5 Ways to Remove a Tree Stump
If you’ve recently removed a tree from your yard in Halton Region or elsewhere, you’ll know how annoying it is to be left with an unsightly tree stump that seems almost impossible to remove. While you could leave it as is and allow it to rot on its own, this process can take many years to naturally decompose. Chip It Guy has compiled a list of the most popular methods to kill a tree stump and remove it from your yard.
How to Remove a Tree Stump:
- Dig the tree stump out of the ground
- Burn the tree stump
- Chemically remove a tree stump
- Kill a tree stump with epsom salt
- Grind the tree stump
Continue below for details and instructions on these 5 methods of tree stump removal.
Method 1: Dig the tree stump out of the ground
If you’ve got a lot of time and muscle, digging out your tree stump is one way to remove it from your yard but, this method can create an even bigger mess and disruption to the surrounding area. It will also be quite time consuming and require a lot of elbow grease to get the stump removed. To save on the time and effort, consider hiring a professional stump removal company to handle the job.
How To Dig a Tree Stump Out of Your Yard:
- Use a shovel and digging iron or an excavator to dig as deep as possible around the stump while trying to expose as many tree roots as you can.
- Use a chainsaw, handsaw, hatchet and loppers to cut the large and small tree roots surrounding the stump.
- Once all the tree roots have been cut, lift the stump out of the ground and fill the hole with soil.
This process can take hours to days of labour intensive work depending on the size and depth of the tree stump.
Method 2: Burn The Tree Stump
Burning the tree stump to remove it may be a viable option with an older, dried out tree stump. This method requires a lot less physical labour than digging out a tree stump, but can take quite a bit longer and may not address tree roots.
Always consult your local fire department before attempting this method and ensure you have an appropriate open air burn permit. Find information about burning your tree stump and obtaining open air burn permits here for Halton Hills, Milton, Oakville, Burlington and Guelph. Once you have approval to burn your tree stump, proceed with caution using the steps below.
How To burn a tree stump:
- Clear the area surrounding the stump of any dry or flammable materials.
- Prepare a water hose nearby for safety.
- Use a chainsaw to cut your tree stump as close to ground level as possible.
- Drill holes into the tree trunk and carefully pour kerosene into each hole.
- Place kindling or scrap wood on top of the tree stump and light on fire.
Alternatively, cut a criss cross pattern into the top of the tree stump 5-6 inches deep using a chainsaw. Light some kindling on fire on top of the tree stump and monitor the fire until the stump has burned down below ground level.
Method 3: Use chemicals to remove a tree stump
Chemically removing a tree stump is not a quick fix but rather, a way to speed up the decomposing process. Depending on the age and size of the tree stump, chemically removing it could still take several months to a year to decompose. It may still need to be chipped away as it decomposes to speed up the process.Gloves, respiratory masks and safety glasses should always be worn when working with chemical stump killers or stump removers as they are poisonous.
How to chemically remove a Tree Stump:
- Use a chainsaw to cut the tree stump as close to ground level as possible.
- Drill large deep holes into the tree stump in numerous places.
- Fill the holes with chemical stump remover.
- Water the ground around the stump (not on the stump, as that will wash away the chemical remover)
- Cover with a tarp to retain moisture, then cover the tarp with thick mulch.
- Water the mulch over the tarp to keep the tarp in place and also to help add and retain more moisture.
- Re-apply the chemical remover after 2-4 weeks or as directed on the instructions of your chemical remover.
- Check on the stump after 4-6 weeks and start chipping away at it with an axe to remove pieces as it decays.
Method 4: Use Epsom Salt to Kill a Tree Stump
Using epsom salt is a common home remedy to kill a tree stump. Similar to a chemical trunk remover, it accelerates the decomposition process to about 6-12 months or so. Epsom salt contains magnesium and sulphur which are deadly to plants in large quantities. Adding epsom salt to a tree trunk pulls the moisture out of it, accelerating the decaying process.
How to Use Epsom Salt to Kill a Tree STump:
- Use a chainsaw to cut the stump as close to ground level as possible.
- Drill large deep holes into the stump in numerous places.
- Put epsom salt into the holes and cover the top of the stump as well.
- Sprinkle water over the epsom salt and stump and cover with a tarp to prevent washout from rain.
- Repeat every few weeks until desired tree stump decay is taking place.
Method 5: Use a Stump Grinder to Remove a Tree STump
What is the fastest way to get rid of a tree stump?
Stump grinding is the fastest and most effective method of stump removal. A stump grinder will grind through even the toughest stumps very quickly and can be used to remove any above ground exposed tree roots as well. Stump grinders come in a variety of sizes for stump removal jobs big or small. Smaller hand guided stump grinders can be great if the access point to the stump is very narrow but, they take much longer to grind through stumps and are better used for very small stumps from shrubs or bushes. A larger commercial grade stump grinder will usually be much more efficient for removing tree stumps.
Stump grinders can be rented however, stump grinders from rental equipment providers tend to be poorly kept, not well sharpened or maintained and can end up being a big frustration as homeowners try to DIY their stump removal. While hiring a stump grinding service can sometimes be very costly, there are other more affordable stump grinding services like Chip It Guy that cost less than renting a stump grinder and grinding down the stump yourself. Or try this stump grinding cost calculator to see how much it costs to remove a tree stump using a service.
How to Remove a Tree Stump With a Stump Grinder
- Always call or click before you dig. Visit Ontario One Call to request a locate a minimum of 5 business days before you plan to grind your stump. They will ensure that there are no buried utilities where you plan to remove your stump. Many stump grinding services will look after the utility locates for you but, you should always ask.
- Ensure there are no private lines, wires or pipes buried, since the utility locates will not detect these. Think, sprinklers, septic systems, hot tub or pool heaters etc.
- Rent a large enough stump grinder for your stump removal job or hire a professional stump grinding service.
- If you’ve rented a larger commercial grade stump grinder, protect your lawn by laying down plywood. Use additional sheets of plywood to protect surrounding areas from damage due to flying wood chips, rocks and debris. The debris can break window and damage surrounding plants. Don’t forget to protect yourself with ear and eye protection.
- Follow the operating instructions provided by your rental location. This will usually include using a sweeping motion to grind down the stump until it is the desired depth below grade.
Which method you choose to remove your tree stump really comes down to how much time, effort or money you want to put into your stump removal. As you can see, many DIY methods of stump removal will still take a lot of physical labour or a lot of waiting time.
If you’re in more of a hurry to get rid of your tree stump and are located in Halton Hills, Oakville, Burlington, Geulph, Erin or closely surrounding neighbourhoods we encourage you to get a free online stump grinding estimate before weighing all of your stump removal options.