Types of Stump Grinders

Whether clearing out space for trees or removing existing stumps that have started to decay on a property, stump grinders are essential tools to help you remove tree stumps without the hassle. These devices allow you to eradicate tree stumps without excessive manual labor or harmful chemicals that can damage the surrounding environment. 

Stump grinders are an essential tool for many projects. Below, you'll learn more about what a stump grinder is, the types of stump grinders available on the market and what to consider when choosing a stump grinder for your applications.

Jump to a section:

• What Is a Stump Grinder and How Does It Work?
• What Are the Different Types of Stump Grinders?
• Benefits of Using Stump Grinders
• What to Consider When Renting a Stump Grinder
• Tips for Using Stump Grinders

Most stump grinders use a high-speed disk equipped with teeth, which grinds against the tree stump until it creates small wooden chips. Stump grinders reduce the tree stump below ground level. Commercial stump grinders are particularly powerful, with engines capable of reaching 74 horsepower, allowing them to quickly cut through large tree stumps.

Since the invention of stump grinders in the 1950s, they have evolved into powerful machinery that allows operators to make quick work of tree stumps. The advancement of these machines has made them convenient, safe and effective for operators and businesses. Some models and types offer more control, while others have unique benefits for your specific applications. 

What Are the Different Types of Stump Grinders?

There are two primary categories of stump grinders — wheeled and tracked. Each type has distinct benefits, such as wheeled grinders' compact size and tracked grinders' stability. However, there are more than two kinds of stump grinders. Below, you'll learn more about each to help you make a more informed decision about which is best for your applications. 

Tracked Walk-Behind Grinders

This type of stump grinder comes equipped with tracks and is often larger than others. These stump grinders also offer more operating capacity, which is ideal for large projects or commercial operations. 

The operator will walk behind the tracked grinder, as the name implies. They can use the controls provided on the equipment to maneuver the cutting wheel, allowing them to reach precise locations. Tracked walk-behind grinders are ideal for residential projects since they use tracks to evenly distribute the equipment's weight, reducing or eliminating the risk of causing damage to the ground while it moves.

These stump grinders perform better on rough terrain, allowing operators to complete complex jobs within tight time frames. However, these stump grinders often require a trailer for transport, resulting in more time constraints as you move from one job site to the next. Despite this challenge, tracked grinders are ideal for handling complex projects. You can even look for models built for durability, allowing you to use them in the harshest conditions on the most challenging projects. 

Wheeled Handlebar Grinders

Wheeled handlebar stump grinders are smaller than tracked walk-behind grinders, making them easy to handle and maneuver. Operators can rely on smooth operation with easy-to-use controls and a well-balanced design. These stump grinders have lift handles that make it more comfortable to transport the equipment and cut stumps smoothly while also helping keep up with simple maintenance. 

Wheeled handlebar grinders are ideal if you're working in tight spots, in a crowded location or near a home. These stump grinders are easy to maneuver around tight spots, and the simple controls allow you to complete jobs quickly. These hand-guided grinders are compact, making them simple to transport and move between job sites so you can keep your schedule on track.

Attachment Grinders

You can use stump grinder attachments if you don't want to invest in a new machine. These attachments can mount to your tracked loader or skid steer. You can maneuver them using the same controls you would use to operate other attachments, such as augers or buckets. Attachment stump grinders are convenient, especially if you don't need them for most projects. You can attach them to your equipment when needed and store them when they are not in use.

Riding Grinders

Riding or ride-on stump grinders are driveable machines you can use to eliminate stumps. You don't have to push these stump grinders, which is ideal for large projects where you must handle multiple stumps simultaneously. These stump grinders are also suitable if you work on numerous projects where you must clear space. 

Benefits of Using Stump Grinders

Using a stump grinder has many distinct benefits, including maximizing your space, protecting the surrounding landscape and improving efficiency. Below, you'll learn more about the benefits of using stump grinders to eliminate unwanted tree stumps.

1. Improving Aesthetics and Regaining Space

Tree stumps can make a yard or field look neglected or unappealing, even if you don't need to use the space to build. Tree stumps can impact your completed project's appearance, making it look less appealing to clients, which could harm your reputation. Removing stumps with a stump grinder is a quick and easy way to tidy up any property, improving the overall value and appeal.

On top of aesthetics, stump grinders can also maximize your available space. Tree stumps can take up room in a location you could use for other parts of your design. Maximizing your space is essential to help you get the most out of your project and achieve your client's desired result.

2. Protecting Against Pests and Diseases

While a tree stump can seem like a harmless eyesore, it can harbor unwanted diseases or pests. Pests can multiply, spreading to other parts of the property and potentially damaging the foundation. If you leave stumps around the property, the pests can find their way inside, becoming a significant problem for your clients. Some tree stumps may have been part of the property rather than the result of cutting down trees. These trees could have died from disease, leaving behind an infected stump. If you have healthy trees in the vicinity that you want to keep, removing the stump can help prevent illnesses from spreading to other trees. 

3. Avoiding Inconvenience and Accidents

Though a tree stump may appear harmless to your workers and others in the vicinity, it can pose a significant threat. Tree stumps can be a tripping hazard, resulting in workplace injuries or accidents from anyone walking in the area. Tree stumps are a substantial problem for the elderly and small children, so you must consider your client when dealing with stumps on your construction project.

Removing tree stumps is essential for worker and client safety. Stump-related accidents can cost a lot of money, especially if you cut down the tree without removing the stump. You could be liable for the damages if someone gets injured while working on your construction project.

Besides avoiding accidents, using stump grinders to eliminate stumps is essential to prevent inconvenience. Landscaping around tree stumps means carefully maneuvering your equipment, which can waste time and resources. Using a stump grinder to remove the stump can help make it easier to landscape around the property, which will help you complete your project.

4. Preventing Stumps From Resprouting

If you cut down a tree, it stands to reason you want to keep it gone. A tree stump left behind can sprout into another tree. The client will have to deal with this undesirable tree growth down the line, which can affect your reputation as a contractor. 

Stump grinders can ensure tree stumps don't resprout, which prevents a costly tree removal on your client's dime. Stump grinders remove the stump and the root, eliminating any potential for regrowth. Using a stump grinder when removing trees can help save you and your client more money in the long run, since you won't have to worry about handling a second tree removal down the line. 

5. Improving Efficiency and Quickness

You have a few stump removal options to choose from. You can take the traditional route and remove the stump by hand using a shovel, handsaw and prybar, or you can use chemicals. However, chemicals can take a long time to work effectively and can contaminate the surrounding soil and foliage. Chemically removing stumps can also require consistent work and attention over weeks, sometimes even years. 

Stump grinders can improve the efficiency and speed when you can remove a tree stump, allowing you to remove it in only hours. You won't have to worry about using potentially toxic chemicals or putting in intensive manual labor that can harm you or your workers. Instead, you can handle tree stumps quickly and keep your workers safe.

6. Minimizing Your Environmental Impact

Leaving a tree stump to rot or using chemicals can disturb the surrounding environment and introduce unwanted elements to the property, such as disease, pests and groundwater contamination. Rather than risking damage, using a stump grinder will reduce your environmental impact.

More clients and businesses are looking to become more eco-conscious, so taking any steps you can to make your carbon footprint smaller will improve your reputation. Stump grinders can help reduce stumps to chips without disturbing the surrounding landscape. Once you've removed the stump, you can place sod over it. You can also dig deeper if your client wants to replant on top of the old stump, and stump grinders are efficient enough to remove the stump and its roots without causing any damage. 

7. Improving Professionalism

When working on a project, you want to be as professional as possible to impress your clients and retain them for future projects. Maintaining your professionalism will also give you a positive reputation and glowing testimonials, which can bring in new business.

Using a stump grinder can help improve your work, allowing your finished project to look more polished. Your business will leave a better impression than if you used chemicals to remove stumps, since many consumers are more environmentally aware than before. The more qualified your business looks, the more likely you are to gain new clients and retain the ones you already work with.

What to Consider When Renting a Stump Grinder

Renting stump grinders is ideal when you only need to remove tree stumps occasionally or for specific projects. When renting, you'll want to ensure you choose the appropriate stump grinder to complete your projects quickly and efficiently. Below are some factors you'll want to consider before selecting a stump grinder model to rent.

• Stump size: The diameter and height of your stumps will be one of the primary factors influencing your decision. For example, if you have tree stumps over 14 inches, you may find using a handlebar stump grinder challenging. Understanding different models' benefits and limitations is essential to ensure you can complete your projects.
• Stump hardness: The hardness of the stumps will influence which type of stump grinder you can use to remove the tree stump from the property. Some stumps are softwoods and don't take much effort to cut into. However, hardwood stumps will require a more powerful stump grinder, such as a wheeled stump grinder. The type of wood will impact what type of stump grinder you can use, or you may not have enough power to handle your operations. 
• The number of stumps: How many stumps do you need to get rid of? If you only need to remove one or two stumps, a handlebar stump grinder is up to the task. However, if you're working on a bigger project with numerous stumps, you'll need more durable equipment to complete your processes. 
• Terrain type: The terrain you're working on will factor into the best stump grinder. As mentioned above, wheeled stump grinders aren't ideal for moving along rough or complex terrain. Tracked stump grinders are better suited to unstable or uneven terrain. These stump grinders are also better when driving around sensitive ground, such as landscaped residential properties. The terrain type will determine whether you use a stump grinder that's better for rough ground or simple landscapes.
• Stump condition: The conditions of the stump will help you decide what equipment you want to use. For example, an old or rotting stump will be significantly easier to grind than a strong, healthy one. You can save money by renting a less powerful stump grinder for a rotted tree, but you'll need more horsepower when trying to get rid of a healthy stump.
• Rental companies: Apart from your work site circumstances, you'll want to consider what rental company to work with. You'll want to choose a business with a stellar reputation that offers maintenance and protection plans for their equipment. These services ensure you're working with a reputable rental company with the equipment and skills to help you achieve your project goals.

Tips for Using Stump Grinders

Even if you're found the perfect stump grinder for your applications, you'll still want to get the best use out of it. Stump grinders are an excellent addition to many projects, but they require operators to use proper safety precautions to prevent the risk of injury or bodily harm. First, remember that stump grinders throw up wood chips, which can hurt your body, face and eyes. Encourage operators to wear protective gear such as goggles and gloves while operating stump grinders to ensure they don't harm themselves or others. 

Others in the area should also wear protective equipment if they get too close to the stump grinder. This equipment will help reduce the risk of injury due to flying wood chips. Some other things to ensure your operators manage your stump grinder safely include:

• Evaluate the stump's proximity to the building to determine what stump grinder model is best to use.
• Read the instruction manual before using the stump grinder, which will include operational and maintenance guidance.
• Ensure no bystanders unexpectedly enter the job site while the stump grinder is at work.
• Monitor first-time stump grinder users. 
• Instruct people not to overpower stump grinders, especially handlebar stump grinders. 
• Train employees how to use tracked stump grinders when working on complex terrain and hills.

Your operators should understand how to operate a stump grinder safely, but they should also learn how to maximize the potential of your chosen stump grinder to ensure they're completing projects efficiently without delaying project schedules. Operators can safely and effectively use stump grinders to complete their projects using the tips above.