About Rice's Stump Grinding

My compact stump grinder can fit through an opening as narrow as about 30", so fitting through most narrow backyard gates is not a problem. It is about 11' long and weighs 1600 pounds. Since it is tracked, it can twist and turn in place like a small tank, so it can navigate tricky spaces.

My larger grinder, which is highly productive, has a narrow-mode, where it can retract from about 6ft in width, all the way down to 3ft in width.

My preference is to grind deep enough to get completely underneath tree stumps, although this is not always practical. You should typically expect the stump to be approximately 6" to 8" below grade at a minimum when I am done. That depth is more than adequate for most scenarios. Visible surface roots can also be "chased" and ground up. Subterranean roots often extend just as wide (or wider) than the branches of the trees above ground, those are left in place. This is stump grinding, not total tree root extraction.

If you do have a special scenario where you may need the stump ground out deeper than usual, or if you need a larger area of roots taken care of, please let me know in advance.

Yes. I promise to get the stump out of your way as agreed upon. Really large stumps can create a mountain of wood chips, so much that a stump grinder can sometimes "get lost in the chips". If you find something that I missed, let me know and I'll come back and take care of it.

All too often, I grind stumps for customers that have already paid someone else to grind the stump(s). The other grinder either left the stump flush with the ground, and not below grade as they should, or they just missed some critical parts of the stump- never to return to finish the job properly. In other cases, my customers have paid for a tree company to remove the tree AND the stump, but they never came back to grind the stump after they were paid.

I grind stumps for customers that have already spent a lot of time and money renting a stump grinding machine. What they discover is that the rental machines are truly underpowered, difficult to use (especially for a novice), have dull teeth, and simply will not do the job in a timely manner. They would have saved both time and money if they had hired a pro from the start.

An experienced operator, on a higher powered machine, with a constant supply of fresh (and expensive) sharp carbide cutting teeth on hand, can out grind a rental many times over.

I do not remove or haul off the wood chips that are the result of stump grinding. Typically I will offer a couple of options based on your needs and budget. Many times the stump(s) are ground up and the chips are left as they are. If you would like me to rake the chips into a pile over the old stump hole, or spread them out a bit around the hole, that can also be arranged. The chips will compost with time and turn into dirt. Yet, if you want to grow grass sooner rather than later, your best bet is to relocate the chips, and put down a few inches of topsoil.

Straight line traveling, or wide sweeping turns across a grassy yard typically leaves very little lasting evidence. Of course, the wetter the ground, the more the impact will be. Around the stump where the machine is planted while grinding, there will likely be some damage to the ground and surrounding turf, as the tracks have more pressure applied to them when the cutting head is contacting the stump. When traveling over dirt, track marks will be left, which can be removed with a simple wipe of a rake.

Prices can vary quite a bit, but the biggest factor is typically the size/volume of the stump. The diameter of the stump, the height of the stump, and surface roots are all factored in. Other factors that can sometimes affect the price are steep slopes, rocky soil, access issues, and close proximity to houses/sheds/sidewalks/driveways. A personal site visit is the only way I can provide a solid quote. Larger projects, and land clearing areas have a lower-price-per-unit, since larger projects are inherently more efficient than lots of smaller projects.