Stump Removal vs Stump Grinding: What’s The Difference

 
Did you know that Charlotte has one of the highest homeownership rates in the nation? Thanks to a bustling housing market, there are hundreds of brand new Charlotte homeowners every single year.

One of the biggest draws to Charlotte real estate is the abundance of beautiful landscaping. However, when you purchase a property with one or more trees, it’s important to stay vigilant for signs of tree decay, disease, or dangerous growth.

If you’ve recently lost a tree on your property, you’re probably wondering what to do with the stump. Should you opt for stump removal or stump grinding?

Read on to learn the differences between these two procedures and decide which one is best for your property.

What Is Stump Removal?

When you have a stump in your yard that’s disruptive, dangerous, or unsightly, your natural inclination is to remove it. That would mean that what you’re looking for is a stump removal procedure, right?

Stump removal refers to one method of getting “rid of” a stump after a tree has fallen or been cut down. During stump removal, the entire stump is excavated from the ground.

The objective is to dig into the earth around the stump to expose the upper root system. Once the roots are partially exposed, you can begin to loosen the stump from the soil and eventually pull it out.

During this process, you will displace quite a bit of dirt. Rather than disposing of or relocating the dirt, you’ll want to keep it nearby. That way, once the stump is gone, you can fill in the hole it left behind to level out the land.

What Happens to the Stump After Removal?

If your tree developed a common North Carolina tree disease such as necrosis, you will want to have the stump removed from your property. Even after removal, a diseased stump can pose a threat to other trees and plants on your property if left nearby.

If the stump does not carry a disease, you have a few choices. You can cut a large stump into firewood. You can also grind it down into a mulch that will insulate the plant beds around your yard. All of these options will require additional labor or services.

What Are the Pros of Stump Removal?

Some homeowners prefer stump removal because they want the entire stump gone. They don’t want to run the risk of the root system leading to any regrowth. Stump removal is also ideal if you are installing new plumbing that will run underneath a stump’s root system.

Are There Any Stump Removal Cons?

Stump removal does come with some drawbacks. The process is labor-intensive and requires the use of heavy equipment; you can use manual labor to complete the process, but this is unnecessary and could take days to complete. Plus, removing or repurposing the stump does add a few more steps to the procedure.

What Is Stump Grinding?

Let’s go back to square one: you have a stump in your yard and you want it gone. Are there any alternatives to complete stump removal that cost less and take less time? The answer is stump grinding.

Assuming the tree is still standing, the first step is to cut it down so that all that remains is a low stump. Then, you can use a tool called, fittingly, a stump grinder to wear down the remainder of the stump.

Most of the time, you can grind the stump down to a point of about three to four inches below the surface level. If necessary, you can use the grinder to get rid of more of the stump, leaving behind a deeper hole. Then, you can fill the hole back up so that your yard is leveled off.

What Happens to the Stump After Grinding?

As you can imagine, the stump grinder will automatically reduce the stump to mulch. Once again, make sure that your stump did not carry any disease before repurposing the mulch. If it was diseased or infested with pests, bag up the mulch and remove it.

If the mulch does not pose a risk to your yard, you have two easy options. You can use the mulch to help fill the hole left behind, where it will help to nourish the soil. You can also use it in a more traditional way to insulate your plant beds.

What Are the Pros of Stump Grinding?

Stump grinding is less invasive, which means that it creates a smaller hole in your yard that will take less time to settle. It also costs less, requires less labor, and takes less time. As a result, it is the more popular choice for homeowners who wish to get rid of a dangerous or unsightly stump.

Are There Any Stump Grinding Cons?

The only real downside to stump grinding is that unless your tree had a shallow root system, some roots will remain behind. There is a slight chance that the tree could regrow, but this is unlikely. Plus, stump grinding may not work for homeowners who are installing new plumbing or making drastic changes to their landscaping.

Hire the AAA Tree Experts to Tackle Those Pesky Stumps

If you’re dealing with the remains of a fallen or cut down tree, rest assured that you don’t have to live with that stump forever. While stump removal is a viable option, stump grinding is often the better choice. The best part is that you don’t have to tackle stump grinding alone.

AAA Tree Experts are proud to serve the property owners of Charlotte, NC. We provide a wide array of tree care services including tree pruning, tree removal, and stump grinding. Contact us to find out more about our prices, availability, and to schedule an appointment.