what is best way to remove tree stumps?
in particular, I live in an area with lots of new construction houses and tall trees. I have most of the trees cut already. I could pay someonase cash to take a front loader and tear them out (is this possible?) or use other more common techniques.
suggestions?
stumps are anywahre from 2" to 2' in diameter.
Front loader is great, but makes a big hole.
You could use a power washer to wash away dirt around stump, then when you have made a cavity under it, put some charcoal and soak with lighter fluid and let it burn for several hours. You will be able to remove stump with a shovel then and a little prying.
I guess it's possible with a front loader, but it would be a real mess. Try either a backhoe or stump grinder. Next time, leave about an 8 or 10 ft. tree trunk, and you can pull them out with a tractor. Depending on the tree and type of soil, you can sometimes pull them out with a 4 wheel drive truck.
Fire... I like this idea. tell me more.
dig under the stump (how far under the stump?) light stump on fire then remove what's left
wouldn't the burned wood be weaker and tough to remove as a whole unit?
as an aside, the builder has NOT done the landscaping yet, so if holes are made by removing trees, they might get filled when the landscaping and finished grade are done.
stumps/trees are on a hill sloping down if this makes a difference- hill is probably a 15 degree, maybe 25 degree grade. Easy to get under, and not worried about holes, as erosion will smooth them out regardless.
Why did you cut down big trees? Most people would give their eye teeth to have a bunch on their property?
Dan'l.
"Why did you cut down big trees? Most people would give their eye teeth to have a bunch on their property? "
That's a great question isn;t it? Here in NJ, it's common to see builers level everything too. And I don't understand it. With all the environmental issues today, you'd think this would have stopped long ago. I'm not one of the nuts that thinks every homeowner should have to get a permit to cut down a tree, but to see builders clear out nice mature shade trees seems like a waste.
As to how to get rid of stumps, for the OP, the answer is a stump grinder. Either rent one or pay a tree service to do it.
In my area there are several people with trailer mounted stump grinders that will do it inexpensively. I had two done recently, both about 12" in diameter, charge was $40. The more you have the less it is per stump.
What you have to remember is that they only go down about 4" below grade. The rest of the stump is still there. As it rots you will have to fill the area periodically to level it out. And you might get a crop of mushrooms over the rotting stump.
Quick fast inexpensive: Stump Grinder.
Actually with a backhole removal plan you should leave about 5 feet of the tree in the ground to use for leverage.
depth of removal depends on the use of the dirt you plan. a shallow garden may only need a foot depth of no stumps, and a 4 foot foundation and a basement needs the big excavation equipment to start the digging.
where? climate and local ordinances may limit your chemical stump removal options. when? is your timeframe for completion [chemical=3D slow] why? for what depth of soil use.
""What Can I Do With This Ugly Tree Stump?" Try This! Don't rent out a stump grinder; don't hire a tree service! Use StumpOut=AE to get rid of ugly tree stumps with a minimum of hard labor! Just drill a few holes in the stump and pour in StumpOut=AE. It decomposes the wood in a few weeks, leaving holes all the way down. Then drop in a match to burn the pulp. Some chopping may be required on larger stumps. Nonexplosive, dry granular formula. 1lb. can for one stump.
176185 $5.99 at:Some trees are messy. I despise oak trees which in the DC area produce enormous amounts of pollen in the spring and slowly drop their leaves from Nov through Jan. Nice looking and strong but not in my or my neighbors' yards. Other times when the builder removes most of the trees the remaining ones are prone to damage or toppling due to wind. They grew up in a sheltered forest and suddenly are exposed to the full force of the wind. Not good to have NW of your house around here.
Most trees give off pollen. Oak trees are beautiful. Just be thankful you don't have a Catalpa tree, or worse, a female Ginkgo tree.
Years ago, I knew a social worker/ state employee. His approach was to sign out a state van for the day, put in low gear with cable on bumper.. good for the smaller stumps. Just kidding- but the story is true- wrong person drove by and reported him- don't recall what the penalty was.
I have over 200 trees, some over 80 feet high. After cutting a tree down, I cut the stump close to the ground so that I can mow over it. After a few years it rots out. You can speed up this process by drilling deep holes into the stump and keep the holes filled with
34-0-0 fertilizer.
I know that some people have a method of getting rid of stumps where they have a burn barrel with no bottom. They start a fire in the barrel and keep it fed for several hours. The stump burns down below the surrounding surface level and is effectively removed.
We had a big beautiful oak tree where I grew up. Some garden service told my mother it wasn't well and we had to dig a trench around it, a couple feet deep. She didn't want to spend the money, but she trusted him and she did it.
I was there, a couple years ago, 46 years later, and the tree is bigger and more beautiful.
In fact the house and yard look as nice as they did when we moved out.
Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.
I live on 20 forested acres I am familiar with this task. There are three stategies I have used. I have not used the chemical like StumpOut=AE.
1=2E Wait a year or two and you should be able to pull the stump out or push it over with a something as small as a tractor, skidsteer, pickup, winch, ATV, or even a come-a-long. If it is a small tree, you can push it over and it will just break off at the ground level. If it is larger you might have to yank it out with a winch or pickup at the least. A 24 inch tree is a big one and may require the use of heavier machinery to pull it out. There will be a crater where the stump used to be but this creates less disturbance than the other methods.2=2E If you are building something in the spot where the stump is including a driveway or sidewalk or the excavation for these things then you may need to remove the stump right away. This means digging them out with heavy machinery and can still be a pretty tough job depending on the soil conditions and the size and species of tree.
A dozer might be necessary for a 24" tree. A backhoe will also work. A Bobcat skidsteer or similar tractor can be used but can take longer than the others. In any case, a lot of soil will be disturbed, more than you expect. Also, a big crater will be left where the stump used to be possibly requiring you to bring in fill dirt to bring the soil back to the original level and may be necessary anyway. The machine itself can also cause quite a disturbance and the compaction of the soil everywhere you use it or drive it. If the ground is too soft to too frozen, it may be impossible or undesirable to use a machine at all.
3=2E If it is a yard or garden then a grinder will be your best option. I am able to rent these from my local rental store and they are affordable for the job they do. The kind my store has are pretty crude and require a some muscle to operate. You tow it behind your pickup and then when you unhook it you have to push it up to the stump. You then lock one wheel which is used a pivot to swing the spinning carbide cutters back and forth across the stump in an arc. In order to grind another arc you have to reposition the grinder by pushing or pulling the entire machine to a new spot. A large tree will require several of these repositionings. You might need a helper if you are lacking in size or strength. This is the type my store has and is the most common. It gets the job done but is a hassle to use.There are other cooler stump grinders and you might be able to rent one if you go to a Bobcat dealer though it will be expensive. I sort of have my heart set on one of these. It mounts on front of a Bobcat skidsteer or any other skid steer for that matter and operates hydraulically. There are two styles.
With one style you have to position it over the stump and then pivot the entire skidsteer back and forth across the stump. This has the disadvantage of disturbing the ground more. The other style, which I like, has an articulated arm that looks similar to a backhoe but has cutters which can be positioned at any place over the stump minimizing equipment repositioning and ground disturbance. Any grinder will only grind to a certain depth below the surface of the soil. Here are some cool links:
For the cheaper generic skidsteer grinder:
""What Can I Do With This Ugly Tree Stump?" Try This! Don't rent out a stump grinder; don't hire a tree service! Use StumpOut® to get rid of ugly tree stumps with a minimum of hard labor! Just drill a few holes in the stump and pour in StumpOut®. It decomposes the wood in a few weeks, leaving holes all the way down. Then drop in a match to burn the pulp. Some chopping may be required on larger stumps. Nonexplosive, dry granular formula. 1lb. can for one stump.
176185 $5.99On my 18" low-cut stump I tried chainsawing it but burned out my chainsaw. I tried an axe and wedges and broke the handle off my axe. I tried the chemical but no go. I tried sulfuric acid. Then I tried the kerosine&fire method. That worked some on the edges; one of the problems may have been that I had drilled some holes in the middle, with no drain, and when it rained the stump would get waterlogged again. Finally I pushed dirt up against it and hoped bugs and grubs would take it out. It is now two years and the stump is still there, looking just as tough as ever.
I know you are asking how to do it, not how not to do it. So in that spirit let me suggest this: think of all the things you can try and then try one than I did not.
I've removed 2 stumps in my yard. I hired a person who had a trailer with a portable grinder. In both cases I wanted to put new trees in so They ground the old stump up to a depth of around 24 inches. The first one cost me $50 and the second one cost me $40 but I got it done at the same time as my neighbor did his and so I got a discount on that one. My neighbor has had it done where they only went a few inches down with the grinder -- didn't need to call Julie in that Case. YMMV.
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