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Stump Grinding
The last trace of the tree, gone below grade
Fully Insured·★ 4.8 - 110 Google reviews·24/7 Emergency
A stump is the part of the job most companies leave behind - a trip hazard in the lawn, a carpenter-ant apartment block, and a thing you'll hit with the mower every week until it's gone. Grinding is the clean way out: no excavation crater, no chemicals, no waiting years for it to rot.
We grind stumps well below grade - deep enough to re-seed grass over, or deeper on request if you're planting or building over the spot. The surface roots that radiate off big stumps can be chased down too. Afterward the chips are cleaned up and the hole backfilled so the spot is ready to use, not a mound of grindings.
We grind stumps from our own removals and stumps other people left behind - one old stump or a yard full of them. Access matters (the grinder needs a path), so mention gates and slopes when you ask for a number.
“Magnificent job. They were very respectful of our property and all the items on it, neighbors also. Cleanup was impressive.”
- Kent · Google review
How grinding works
A stump grinder is a carbide cutting wheel that chews the stump into chips, pass by pass, until everything is gone to below ground level. No excavation crater, no chemicals leaching into the lawn, no waiting a decade for rot to finish the job - a stump that took eighty years to grow is gone in under an hour, most days.
Standard depth takes the stump well below grade - enough to backfill and reseed lawn over the top. Planting a replacement tree, pouring a slab, or setting a fence post there instead? Say so at the estimate and we grind deeper. Big stumps often radiate surface roots across the lawn; those can be chased down and ground out too, so the mower stops finding them.
When the grinding is done, your choice: we clean up the grindings and backfill so the spot is level and lawn-ready, or leave the chips as free mulch.
Access and prep
The grinder fits through most standard gates and handles moderate slopes; tell us about tight gates, steps, or soft ground when you call and we'll confirm the machine can reach. One thing worth doing before we arrive: know roughly where your utilities run. We treat marked and obvious lines with respect, and Diggers Hotline is free if there's any doubt about what's buried near the stump.
What affects the price
- Stump diameter at grade - the wheel does the same work per inch, so size is the biggest lever
- Depth spec - lawn-depth versus plant-or-build depth
- Surface roots - chasing runners across the lawn adds passes
- Count - several stumps in one visit shares the travel and setup
- Access - gates, slopes, and distance from where the trailer can park
Every job gets a firm number up front from a free on-site (or photo) estimate - no hourly meter, no surprise add-ons.
Get a free estimate
Common questions
How deep do you grind?
Standard is well below grade - enough to reseed lawn over the spot. If you're planning to plant, pour, or build there, say so and we'll grind deeper. Lawn-standard grinding runs well below the surface - deep enough that seed or sod over the spot thrives. For replanting or construction, the wheel can go substantially deeper; the estimate just needs to know the plan.
What happens to the wood chips?
Your choice: we clean them up and backfill the hole, or leave the grindings if you want them for mulch. The default is a tidy, level spot. Stump grindings are a mix of wood and soil, which makes them fine fill for the hole and decent rough mulch, but not the clean chips arborists spread on beds. Most owners have us backfill and level; gardeners sometimes keep the pile.
Will the stump grow back after grinding?
No. Grinding removes the growth wood. Some species send up shoots from leftover roots for a season; they're mowable and give up quickly. Species matters a little - boxelder, poplar, and black locust are the stubborn ones that send up root shoots for a season or two. Mowing exhausts them; nothing needs poisoning.
Can you get the grinder into a fenced backyard?
Usually - the grinder fits through most standard gates. Tell us the gate width and any slopes or steps when you call, and we'll confirm before we roll out. The machine needs about a yard of clear width - a standard gate opening. Steps are the one real blocker; a couple of them can sometimes be ramped, a full flight can't.
Can I plant a new tree where the old stump was?
Yes, ideally offset a few feet from the old spot, or after a deeper grind with fresh soil brought in. We'll leave the hole ready for whichever you're planning. Offset the new tree a few feet and it can go in immediately; planting dead-center works after a deep grind once fresh topsoil replaces the chip-heavy fill. Either way, the new tree should not share the old one's exact root zone in year one.
Serving: Green Bay · Sturgeon Bay · Door County · Manitowoc County · Sheboygan County · all of Northeast Wisconsin