A leftover stump is a tripping hazard, a mower obstacle and an open invitation to termites and fungus. Grinding takes it below grade so the ground is usable again.
Grinding and full removal are two different jobs and most people want grinding. The machine takes the stump and the surface roots down below grade and turns them into chips, leaving the deeper root system in place to break down on its own over the next several years. Full excavation of a root system means an excavator, a much bigger hole and a lot more disturbance, and it is only worth it when something is getting built on that exact spot.
Depth is the part worth deciding before we arrive rather than after. Tell us what the area is going to become and we take it to the right depth on the first visit, because bringing the machine back to go deeper costs more than going deeper while it is already sitting there.
Four to six inches below grade is enough to get soil over it and grow grass. This is what most residential stumps need.
Deeper and wider, with the grindings taken out rather than pushed back in. A new root ball sitting in a pit of decaying wood chips competes for nitrogen and sulks for its first two seasons.
Deeper again, and the hole backfilled with soil and compacted rather than filled with grindings. Chips keep breaking down and settling, and settling under a slab is how you get a crack.
We grind a corridor wide enough to set posts on line, so the fence runs straight instead of jogging around where a stump used to be.
Grinding a stump produces a surprising amount of material, usually a noticeably bigger pile than the stump looked like it could hold, because the chips take up more room than solid wood. You choose what happens to it. We can rake the grindings back into the hole and crown them slightly, which is free and fine for a lawn, or haul them off and leave you a clean hole for topsoil.
If the grindings go back in, expect the spot to settle over the following few months as the material breaks down and rain packs it. Topping it up once with soil after the first heavy rains is normally all it needs.
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See every area we cover“I have been a loyal customer from this companies inception and have recommended their ‘Elite’ service to friends over the years. Their pricing in my opinion is fair. Damien has been very respectful and his crew has impressed me time and again not only with the service they provide, but the clean-up as well. I will continue to call and recommend them for future service.”
“Very impressed! Needed some custom trimming done on a large tree which was partially blocking a few solar panels. These guys were amazing, fast, efficient, and tidy. They even took care of a widowmaker I couldn't reach. On time, fast, and these gentlemen cleaned every branch and blew off the roof. 10/10 would highly recommend to anyone needing tree work done!”
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Read on GoogleGrinding turns the stump and surface roots into chips below ground level and leaves the deeper roots to decay naturally. Removal means excavating the root system out of the ground, which needs heavier equipment and leaves a large hole. Grinding is right for almost every residential situation.
No. Without a trunk and leaves the root system has no way to feed itself and it decays in place. A few species will send up suckers from remaining roots for a season or two, camphor and Chinese tallow being the usual offenders around here, and mowing them off is enough to finish it.
Yes, with a caveat. Either shift the new tree a few feet to the side, or have us grind deep and wide and haul the grindings so you can backfill with clean soil. Planting straight into a hole full of fresh wood chips is the usual reason a replacement tree struggles.
The machine needs a gate or gap it can fit through, and most residential gates are fine. Send a photo of the access when you call and we will tell you before we roll rather than after.
The ones running off the stump, yes, in the same pass. Roots that run under a driveway or a walkway are a separate conversation because taking them out can undermine what is sitting on top.
Yes, fully licensed and insured with liability and workers compensation coverage. We will hand you the certificate before work begins if you ask for it.
Yes, and there is no obligation to book. We come out, walk the property, and give you a fixed price in writing that does not change on the day of the job.
Some trees have to come down. We take them down in controlled sections so nothing lands where it should not, and every piece of it leaves with us.
See detailsMost tree problems in Florida start as a trimming problem. Limbs get heavy, the canopy gets dense, and the next storm turns that weight into a hazard over your roof.
See detailsWe answer 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. If a tree is on your house right now, call rather than filling out a form. A person picks up.
See detailsFlorida undergrowth takes a property back fast. Whether you are prepping a homesite, reclaiming a back acre or opening a fence line, we clear it and leave the ground workable.
See detailsTell us what you are looking at and we will give you a straight answer on what it needs.