Most cost effective stump removal?

Submitted by zac1724 t3_10mr38m in newhampshire

Hey all!

Got some good advice last time I was here for my pine tree removal. Ended up working with a logger and it was a huge success.

That being said Some mess to clean up but I have a friend with a small skid steer helping me make burn piles this winter.

Early spring will be when I want to tackle stumps. Any Ideas on most cost effective way to get rid of them??? It’s ALOT of stumps.

First thought was since my friend can operate heavy equipment , is to rent an excavator and rip them out, then I can use them to help build sidewalls and a back wall for a shooting berm and fill with earth

Other option is the drivable stump grinder for rent at sunbelt

I’m not against grinding them, just figured it’ll be $$.

Thanks !!

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Comments

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Jay_Derkin t1_j64loe1 wrote

It takes time but you could always do the old barrel burn method.

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zac1724 OP t1_j64m5sv wrote

Oh man. That seems like it would be forever !

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Jay_Derkin t1_j64m8xb wrote

It’s a slow burn (heh), but if you enjoy fires it’s a lot of relaxing evenings to be had!

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beagletronic61 t1_j6536aq wrote

Technically it is a slow burn…in actuality, if you have a big enough stump with enough moisture soaked into it, you may not even be able to make progress on it. I highly recommend against burning stumps (and I like fires!).

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Own_Conversation4300 t1_j64q1hx wrote

Tannerite. A few pounds and presto, no more stump. 😂

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zac1724 OP t1_j64q4s7 wrote

Good point , I’ll wait till we do our gender reveal and do them both at once ! Ha !

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DeerFlyHater t1_j64uxav wrote

The excavator will give you a cleaner look in the future. Mini ex rentals aren't cheap in some parts of the state. Do some research to see if that piece of equipment is capable of doing what you want first.

Sometimes ground stumps start rotting and leave eventual low spots in the yard. Years from now of course.

You'll need to backfill plus add topsoil regardless of the method.

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zac1724 OP t1_j64v49f wrote

Agreed on backfill. And i was reading about low spots due to rotting.

I’ll call around for Ex rentals but my initial research is around 2500 for a week

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Outrageous_Egg8672 t1_j66xj4j wrote

What diameter are they at the stump and how many? A tiny machine can do a big stump, but it will take a while and you'll spend more in hours. You'll want to size the machine appropriately.

A hydraulic thumb to help lift the stump out is nice. I'd ask if they have a "frost ripper" that you can rent in addition to a digging bucket for the machine. It can help avoid disturbing as much earth (look up "removing stump with frost ripper").

If this is an area you want to be grass, plan on how you are going to fill it. Stumps leave a big void.

I agree with the other poster that if you can wait a year or more they are easier to deal with.

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Ok_Low_1287 t1_j66ab5w wrote

I just logged and stumped 6 acres. If the trees are mature pine and freshly cut, you need a big excavator. It ends up being cheaper because it makes short work of pulling them. If you wait a few years after the root hairs let go of the soil, it's much easier to pull them. But don't mess around with backhoes or digging or burning or any of that other nonsense that's just silliness. I dug a huge trench and buried my stumps. The biggest problem with stumps is what do you do with them after you pulled them

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shapeintheclouds t1_j684yve wrote

Hammond takes stumps over in Orange/Canaan. Getting them there is the trick. Still, just pull in, tell them what you have, and they take em. Free.

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zac1724 OP t1_j66agt0 wrote

Thanks !!! Makes sense

What about grinding them instead ? I’ve found some rentals for the larger drive ones. Helps with not needing somewhere to put them

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Ok_Low_1287 t1_j66bfhz wrote

Grinding is okay, but you won't be able to get anything to grow over them, and you won't be able to get a nice level flat surface if you grind them generally, because the pine trees roots are near the surface and they heave up the soil, grinding is also more expensive. I've had to grind a few that were near buried gas or septic lines lines, so sometimes it's necessary

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zac1724 OP t1_j66bivw wrote

Oooo interesting ! I didn’t realize that about things growing over it!

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Adriclavallee t1_j65ecj9 wrote

Idk about stumps, but mind sharing your tree removal secrets? DM if necessary, tia

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NewHampshireDude t1_j65ewpy wrote

Home Depot rents small stump grinders for about $700 a week.

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Neighborhood_Lesbian t1_j655e0d wrote

If you want something really cheap that will take a lot of time and energy and definitely not the most efficient way to do this, grab a chainsaw, some extra chains, some files to resharpen, a shovel, and a car jack. It works but takes a lot of time and energy

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jjkagenski t1_j658vmx wrote

don't stick a chainsaw into the ground. best is to use a reciprocating saw to cut any roots. It's much safer plus the blades are much cheaper

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Neighborhood_Lesbian t1_j65ecja wrote

Solid advice here. But not what my brothers and I did many years ago with a massive stump

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ZacPetkanas t1_j65b3c9 wrote

Dollar-wise? Dump grass clippings around the stump to provide nitrogen and moisture and allow nature to handle the rest. Check back in a couple of years...

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cwalton505 t1_j6cv4kq wrote

Oh look a new tree! I cut it down but now what do I do about the stump?

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thrunabulax t1_j65ujv1 wrote

for a LOT of stumps, you really need a backhoe.

you can dig them, move them, then smooth over the giant divots too.

getting rid of those stumps will be a challenge. nobody lets them into landfills, and they do not burn very well, too wet, even after drying them for a year or two

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Business_Ad_3995 t1_j65x39l wrote

Try potassium nitrate. They sell it as “stump remover”. You basically drill holes and pour it in. It speeds up the decomposition. So you can then go back a few weeks later and hit with an axe or sledgehammer to clean up. You’ll need to touch it up once the part below the ground rots and the ground settles

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SomeYoungOldDude t1_j6603tp wrote

The absolute cheapest way would be to just grab a trowel and dig out around the stumps and roots enough so that you can cut the stump short enough with a chainsaw that you can just fill over it with dirt. The stump will rot faster this way and you'll have immediate level ground, but obviously the ground there will continue to sink over time as the trunk rots and you'll just have to add more dirt every couple of years to fill in the sinkhole if you care about the ground being level.

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nullcompany t1_j693ghf wrote

This wont help OP but I've taken to cutting them town with 6 feet of stump, and then after 2 or 3 years I just pop them onto a strap and pull them over with the jeep. It's very cheap. A lot of backbreaking work, too.

A variation is to make a 12 foot a-frame with 4x4s, and then drive them up instead of over.

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AnythingToAvoidWork t1_j6fyn16 wrote

Idk what it's called but I've heard that you can drill a hole in the center and put something down it and it'll take care of it in a few months?

How "removed" do you want them?

Stump grinders are like $300 a day I think?

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