How much material is left behind?

A surprising amount. Grindings expand to roughly twice the volume of the stump. Most people have us leave them as backfill and mulch. If you would rather have clean topsoil, we will haul the grindings off.

Can you get into my back yard?

Usually. Our machines fit through a standard 36-inch gate. Send a photo of the access when you call and we will tell you before we roll out.

Will the roots keep growing?

Once the stump is ground out the tree is dead and the remaining roots decay in place. A few species, notably ficus, camphor and Brazilian pepper, can push suckers from surviving roots, and those are easy to knock down as they appear.

Stump Grinding & Stump Removal in Tampa, FL

Stumps ground below grade so you can replant, lay sod, or just get your yard back.

Call (813) 578-1602 Free Estimate

A stump left in a Florida yard does not quietly rot away. It holds water, attracts termites and carpenter ants, throws up suckers for years if it was a ficus or a camphor, and makes the whole corner of the yard unusable.

We grind stumps well below ground level, take out the surface roots that trip people and catch mower decks, and leave the hole backfilled with the grindings or hauled off, whichever you want.

What the job includes

Grinding to 8 to 12 inches below grade as standard, deeper on request for replanting
Surface root removal in the surrounding area
Backfill with grindings, or full haul-away and topsoil
Utility locate before we start
Access through gates as narrow as 36 inches on most jobs

How deep we grind

Eight to twelve inches below grade is enough to lay sod or run a mower over it without trouble. If you are planting a new tree in the same spot, tell us. That needs to go deeper and wider, because a new root ball will not establish in a bed of old wood chips.

Grinding versus full stump removal

Full extraction with an excavator means a crater, torn-up irrigation and a much larger bill. Grinding gets you the same usable yard for a fraction of the cost and the disruption. The only common reason to excavate is a foundation, pool or hardscape going in over the exact spot.

Before we start: utilities

Stump grinders cut below grade, which is exactly where irrigation lines, low-voltage lighting and sometimes cable and gas runs live. We call in a locate, and we ask you to flag your own irrigation and landscape lighting, since those are private lines that the state locate service does not mark.

Stump Grinding: common questions

How much material is left behind?: A surprising amount. Grindings expand to roughly twice the volume of the stump. Most people have us leave them as backfill and mulch. If you would rather have clean topsoil, we will haul the grindings off.
Can you get into my back yard?: Usually. Our machines fit through a standard 36-inch gate. Send a photo of the access when you call and we will tell you before we roll out.
Will the roots keep growing?: Once the stump is ground out the tree is dead and the remaining roots decay in place. A few species, notably ficus, camphor and Brazilian pepper, can push suckers from surviving roots, and those are easy to knock down as they appear.

Stump Grinding across the Tampa Bay area

Other services

Tree Removal

Dead, dying, leaning or badly placed trees taken down safely, including tight lots and trees over the house.

Tree Trimming & Pruning

Limbs off the roof, canopies thinned before storm season, and structural pruning that actually helps the tree.

Palm Tree Services

Dead fronds, seed pods and coconuts off tall palms, cut properly rather than hurricane-cut.

Storm & Hurricane Cleanup

Trees off roofs and driveways after a storm, by a local crew that charges the same rate in October as in April.

24/7 Emergency Tree Service

Fallen trees, split trunks and hanging limbs, any hour, any day.

Free estimate, fixed price.

Tell us what you're looking at and we'll come out, walk the property, and give you a written price for stump grinding that does not change once we start.

Call (813) 578-1602 Request a Free Estimate