Stump Removal

Reasons to Remove a Stump

Before you have a Tri-Cities tree removal specialist cut down a tree on your property, you’ll need to decide whether the worker will want to remove the stump as well. If you’re having a hard time making this call, consider these factors when deciding.

1. Stumps are ugly. Aesthetically speaking, the looks of a stump aren’t appealing. If you’re meticulous about your yard, removing the stump is a no brainer.
2. Stumps aren’t safe. Stumps can be dangerous to your kids and family. When playing in your yard, they may see the stump and trip over it. And if a neighbor trips, it’s a liability that falls into your hands. In addition, tree stumps can damage your mower if you accidentally hit one when you’re mowing your lawn.
3. Stumps will cause new tree growth. Sometimes leaving the stump behind leads to new sprouts, which will result in many small trees growing around the same old stump. This will cause an eye sore and could be costly to try to remove because the new off shoots will keep coming back, and you may need chemicals to kill them off completely. These small trees will also consume nutrients from other plants located near them, so your begonias may not receive all the nutrients they need.
4. Stumps are a pain to work around. Remaining tree stumps become a nuisance, an obstacle you have to maneuver around when weeding or mowing your lawn.
5. Stumps attract bugs and pests. When leaving stumps in your lawn, the decaying tree takes a long time to rot away completely. While it’s decaying, the stump attracts beetles, termites, ants and other wood-boring pests. You may not mind them in your yard, but they can eventually spread to your home.
6. Stumps take up yard space. Especially if you don’t have a very large yard, the space you lose from the stump and roots may occupy a lot of space. Just think: You can use that space for a flowerbed or a picnic table.

Typically, you’ll spend extra money to grind down the stumps, but it just might be well worth it.

Using Top Tree LLC
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree stump removal needs in Benton City. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.

Sizing Up The Job
Some stumps are easier to remove than others. Therefore different techniques for removing the stump can be used. Being prepared ahead of time and knowing which ways and techniques to use for which type of job will make things much easier for you in the long run. For example, pine tree stumps tend to be easier to remove than stumps from deciduous trees. The roots of pine trees tend to be wide, flat and relatively shallow while deciduous tree stumps’ roots tend to be long and deep.

What makes a stump easier to remove? Typically, the size and age of a stump are the best ways to determine the stump removal difficulty. Simply put, the older a stump is, the easier it is to remove. Likewise, small stumps are also easier to remove than large ones. Another good thing to keep in mind before choosing a stump removal method is to consider the total number of stumps that need to be removed. Do you really want to remove one hundred stumps by hand? Or even three? This guide will help you decide which stump removal techniques and methods are appropriate for you.

If you aren’t sure about how big or small a job is for removing one or many tree stumps, let us come out to your property and give you a proper estimate. It’s what we do and we’re good at it.

Using Top Tree LLC
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree stump removal needs in Burbank. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.

Removing a Stump by Grinding it Away Yourself

If removing a stump manually won’t work and you’d like to get rid of it quickly, you can always rent a grinder and grind the stump yourself. These machines weigh around 750 pounds, and you can expect to pay between $125 and $225 to rent one for a day. It makes sense to do the job yourself when there are several stumps to remove.

In addition to the grinder, you will need a mattack, a shovel, a rake, and a chainsaw.

1. Use a shovel or mattock to clear rocks away from around the stump.
2. Cut away as much of the stump as possible with a chainsaw. Try to get it as level to the ground as possible.
3. Using the hydraulic lever, raise the grinder wheel a couple of inches above the stump. After turning it on, lower it about 3 inches into the stump. Move it side to side with the lever.
4. After grinding down to about 4 inches with the grinder wheel, move it forward. Repeat the process until the entire stump is at least 4 inches below ground.

Be mindful that a stump grinder can be a dangerous piece of equipment and that you need to always wear protective gear. Be diligent about wearing protective goggles or glasses because wood chips and other debris will fly everywhere. If you’ve never used a stump grinder before, it’s also a good idea to have someone at the rental place teach you how to use the machine before bringing it home or having it delivered.

If you only have a stump or two, a professional company will probably only charge around $100 to $200, so that might be the way to go under those circumstances. As an added bonus, many companies will haul away the stump too.

DIY Method #1: How to Remove a Stump by Hand

People who want to remove the stump by hand often go about it the wrong way. To do this successfully, it helps to be dealing with a relatively small tree stump. If it’s from an older or diseased tree, that helps a lot too.

To do it yourself, it’s essential to have the right tools. You’ll need a chainsaw or limbing saw, a pick mattock, a shovel, a digging bar, an ax, a four-wheel-drive truck and some chain.

Follow these steps to remove a stump manually:

1. Use a chainsaw or limbing saw to remove any lower branches from the trunk.
2. Remove the top portion of the trunk, but leave enough to use as leverage.
3. Use a shovel, pick mattock and digging bar as needed to reveal the roots around the stump.
4. Use a hose or power washer to rinse dirt away to reveal more roots.
5. Cut the major roots with an ax.
6. Try pushing the trunk. If more roots are exposed, cut them with the ax. Continue pushing and pulling the trunk until the tree trunk is entirely uprooted.
7. If the trunk won’t budge, wrap chain around it and connect it to a four-wheel-drive pickup truck.
8. Alternate between slowly pulling forward and reversing to wiggle the trunk until it is uprooted.

Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree stump removal needs in Kennewick. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.