump size: For obvious reasons, a larger stump will cost more.
Tree type: Hardwood trees like elm, birch, maple, cherry and oak are more difficult to remove than trees with softer wood.
Age of stump: The more the stump was exposed to pests, insects, rot and decay the easier it will be to remove.
The number of stumps: More stumps will cost more but many companies might give you a discount on bulk removal.
Accessibility: As with all tree jobs. It will cost more if it’s hard to get near the stump.
Closeness to other property: Power lines, fences, sidewalks, houses and similar infrastructure requires more caution which increases the prices.
Removal method: Grinding, manual removal or chemical removal will differ in pricing.
Soil condition: Rocks or tightly packed dirt make the extraction so much harder and that much more expensive.
Root complexity: The larger and more complex the root system, the more it will cost to remove. Are the roots close to powerlines or other plumbing?
Clean up: Do you need to clean the debris and whatever biowaste is left after the removal? Do you need help filling the hole after the stump?
1, 2 Tree Care
Contact us for a tree stump removal consultation
Stump killer products
What is a stump killer? It is a herbicide that is designed to decompose stump and its roots.
What to consider when buying this product
Thee stump size.
Location and accessibility.
Working time.
How long does it take for the herbicide to kill the stump and start decomposing it.
Ingredients. Most stump killers contain one or more of the following: Glyphosate, Triclopyr, Potassium nitrate, Picloram, Sodium metabisulfite.
Safety. These products are toxic and can irritate the skin. Consider wearing protective clothing and respirator. Watch out for the flammability of the chemicals.
Few stump killers that we recommend
Dow AgroSciences RTU548 Tordon RTU Herbicide QT Size
Fertilome (11485) Brush Killer Stump Killer (32 oz)
Bonide (BND272) – Ready to Use Stump-Out, Easy Chemical Stump Remover for Old Tree Stumps (1 lb.)
Stump killer home remedies
What are some home remedies you can use to chemically remove a stump.
Epsom salt tree stump removal. It contains magnesium and sulphur which are poisonous in large quantities and can kill the stump.
Rock salt – similar to Epsom salt.
Boiling water. Boiling water can shock the roots and literally kill them.
Nitrogen-rich fertilizer.
Miscellaneous questions
How long does it take to decompose naturally? Depends on the tree. Years and decades.
Do I need a permit? In most cases, you don’t need a permit but it’s always good to check with the local by law.
Can you do DIY stump removal? Yes, it depends on the goals and methods you choose.
How to measure the diameter of the stump? Don’t measure the top. Measure the base from one edge to.
1, 2 Tree Care
We create safe and pleasant spaces by caring for trees