What is stump grinding?

Stump grinding is a mechanical method of removing a stump following tree felling.

The stump of a tree after removal can be unsightly or a trip hazard, alternatively it could be in the way of development such as a patio or turf installation. Stump grinding is a mechanical method of removing a stump, with minimal ground disturbance.

There are various machines available on the market for the removal of tree stumps, from smaller two wheel machines that can fit through a front door, to larger tracked type machines.

They all effectively do the same job, where the operator moves the cutter head to chip away at the stump.

Once the machine is maneuvered to an appropriate position adjacent the stump, the operator then moves the cutter wheel in a sideways motion, the teeth on the wheel then cut away, milling the stump down and creating chips.

The stump is milled down to the desired height below the soil level, the arising chips are then usually backfilled into the resulting hole and left to rot down.

Some things to be considered when undertaking stump grinding include:

• Underground services: A cable detection device should be used to detect for cables such as electicity.

• Windows: Stones can be flicked up by the cutter head so guards or barriers should be installed to protect them

• Personal injury: Only trained operators with correct protective equipment should use the machine.

If you would like to discuss this further then we would love to hear from you.