Tree Removal
Full removals and dismantles, from a dead wattle in a courtyard to a 25-metre gum over a roofline.
Learn more →How the machine works
A stump grinder is a heavy cutting wheel studded with carbide teeth, swung side to side across the stump while the operator works it down in layers. It does not pull anything out of the ground. It turns the stump and the top of the root flare into chip, which falls into the void as it goes.
That is the whole reason it is the default: nothing has to be dragged out, nothing has to be trucked away, and the surrounding lawn stays intact apart from the track the machine drives on. The detail of the process is covered in how stump grinding works.
What drives the price
Four things, in rough order of importance.
Diameter at ground level, measured across the flare rather than the trunk - a 600mm gum measured at chest height can be 1.2 metres wide where it meets the soil, and that is what the machine has to cut.
Timber hardness. A camphor laurel or a poinciana grinds quickly. Ironbark, spotted gum and old fig grind slowly and eat teeth.
Access. This is the one that surprises people. The same stump can double in price because the only way in is a 700mm side gate, which means a walk-behind machine instead of a tracked one.
Contamination. Stumps in old fill, near retaining walls, or surrounded by pavers and rock take longer because the operator has to work carefully around things that destroy teeth.
Grinding or full removal
Grinding is right for the great majority of domestic jobs: you want to turf over it, plant into it, or just stop tripping on it. Excavation is right when a structural load is going over the top, when the root plate is lifting a wall, or when a tree with root-borne pathogens needs the whole system out.
The side-by-side comparison goes into the trade-offs, and why stump removal matters at all is worth reading if you are tempted to just leave it. Stumps left in the ground are a trip hazard, a termite nursery and, for several species, a source of persistent suckering.
Replanting into a ground stump
If you intend to plant a new tree where the old one was, grind deeper and take the chip out. A hole full of fresh woodchip ties up nitrogen as it decomposes and a new tree planted straight into it will sit still and yellow for a season. Replace the void with soil, not chip, and give it a few weeks before planting.
To get a stump priced, ring (07) 5408 6029 with the species, the width across the base, and what the access looks like.
More services
Explore our other services
Tree Lopping
Crown reduction, dead-wooding and clearance work done to Australian Standard AS 4373, not topped.
Learn more →Stump Removal
Full excavation of the stump and root plate where a footing, pool or driveway is going in.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How deep do you grind?
Usually 200 to 300mm below the surrounding grade, which is enough for turf, garden beds and most paving. If a footing, a pool shell or a retaining wall is going over the top, grinding is not the right answer and the stump needs excavating instead.
What is left behind?
A hole full of chip and soil. The chip is yours to keep as mulch, or it can be taken away and the hole topped with clean fill for an extra charge. Chip breaks down over about a year and the ground will settle, so plan to top it up once.
Can you get a grinder into my backyard?
Usually. A narrow-access machine fits through a standard 750mm gate. Anything tighter than that, or up a flight of steps, means a smaller machine and more time, which is the main thing that changes the price on an otherwise simple stump.
Do the roots keep growing after grinding?
No. Once the stump is removed the root system has no way to produce leaves, so it dies and rots in the ground over several years. A few species - camphor laurel and some figs - can throw suckers from roots for a season or two, and those get knocked back as they appear.
Will grinding damage my irrigation or cables?
It can, which is why locating services comes first. Grinders throw chip and stones hard, and a wheel that finds an old brick or a star picket will blunt a set of teeth. Mark irrigation lines, dog fence wire and any cabling before the crew arrives.
Free, no-obligation