How to remove a stump of wood

Video: Possibly The Easiest Way To Remove A Tree Stump! Using Epsom Salt!! Part 1

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 3: Digging up the tree stump
Method 2 of 3: Grinding the tree stump
Method 3 of 3: Burning the tree stump
= Using chemical methods for stump removal
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

If you recently cut down a tree in your yard, there are several ways to get rid of the unnecessary tree stump. You can dig it up by hand, grind it, burn it, or use a chemical method. Choose the method that best suits the root system of your tree stump. Read step one and then decide how to remove the stump.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Digging up the tree stump

This method is as simple as its name suggests. Since it involves manual labor, it is best used for trees with a shallow root system.

1 Dig in the roots. Use a shovel to dig in the roots, lifting them off the surface of the soil. Move around the tree stump and keep digging until you have dug in all of the larger roots. Dig deeply on both sides of the roots, exposing them to the surface as much as possible.
- If the roots appear very large and deep and are difficult to bring to the surface completely, you can use another method to remove them. This method works much better when you are able to expose the roots almost to the very ends.
2 Cut the roots. Depending on the size of the roots, use a delimbing machine, ax, or saw to cut the roots into pieces. Cut them into pieces and pull what you can out of the ground. Dump them in a heap.
3 Pull out the roots. Use a pickaxe to turn out the roots remaining in the ground to the very ends. If you have to cut more roots in the process, do so, this will make it easier to pull them out of the ground. Continue until you have removed all the main roots, then pull out whatever is left.
4 Remove the stump. When most of the roots have been removed, you can easily dislodge the stump. You may need to use a shovel to dig under the tree stump and cut a few more roots underneath before you can remove it.
- Now that all the wood has been removed, you can shred it and throw it into the compost.
5 Fill in the resulting hole. Finally, you must fill the hole with loam or sawdust. If you don't do this, the ground around the hole will settle, creating a large depression at this point. When the loam or sawdust settles, it may be necessary to add more to this place until the level is leveled.

Method 2 of 3: Grinding the tree stump

If you have a large stump with a deep root system, or if there are many stumps in the area, milling is the most effective way to remove them. The stump grinder makes removing them a quick job, whereas the stump rot could take years.

1 Find a stump grinder. This machine grinds stumps and their root systems approximately a foot (0.3 m) underground. It can be rented for daily rent, if you do not want to drive this car yourself, you can hire someone to come with his car and do the job.
- Gloves, goggles and ear muffs must be worn when operating the machine yourself.
2 Set up the machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, turn it on and start grinding. The machine will grind the surface of the stump and work its way into the ground to grind the roots. You will need to move the machine around the circumference of the stump to cover the surface roots.
3 Rake up the sawdust. The earth will regenerate faster if you remove wood from it. Scrape it up and throw it in the compost, or dispose of it some other way.
4 Fill in the hole. Fill the hole with loam. Continue to add earth to this area, as it will settle for a long time.

Method 3 of 3: Burning the tree stump

If you don't have many stumps to remove and you can start a fire, burning the stump would be the right solution for you. Burning tree stumps is not always legal, so check with your local authority to see if this can be done in your area.

1 [Make a fire on the surface of the stump. You can take for this a cut tree, chopped for firewood. Spread the wood on top of the stump. Surround the stump with plenty of wood, so that the stump is in the center of the fire.
2 Keep the fire going. It will take several hours to burn the tree stump. Keep adding more wood so that the fire is large and hot. Keep burning until the tree stump catches fire and burns to ashes in the ground.
3 Rake up the ashes. After the stump is burned, scoop the ash out of the hole and discard it.
4 Fill in the hole. Replace the ash with loam or sawdust. Keep sprinkling something on this area as it will sag for a few more months.

= Using chemical methods for stump removal

This is the slowest method of stump removal, but it also requires less labor compared to previous methods. After applying the chemicals to remove the stump, the tree stump will begin to soften, and this process can take several weeks.

Drill holes in the stump. Use a drill with a large auger to drill a series of holes in the surface of the stump. The tree stump will absorb chemicals through these holes, so make sure you space evenly between them.
Use a stump remover. Most of these products are powdered potassium nitrate, which reacts with the wood, softening it and causing it to decompose more quickly. Use these products according to the instructions on the package.
Keep children and animals away from the stump. If the chemical is swallowed, it can harm children and pets.
Watch out for the tree stump. The wood will soften and rot over several weeks. When you find the tree stump is soft enough to remove easily, finish the job.
Chop it up. Use an ax or shovel to chop up the softened tree stump. Remove the chopped parts. Continue until you level the tree stump.
Burn the leftovers. Start a fire on the softened wood remaining in the ground so that it burns out completely. This will remove whatever remains of the stump and its roots.
Replace the ash with loam. Dig up and discard whatever is left after burning the tree stump. Fill the hole with loam or filler such as sawdust. Continue adding material for the next few months until the ground is level.

Tips

Plan each step carefully.
Think about what might go wrong before it does.
Try cutting as many roots as possible before attempting to rock the tree or lift the tree stump off the ground.
Find yourself an assistant.
If all else fails, call a professional.
Make sure your tools are sharp and in good condition.
If you still have a long enough section of the trunk, tie a rope to the top of the trunk and start swinging the tree stump to free it.
If that doesn't work, chop down the trunk near the base of the stump and burn the stump.