Stump Removal in Clarksville, MD

If you’ve got an old, stubborn tree stump on your property, it’s a good idea to get rid of it. Not only are they eyesores that take up a lot of valuable real estate on your property, but they could also potentially be hazardous, especially if they’re camouflaged by grass or other foliage. Who wants to regularly trip over or stub their toe on a stump?

Some stumps are easier to get rid of than others, so there are many different techniques associated with stump removal in Clarksville, MD. It’s important to know exactly which technique you should use for your stump, and whether you’re capable of accomplishing the job yourself or need to hire out a professional. Some of the factors that determine which technique you’ll use include the kind of tree the stump is from, the size of the stump, the spread of the roots and the age of the tree. As a general rule, the older the stump, the easier it will be to remove. Smaller stumps also lead to easier removal processes than larger stumps.

In addition, consider how many stumps you have on your property that you’ll want to remove. Removing a large number of stumps by hand is a massive pain, so you might choose to use a faster, more efficient method, even if it’s a little bit of overkill for any individual stump in your job.

Grinding stumps

For the purposes of this article, we’re going to focus on grinding away a stump. You can either hire a company to come in and grind a stump for you, or you can rent a grinder and do it yourself. Just keep in mind that these machines often weigh around 1,000 pounds, so you’ll need to be able to tow it to your location. Usually it’ll cost between $100 and $200 to rent the grinder for a single day. You’ll also need a shovel, chainsaw, rake and mattock to get the job done.

Typically this makes the most financial sense if you have multiple stumps to remove on your property. Here’s how it works:

• With the shovel or mattock, clear rocks away from the area surrounding the stump.
• Use the chainsaw to slice away as much of the stump as you can, trying to get it as close to level with the ground as possible.
• With the hydraulic lever on the grinder, raise the wheel of the grinder just a couple inches over the stump. Turn on the grinder and lower it approximately three inches into the stump, then move the grinder from side to side using that lever.
• After you’ve ground the stump down to about four inches using the grinder wheel, move it forward, then repeat this process until the whole stump is at least four inches below ground.

Make sure you wear protective goggles and other safety equipment, and that you’re fully confident in using the machine safely—a grinder is a dangerous tool, so if you’re not fully comfortable using it, it’s best to leave it up to the pros.

If this sounds like hard work, that’s because it is. Many people prefer to just trust the experts to handle stump removal projects, and we can’t say we disagree! Contact Stabler Tree & Crane Services today to learn more about stump removal in Clarksville, MD.