Stump grinding or digging out the stump – which is better?
By Service Plus Stockholm AB3 min read
Short answer
Should a tree stump be ground or dug out?
Stump grinding is almost always the better option compared with digging out the stump. Grinding is quick, leaves a small hole that is filled with chips and soil, and does not damage the lawn, underground cables or the house foundation. Digging is only needed when the entire root system has to go, for example before casting a concrete slab or if the tree had root rot that needs to be cleared.
How does stump grinding work?
A stump grinder is a machine with a rotating wheel of carbide teeth that grinds the stump down into chips, normally to 10–20 centimetres below ground level. The thickest roots closest to the stump are ground away as well, while finer roots are left in the ground and break down naturally within a few years.
Compact grinders fit through a standard 80-centimetre garden gate and can reach right up to house foundations, fences and slopes.
Comparison: grinding versus digging
- Time: grinding takes a fraction of the time needed for digging, which requires a machine, excavation of the roots and backfilling.
- Cost: grinding needs a fraction of the working time and is therefore usually considerably cheaper than digging with a mini excavator and hauling the stump away. Service Plus assesses the price on site.
- Damage: grinding leaves a hole the size of the stump. Digging tears up several square metres of lawn and puts cables and drainage at risk.
- Result: after grinding, the area can be seeded or planted straight away. After digging, the hole has to be filled with new soil and often settles over the course of a year.
- Roots: grinding leaves the finer roots in place, digging removes more of the root system.
When is digging still the right choice?
- The area is going to be concreted or carry a building, and the entire root system has to be removed.
- The tree had honey fungus or another root rot that could infect newly planted trees.
- The stump is from a species that sends up vigorous root suckers, such as poplar, aspen or sumac, and you want to remove as much root as possible. Grinding works here too if you grind deeper and then cut back the suckers consistently.
What happens to the chips after grinding?
Grinding produces a pile of chips mixed with soil, roughly two to three times the volume of the stump. The chips can be raked out as mulch in flower beds, used in the compost or taken away.
If the area is to become lawn, most of the chips should be removed from the hole and replaced with planting soil, because the chips draw nitrogen from the ground as they break down. Service Plus can restore the area with soil and grass seed as an optional extra.
Stump grinding from Service Plus
Service Plus Stockholm AB grinds stumps throughout Greater Stockholm, ideally in connection with the tree felling. Our stump specialist Stubben handles everything from small shrub stumps to stumps over a metre in diameter. Stump grinding on the plot of your home qualifies for a RUT deduction of up to 50% of the labour cost.
Common follow-up questions
Can old stumps be ground?
Yes. Old, partly rotten stumps are quicker to grind than fresh ones. A common reason to grind away an old stump is that it attracts ants and fungi.
How close to the house can you grind?
With a compact grinder, Service Plus can work right up to the house foundation. We first check where electricity, water and fibre run, because roots often grow along cable trenches.
Can a new tree be planted in the same spot?
Yes, after grinding and replacing the soil in the hole. Wait a year if the old tree died of disease, and preferably choose a different species.
