How to Grind Out Stumps

Overview

If you've cut down trees in your yard and need to get rid of the tree stumps quickly, there's no better option than using a stump grinder. Most home-improvement or equipment-rental stores carry stump grinders that you can either purchase or rent. Stump grinders come in a range of sizes to tackle tree stumps both large and small. Even the smaller stump grinders are rather large, so you'll need to either transport the machine on a flat-bed trailer or have it delivered to your house. Removing a stump with a grinder machine can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the size of the stump.

Step 1

Remove any rocks around the stump's base using a shovel so they don't damage the teeth on the stump grinder's cutting wheel. Cut the tree stump as close to the ground as you can, using a chainsaw.

Step 2

Lift the grinder wheel using the hydraulic lever so that it's 2 inches higher than the stump. Move the stump grinder so that the grinder wheel is directly above the stump's front edge.

Step 3

Start the machine, getting the grinder wheel spinning, and lower the wheel slowly down 3 inches into the stump. Direct the wheel back and forth over the stump in slow, sweeping motions, using the hydraulic lever.

Step 4

Continue until the grinder wheel has dug down about 4 inches into the stump. Lift the wheel and move the machine a few inches forward. Using the same slow, sweeping motion, continue to grind until you've reached the opposite side of the stump.

Step 5

Move the stump grinder away so you can look to make sure you've dug down at least 4 inches into the ground. Rake away the wood chips and ensure that you've ground the entire stump.

Step 6

Fill the hole with topsoil, tamp it down and rake it gently. Spread a layer of grass seed and rake them into the soil. Finish by watering the new topsoil and covering the seeds with a 2-inch layer of hay mulch.