Stump Grinding in Alpharetta, GA

Stump grinding turns a stump into chips using a machine with a spinning toothed wheel that cuts back and forth across the wood until it is below the soil line. It is the usual alternative to digging a stump out, which tears up much more of the yard. Around Alpharetta, the stumps we grind range from fresh pine stumps left after a removal to old oak stumps that have been mowed around for years, and many sit on slopes, in pine straw beds or right next to a driveway or fence.

How deep it goes

A standard grind takes the stump about 4 to 6 inches below the surface, which is enough to cover with soil and seed or sod. If you plan to plant a new tree, build a patio or set fence posts in that spot, ask for a deeper grind; deeper work takes more time and is priced accordingly. Grinding removes the stump and the root flare, not the whole root system. The remaining roots below ground break down over the following years.

Pines versus hardwoods

Pine stumps usually do not sprout, and they decay faster than oak. Many hardwoods, including sweetgum, can send up suckers from the roots after a removal. Grinding the stump, and chasing out the largest surface roots, cuts down on that regrowth. If shoots keep coming, they can be cut back as they appear until the root system runs out of energy.

Before the grinder starts

Underground utilities run through most Alpharetta lots: gas, water, irrigation lines, buried electric and cable. Georgia's 811 locate system marks public lines before digging, and we ask you about private lines like irrigation, low-voltage lighting and invisible pet fences, which are not marked by the utilities. A stump grinder can cut a shallow irrigation line in one pass, so the extra few minutes matter.

Red clay and the hole left behind

Grinding a large stump leaves a pile of chips mixed with the red clay that sits under most North Fulton yards. You can keep the chips as mulch in beds, or have them hauled off and the hole backfilled with topsoil so grass will take. Chips left in a lawn hole settle and decompose, which can leave a low spot after a year. Topsoil over the hole avoids that.

Access on slopes and in backyards

Grinders come in sizes from narrow walk-behind units that fit through a 36-inch gate to larger machines that cut faster. On a sloped backyard with a fence and a narrow side yard, the smaller machine is often the only way in. We look at your gates and grades during the estimate so the right machine shows up.