No one enjoys the aesthetic that an old stump gives their yard. Cutting down a tree is a relatively easy thing to do when compared to removing a stump – a few cuts in the right places, and boom, the tree is down. That stump is rooted deep in the ground, and it will stay there, unsightly and unloved until you decide to do something about it. Fortunately, we have just the tree service for you – stump removal by New Day Arborist! Whether we cut the tree down, or if you did, we can have that unsightly stump removed in an hour or two for a very reasonable price! If you are interested in removing the stump yourself, we can provide you with some information that might be useful in your endeavors, and remember, we are always just a phone call away.
Reasons To Remove a Stump in Vancouver, WA
It’s no small task to cut down a tree, so it doesn’t make much sense to leave the stump sitting in the middle of your yard. Here are some reasons to remove a stump from your yard:
- They don’t look good. There is virtually nothing visually appealing about a stump in the middle of your yard. To make matters worse, they are hard to mow around, so they end up having lots of tall grass and weeds around their edges.
- They are a hazard. Stumps sit low to the ground and, as mentioned above, can be easily covered by weeds and tall grass. If you have kids or neighbors that come over, a stump could trip and injure them.
- They take up valuable space in your yard. Most people enjoy having a wide-open yard that is free from hindrance – and stumps wreck that motif right away.
Assessing Tree Stumps in Vancouver, WA
How hard could removing a tree stump be? This is a good question and one that you should ask yourself before you start trying to heave it out with your strongest family member. Keep in mind that what is now a stump was once the base of a mighty tree weighing potentially thousands of pounds and being held upright by the root structure that you are now waging war against. The roots of pine trees are usually wide, flat, and pretty shallow. Deciduous trees usually have long roots that reach deep into the ground.
The best way to determine whether a stump will be difficult to remove versus very difficult to remove is the age of the stump. The stump of a recently removed tree is a very difficult thing to remove, but if the stump has been sitting for five or more years, it will be less gruesome to remove.
The size of the stump plays an important role in determining how hard a stump will be to remove, the smaller, the better. Big stumps almost always require you to rent or hire a stump grinder for removal.
Check Out Some of Our Other Tree Services!
- Tree pruning
- Arborist chips
- Root excavation
- Plant healthcare
- Tree risk assessment
- Sonic tomography
- Tree preservation reporting
- Defensible Space & Wildfire Abatment
- Landscape maintenance
Removing a Stump Yourself in Vancouver, WA
There are a few different common disposal methods for an unwanted stump. The fastest way to remove a tree stump is to rent a stump grinder or hire a tree service like us to come out and grind it for you. If you decide to grind it yourself, you will need to find a place that rents stump grinders. You will also need a significant vehicle to transport it. Stump grinders start at about a half ton and get bigger from there. Stump grinders usually range in cost from $150 to $250 when they are rented. That’s comparable to what we charge. There are plenty of other ways to remove a stump from your yard if you don’t want to deal with a stump grinder. No matter which of the following stump removal methods you choose, you will probably need the following equipment:
- Common sense and extreme caution. All of the typical methods we describe below are hazardous, and we do not recommend that you perform any of them. Please contact us today and schedule a tree service appointment right away.
- A shovel to clear away rocks and debris from around the base of the stump.
- A chainsaw to “low cut” the stump. Low cutting is simply removing as much of the stump from above ground-level as possible.
- A rake to clean up the excess dirt and debris following a stump removal.
How to Remove a Stump by Hand in Vancouver, WA
Removing a stump by hand can be a very difficult process. The tools that you will need to remove a stump by hand are a chainsaw, shovel, digging bar, pry bar, an ax, and possibly a four-wheel drive vehicle and some chain.
Follow these steps to manually remove a stump from your yard:
- Remove lower branches and stobs with a chainsaw.
- Remove most of the trunk of the stump, leaving enough to use as leverage for prying it free of the earth.
- Using a shovel dig around the base to expose large, structural roots.
- Cut large roots using an axe.
- Using the pry bar or digging bar, attempt to wiggle the stump free.
- If it seems unlikely that you will be able to remove the stump using a pry bar, wrap it with the chain and use a four-wheel drive vehicle to loosen it.
- Alternate between pry bar and vehicle methods to loosen the stump to the point that it can be removed safely.
How to Remove a Stump Via Chemical Stump Removal in Vancouver, WA
We know exactly how hard it can be to remove a stump by hand, it’s why we have stump grinders! If you aren’t looking to do it the hard way, chemical removal could prove to be an easier method of removal. To chemically remove a stump you will need a chainsaw, ax, potassium nitrate, and fuel oil or kerosene.
Follow these steps to remove a stump using the chemical stump removal method:
- Low cut the stump to remove as much of the stump as possible with a chainsaw.
- Drill 1-inch holes around the perimeter of the stump and another series of holes 3 inches into the stump. These holes should be roughly one foot deep.
- Drill more holes around the sides of the stump to meet with the first sets of holes that you drilled so that this set and the first set meets at a 45-degree angle inside the stump.
- Pour potassium nitrate into the holes.
- Fill the holes with water.
- Wait for one to two months for the stump to become spongy.
- Use an ax to remove the spongy stump.
- Optionally saturate the stump with kerosene or fuel oil and allow it to sit for another week.
- Optionally ignite the stump and let it burn until gone.
How to Burn a Tree Stump in Vancouver, WA
If you want to get rid of a tree stump quickly and easily (and don’t want to use our tree service), sometimes burning it out is the best option. The problem with burning is that you must be aware of your location and the burning laws. Extreme caution must be exercised when dealing with burning tree stumps. Check with your local fire department before attempting a tree stump burn. To burn a tree stump, you will need potassium nitrate and a lighter.
To remove a tree stump by burning it, you will need to:
- Drill a hole down into the center of the stump about a foot deep.
- Remove all debris from the drilled hole. Save this debris and wood chips for later.
- Repeat steps one and two many times, leaving about one inch between all of the holes you drill.
- Place a liberal amount of potassium nitrate into all the holes.
- Pour hot water into each hole.
- Keep pouring water into all the holes until the potassium nitrate has dissolved.
- The scrap wood and debris that you saved from step three is placed on top of the stump.
- Light the scrap wood and allow the stump to ignite.
- Use a shovel or ax to break up large roots as needed.
- Fill in the hole left behind with soil.
How to Rot a Tree Stump in Vancouver, WA
If all of the other methods sound like a little too much work, but you are willing to wait and disperse the work out over several months, rotting the stump out may be your preferred method of stump removal. This process is very similar to that of the burn method.
Here are the steps to rot a stump out of your yard:
- Drill holes approximately one inch apart and a foot deep into your stump.
- Fill the holes completely with a high-nitrogen ingredient.
- Pour water into each hole.
- As the stump softens over the next several months, chip away at it with an ax.
Disposing of Old Stumps in Vancouver, WA
It’s often not easy to find a way to get rid of old tree stumps. You can contact the city to see if it can be picked up with your yard debris service, but there’s a good chance it won’t be. The dump or the wood recycling services near you will usually accept stumps with no issue. If you want, you can rent a chipper and use the chipped up remains of the stump as ground cover for your yard. Burning your stumps is also a popular disposal method, but make sure to check with your local fire department to ensure you follow all burning laws.
When you hire New Day Arborist & Tree Service to remove your stump, we will use a powerful stump grinder to chip the entire stump, roots and all. The chips are mixed with the soil around the stump to create an enriched soil mixture that aids in keeping your turf and plants healthy. We make sure that your yard is clean and free of large debris following our stump grinding process. Because we use a stump grinder, no harmful chemical residue is left in your soil, and your plants will thank you for the extra boost they get from the enriched soil!
How to Use the Space
After removing the stump, it is best to fill the hole with soil and spread grass seed over the top. You can also plant another tree in it’s place to give your yard some shade. Whatever you plant, make sure to soak the soil in water to ensure vibrant growth.
Benefits of Hiring a Professional Stump Removal & Tree Service in Vancouver, WA
Take a serious look at all of the stump removal methods described above. After looking at it you may conclude that it’s better to hire New Day Arborist & Tree Service to remove the stump. Stump removal is not easy and can require a lot of your extra time to achieve, depending on the method you choose to employ. Renting equipment yourself to remove the stump usually means you spend about as much money as you would by hiring us. We take the time to remove your stump, chase the roots, and ensure a safe work environment throughout the process. We clean-up after ourselves and leave your yard looking great!
How Much Does Stump Removal Cost in Vancouver, WA?
Every job is different, and the cost of stump removal will fluctuate depending on a number of factors. Some of the factors that we take into account when giving stump removal quotes are:
- Stump size
- Tree species, some species are harder to remove than others
- Ease of access
- Travel time
- Number of stumps that need to be removed
Once we take into account all of the necessary factors, the cost of a single stump removal usually averages between $150 and $350. If the stump is particularly large or will prove to be more difficult to remove the price may end up being higher than the average. If you have several stumps to remove, we are usually able to offer a break in price. New Day Arborist & Tree Service is happy to work with you to give your yard the beautiful, stump free aesthetic you deserve!
Contact us today with questions or to schedule an appointment!