Question 1

Will the tree grow back if the stump is ground?

Accepted Answer

Almost never from the stump itself once it is taken below grade — there is not enough of it left to push new growth. What can happen with a few species, poplar and locust in particular, is suckering from roots that run away from the stump. If you see shoots coming up in the lawn a few feet out, that is what it is, and it is dealt with at ground level rather than by grinding again.

Question 2

How deep do you grind?

Accepted Answer

Normally four to eight inches below the surrounding grade, which is enough for lawn, turf or mulch to go straight over it. Tell us if you are planting a replacement tree or laying anything structural and it goes deeper — that is a different depth and it is worth saying up front.

Question 3

How long does one stump take?

Accepted Answer

A straightforward stump of ordinary size is usually a matter of minutes once the machine is beside it. Getting the machine beside it is the part that varies, and on a tight domestic site it can take longer than the grinding does. That is why access questions come up early.

Question 4

What is the best time of year to have it done?

Accepted Answer

Any of it. The ground being frozen or waterlogged can make a difference to what a tracked machine does to a lawn, so in a wet spell it may be worth waiting a few days — but there is no season when stump grinding does not work.

Question 5

Do you need a permit?

Accepted Answer

For grinding a stump on your own property, generally not. It can change if the tree is protected, if you are inside a city tree ordinance, or if the work is in a right-of-way or an easement. If any of that might apply, check with your county or city before the day — we are not able to give that answer for you.

Question 6

Will it damage my lawn?

Accepted Answer

The machine is tracked, which spreads its weight far better than wheels, and on firm ground it leaves very little. Soft or saturated ground is a different matter and is worth waiting out. Any marking that does happen gets raked before we leave.

Question 7

What happens to the grindings?

Accepted Answer

Your choice, agreed before we start: raked back into the hole and topped with soil, left in a pile if you want them for beds, or loaded and hauled off entirely. Hauling costs more because it is another machine movement.

Question 8

Can you get into a fenced back yard?

Accepted Answer

Usually. The grinder is tracked and narrow, and standard yard gates are normally wide enough. Where a gate is unusually tight, a panel sometimes has to come out and go back. Send a photo of the gate and you will get a straight answer before anyone drives out.

Question 9

Do you take on more than stumps?

Accepted Answer

Yes — land clearing, forestry mulching, grading and excavation, demolition, concrete and erosion control. Stump work is the bulk of it, and the rest is generally what follows on the same ground.

Question 10

Are you insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Ask and you will be sent the certificate before the work — it is a fair thing to want to see.

Question 11

How do I get a quote?

Accepted Answer

Call (828) 574-4474, or use the form on any page. Two photos — the stump with something for scale, and the route in — plus your town is usually enough for a real number without a site visit.

Question 12

How far do you travel?

Accepted Answer

Polk, Henderson and Rutherford counties in North Carolina, and Spartanburg and Greenville counties in South Carolina, out to Asheville in the north and Greenville in the south. Further is still worth asking about, particularly for several stumps at once.

Stump Grinding Questions