Stump removal and stump grinding sound like extremely similar landscaping processes, and while they are both different methods of completing the tree removal process in your yard, there are a few significant differences between each type of process. Understanding the differences between both stump removal and stump grinding can help you choose which process is the best fit for your landscaping needs.
Stump Grinding
Stump grinding, like the name would suggest, is the process of taking a large grinder, which will effectively sand down and break up the surface of the stump until it is a few inches below ground level. The stump will then be covered with dirt, effectively removing it from view and ensuring that the stump is no longer a safety hazard. The main advantage of stump grinding is the fact that the entire process is relatively quick, only requiring a few hours of work depending on the number and size of stumps in question. In addition, it does not require a great deal of disruption to the rest of your yard.
However, stump grinding does come with a notable downside: the stump that is ground down is not necessarily dead. Though rare, it is possible for trees that are old and large enough to have roots that continue to grow after they've been cut down and their stumps broken up: these roots can cause additional growth at a later point, which can break up landscaping and hardscaping surfaces in your yard.
Stump Removal
Stump removal seeks to solve the major downside associated with stump grinding by removing not only the stump, but the entire attached root network from the ground of your yard. For this reason, stump removal is the more effective tree removal process, because it ensures that there will never be any additional growth from the tree.
However, stump removal is a more expensive process, because it necessarily requires more equipment and a greater amount of labor to complete. This can make it less attractive to homeowners with a tight budget. Since the process is longer, you will also likely have heavy machinery and workers on your property for a longer period of time than stump grinding. It's also important to note that stump removal can cause a great amount of damage to the soil of your landscape, since an extremely large amount of dirt may have to be moved in the root removal process – which can take some time to adequately repair. Contact a service, like Estate Landscape, for more help.
