Stumped by the stump in your backyard? We’ve got you covered. In this comprehensive tree stump removal guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know to use a chainsaw to remove that stubborn stump. We will go over all the tools and safety equipment you will need and what kind of chainsaw to choose. Finally, we will walk you through some easy, step-by-step instructions for finishing off that sad sycamore’s base. This article will cover the different methods for both smaller tree stumps and thick tree stumps.
Keep in mind that removing a tree stump is an extremely labor-intensive and potentially dangerous job for the inexperienced. If you lack experience with the tools in this guide or have never done landscaping work, it may be better to call a professional to remove the tree stump for you.
Why You Should Remove a Tree Stump
First of all, if you’re reading this because you’re simply wondering if you should remove that tree stump, you definitely should. There are many reasons why you should remove a tree stump from your backyard.
It’s Dangerous to Keep It Around
Unlike a living tree, which is so obviously visible that it would be hard not to notice, a tree stump blends in easily with the ground. Children playing in the yard can easily trip over one and seriously hurt themselves, or you might stub your toe something awful when you walk out at night to grab something from the tool shed.
It Can Encourage Infestations
A dead tree stump needs insects and other pests to decompose. If you leave the stump hanging around too long, it will attract all sorts of vermin that may eventually make their way into your home. It can also sprout mushrooms that, if eaten, could be deadly to children or pets.
Continued Growth
Even though the tree is dead, the roots under the stump may continue to grow. If that happens, the roots can cause property damage by cracking pipes and concrete. The stump can even grow into a new tree which will be even harder to remove.
It’s Ugly
Don’t let your homeowners’ association see that stump! A tree stump sitting in your yard is not only hazardous but also unpleasant to look at.
Preparation
Removing a stump with a chainsaw is a task that requires a lot of caution and safety, as it can be a precarious job. You also need the right equipment to ensure safe removal.
Choosing the Right Chainsaw
Most chainsaws will do fine, but since a stump is thicker than a simple branch, you should opt to use a gas-powered chainsaw instead of an electric or corded one. Gas-powered chainsaws are more powerful and can run longer, making them more suited for big jobs like this. Since they have more power, they can come with long guide bars. Your tree stump removal chainsaw’s guide bar should be, at the very least, 12 inches long, but the longer the bar, the easier the job will be. Ideally, you want your bar to be longer than your tree stump is thick.
Tools and Safety Equipment
You will need the following:
- Safety goggles
- Steel-toed boots or shoes
- Ear protection
- A pair of gloves
- A helmet
- A shovel
- An axe
- A Sawzall or a pruning saw
- A solid chainsaw
- Wedges (if the tree stump is thick)
- A stump grinder (for very thick, stubborn stumps)
Precautions
As you can imagine, any job involving a chainsaw is going to need serious amounts of precaution. You’re going to be operating at awkward angles and positions with a loud and potentially dangerous machine.
Pieces of the tree and rubble may fly around, so you will need safety goggles, a helmet, gloves, and [protective clothing that covers most of your skin. If you own a pair of chaps, wearing them would be helpful. Otherwise, a sturdy pair of jeans or other thick clothing will do.
Top-of-the-line ear protection is required as well. Since you will be kneeling, your face is going to be close to the very loud chainsaw.
Removing Small-to-Moderate-Sized Tree Stumps
1. Soak the Ground
This step isn’t required, but it is helpful. Soaking the ground around the tree stump with water will soften the dirt and make it easier to remove in the following step.
2. Dig Around the Tree
Use your shovel to dig around the tree. Remove all the dirt, rubble, and shrubbery, and dig down until the roots of the tree are exposed.
3. Strip Off the Tree Bark
Use your ax to chip away at all the bark on the tree. This will make it easier to cut through the tree stump and will prevent bark chips from flying everywhere from the force of the chainsaw. Use your shovel and hands to remove the bark from the hole you’ve dug.
4. Cut the Tree Stump Down to Ground Level
Get down to the base of the tree stump where it meets the roots. If the stump is thick, do not try to saw straight through the whole stump. The weight of the stump will press down on the chainsaw and damage its blades. If the tree stump is thin, this won’t be a problem, and you can cut straight through it.
For thicker stumps, start sawing on one side and gradually move your saw in a diagonal pattern, making your way to the center. Be absolutely certain that rocks and pebbles are cleared from the area, as these could dull your chainsaw’s blades and send the debris flying toward you. As you’re sawing, start shifting yourself around the circumference of the stump until you’ve cut about halfway through it.
Take your wedges, and use the back of your ax to hammer them into the side of the stump you’ve cut through. Continue sawing on the other side of the stump in the same manner until you’ve cut through the whole stump. Remove the stump.
5. Sever the Roots
You are now left with the base of the stump and exposed roots shooting from it. You will need to sever the roots to ensure that there will be no continued growth. For thin trees, you may be able to remove the roots from the ground altogether, but the roots on thicker trees can grow several feet deep. Wondering how to remove tree roots like these? It may require professional landscapers who know how to extract them. For our purposes, severing the roots will do the job.
Once you’ve ensured that all the dirt around the roots is cleared and the roots are exposed, cut through the roots. You can use your chainsaw to sever the thick roots and an ax to chop the smaller ones. If you don’t have enough space to saw through the roots, now is the time to pull out your Sawzall or pruning saw. If you’re a fan of hard labor and brute force, you can use your ax to chop the roots.
6. Remove the Stump’s Base
For small and moderate-sized tree stumps, you can remove the base along with its severed roots using simple leverage. Wedge your shovel under the remains of the stump and use your body weight to pull it from the ground.
Removing Thick Tree Stumps
Want to know how to remove a stump fast? The following method is the easiest way to get rid of a tree stump, and it works well on small stumps.
You will follow the same steps listed above for removing small stumps up to step No. 5 where we sever the roots. You will notice that big tree stumps have stunningly thick roots underneath them. Severing these roots will require a ton of space, which will mean digging up a lot of your yard. Instead of destroying the entire yard to get down under the tree stump’s roots, use a stump grinder to destroy the remains.
You can use a chainsaw as a chainsaw stump grinder, but unfortunately, a chainsaw cannot shred up the stump as a grinder can. Stump grinders are usually about the size of a lawnmower, and they come with a hefty price tag, so a good option is to rent the machine from your local hardware store. Speak with a professional at the shop and ask them which grinder is best for your particular stump.
Stump grinders can be complicated, and their controls will vary from model to model. Familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of your stump grinder, and read its manual.
Grind the Stump and Its Exposed Roots Down
Push the stump grinder up to the stump’s edge. Always stand vigilantly behind the control panel of the stump grinder.
Start up the grinder, and lift the blade a few inches above the edge of the stump. Engage the cutting wheel, and lower it down onto the stump. Move the wheel back and forth across the stump and its exposed roots in a slow and controlled manner until you have shredded the entire stump.
With a stump grinder, you can safely dig through the stump and a few inches into the ground, ensuring that the roots are destroyed. This heavy-duty machinery can handle more than a chainsaw, which can easily dull if pushed too much into the ground.
Other Methods for Removing a Tree Stump
While removing a tree stump with a chainsaw and stump grinder is the most fun (Who doesn’t like obliterating things with a chainsaw?), there are other methods as well. Some of them don’t require as much manpower or equipment.
Other ways to remove a tree stump include:
- Chemical decomposition (an easy method that anyone can use)
- Burning
- Dynamite (Yes, really, but you’ll need to check your local laws.)
- Brute force using only an ax or minimal equipment
- Pulling it out with a truck (This is not recommended, as it can damage your truck or cause the chain to snap.)
- Calling professionals to do it for you
Final Thoughts
Removing a tree stump is a labor-intensive activity that will take time and comes with certain dangers. But using this guide, you will know how to remove a stump with a chainsaw and a few other tools.
Always have the proper safety equipment, and remember these key points:
- Tree stumps are a hazard to keep around; remove them as soon as you can.
- Use a gas-powered chainsaw with a guide bar at least 12 inches long. For the best results, get yourself a chainsaw with a bar that is longer than the tree is thick.
- Dig up the dirt and rubble around the tree to expose its roots, and make sure you have enough space to move around the circumference of the stump.
- Strip the bark off the stump.
- Cut the stump down to ground level.
- Saw in a diagonal pattern on thicker tree stumps, and use wedges to hold up the first half you cut through.
- Sever the roots.
- Use a tree stump grinder if the stump is too thick to remove with just the chainsaw and the other listed tools.