Stump grinding cost

Stump grinding costs $100 to $400 per stump, typically around $200. Many firms price by diameter instead, at $3 to $8 per inch measured across the cut surface, so a 24 inch oak stump is roughly $75 to $190 before any minimum charge. Three stumps in the same yard are commonly $350 to $700 for the lot.

The size of the stump matters less than people expect. What decides the price is whether the grinder can get to it, and what is buried around it.

What it costs

Hardwoods such as oak and hickory grind slower than pine. Old, rotten stumps grind fastest and are usually at the bottom of the range.

Access and what is in the ground

Access. A tracked walk-behind grinder fits through a 36 inch gate. A tow-behind machine grinds three or four times faster but needs a driveway or open lawn. A stump at the bottom of a slope, behind a fence or in a raised bed can take twice the time of the same stump in the open, and some firms add $50 to $150 for it.

Buried hazards. Rocks, old fence posts, nails and wire in the trunk, and gravel under the stump all destroy grinder teeth, which cost $10 to $30 each. Stumps next to walls, paths and foundations need hand digging around the edge. A crew that finds a buried concrete footing will reasonably charge more.

Utilities. Irrigation lines, low-voltage lighting cable and gas and electric services often run near old trees. Calling 811 is free and required before grinding in most states. Mark your own sprinkler lines and lighting cable yourself, because 811 does not locate private lines.

Depth. The standard grind goes 6 to 12 inches below grade. Asking for 18 inches, to lay a path or plant a hedge nearby, adds 20 to 50%.

Grinding or full removal

Grinding turns the stump into chips down to below the surface. The roots are left in the ground to rot over five to ten years, which is harmless under a lawn. This is the right answer for almost every yard.

Full removal means excavating the stump and the root ball with a mini excavator, then filling the crater. It costs $400 to $1,500, leaves a hole several feet across, and tears up the lawn around it. It is worth paying for only when:

• A building, extension or patio is going over the spot, because rotting roots under a slab settle
• You want to plant a new tree in exactly the same place
• The species suckers aggressively, such as poplar, black locust or sumac, and grinding alone leaves shoots coming up across the lawn for years

Chemical stump removers and burning are slow, unreliable and in many towns prohibited. They take months to a year and still leave a stump to dig out.

If a tree is still standing, have the stump ground by the same crew when it comes down. It is usually cheaper than a second visit, and the numbers for the tree itself are in the tree removal guide.

The chips, and what to do with the hole

A 24 inch stump produces a surprising volume of chips mixed with soil, often a cubic yard or more, heaped where the stump was.

Most quotes leave the chips in the hole and the heap beside it. Removal is $50 to $150. The chips are acidic and high in carbon, so do not use them straight as topsoil: grass seeded directly onto a chip-filled hole comes up yellow, because the wood takes nitrogen from the soil as it breaks down.

To put lawn back over the spot:

1. Rake out most of the chips and use them as mulch around beds or on a path
2. Fill with topsoil, at $25 to $60 a cubic yard delivered, mounding it an inch or two above grade because it will settle as the remaining wood rots
3. Seed or patch with sod, and add a little nitrogen fertilizer the first season

Expect a slight hollow to appear over the next year or two. A bag of topsoil fixes it. If several stumps have left the lawn bumpy, yard grading levels the whole area properly.

Renting a grinder versus hiring

A rental walk-behind grinder costs $150 to $400 a day. It sounds like a saving against a $200 professional price and for one stump it rarely is.

Rental machines are smaller. A typical rental grinds a 12 inch pine stump in 30 to 60 minutes. A 30 inch oak can take most of a day, and a professional's machine does it in 20 minutes.

They are heavy and awkward. Many need a pickup or trailer, and they weigh 500 to 1,000 pounds to move across a lawn.

They are dangerous. Grinders throw chips and stones at speed. Eye, ear and shin protection are not optional, and the cutting wheel does not care what it touches.

Renting makes sense when you have four or more small or medium stumps, soft wood, open access and a free Saturday. For one or two stumps, or anything over 20 inches, hiring is cheaper once the rental, the fuel and the lost weekend are counted.

Frequently asked questions

How much cheaper is it to grind several stumps at once?

Considerably. The first stump carries the cost of bringing the machine, and each extra stump on the same visit is often $50 to $200. Five medium stumps might be $500 to $900 against $1,000 or more booked separately. Ask neighbors with stumps to book the same day.

How is a stump measured for per-inch pricing?

Across the widest point of the cut surface at ground level, including any root flare that has to be ground. Some firms measure the widest point and some average two measurements, so ask which before comparing quotes.

Will the roots keep growing after the stump is ground?

For most species, no. The roots die once the stump is gone and rot over several years. Suckering species such as poplar and black locust are the exception, and keep sending up shoots until the roots are exhausted or dug out.

Can a stump be ground right next to a fence or a wall?

Usually to within a few inches, with a smaller machine and some hand work. Expect a higher price and a small remnant left against masonry, because grinding closer risks damaging the wall or its footing.

Should I leave an old stump to rot instead?

A large hardwood stump takes 10 to 20 years to rot on its own. In the meantime it can host termites, carpenter ants and honey fungus, which spreads to living trees and shrubs. In a wild corner it is habitat; in a lawn, grind it.