Stump Grinding Vs Chemical Stump Removal

Do you have a couple of large tree stumps standing in your way? These old stumps can be quite a sore eye and they can take up a lot of space in your garden. It is good to remove old stumps so you can make way for some new growth and so you can maintain a beautiful curb but getting rid of these large stumps isn’t always easy.

If you want to remove the stump without having to do any digging or pulling then you can either choose chemical stump removal or stump grinding. 

In this guide, we are going to take a closer look at these two methods so you can finally get rid of those unsightly stumps. 

What Is Stump Grinding?

Stump grinding is one of the best approaches for removing large tree stumps. With this method, a large machine called a stump grinder is used to grind the stump into smaller wood chips. Stump grinders can greatly vary in size. Some are the size of a lawnmower while others are the size of a large truck. The cutter wheel of this machine is designed to cut any type of wood into smaller pieces and most stump grinders can cut tree stumps a little bit below the surface of the ground so nothing protrudes. Stump grinders can clear out a large stump in just a couple of minutes depending on the size of the stump and even the leftover wood chips can be used as mulch or to make compost. 

Advantages Of Stump Grinding

  • Stump grinding is very quick and even large stumps can be cleared within a short while
  • The method is eco-friendly since it doesn’t involve any toxic chemicals
  • Stump grinding is relatively affordable compared to manual stump removal
  • Soil and water aren’t contaminated with toxins
  • The leftover materials can be repurposed for compost or mulch
  • New trees or plants can be grown in the same spot without any growing issues 
  • The method is equally effective for any type of wood 

Disadvantages Of Stump Grinding

  • Heavy machinery is required for this removal process
  • It usually isn’t something you can do on your own since stump grinders can be dangerous to operate

What Is Chemical Stump Removal

Chemical stump removal is a process that involves the use of chemicals to accelerate the decomposition process of tree stumps and wood. With this type of method, holes will first be drilled into the large stump. These holes will then be filled with stump removal chemicals and water. This mixture is then left to soak in and will accelerate the rotting process of the stump. It usually takes 4 – 6 weeks for the stump to start softening up and the materials will become soft and spongy so you can easily chop it off and clear it from the property. 

Advantages Of Chemical Stump Removal

  • It can be an affordable stump removal method
  • You can do this type of treatment on your own if you have the right products
  • The process requires very little labour
  • No heavy machinery required

Disadvantages Of Chemical Stump Removal

  • It takes a long time for the wood to start decomposing
  • The chemicals used in these processes are toxic
  • Chemicals can have to linger on the soil around the tree and can pollute underground water sources
  • The leftover wood materials are usually unusable because it is exposed to chemicals
  • Some wood types will take a lot longer to decompose

From these comparisons, it becomes clear that stump grinding is a much better solution. Give Pete Stump Grinding a call so they can help you clear the old stump from your property quickly and without contaminating the soil and earth. 

We offer tree stump removal in Curlewis, tree stump grinding in Drysdale, root ball removal in Geelong, tree stump grinding in Fyansford, tree stump grinding in Grovedale and other nearby suburbs. We Will be happy to answer any of your questions about our professional tree services and give you a free quote for your stump removal job.

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