What you can actually remove without renting equipment
You can remove a tree stump yourself using hand tools, chemicals, or fire, depending on the stump's size, age, and what you have available. Small stumps—under 12 inches across and a few years old—come out with a shovel, mattock, and patience. Larger or fresher stumps need either a stump grinder rental (which costs $75 to $150 per day) or chemical accelerants that rot the wood over weeks. Burning works in rural areas with no fire restrictions, but takes time and carries real risk.
The method you choose depends on three things: how much time you have, whether you own the tools already, and local fire codes. Hand removal is cheapest but slowest. Chemicals are middle ground—low cost, no equipment rental, but you wait. Grinding is fastest but requires either rental money or a contractor.
Key Takeaways
- Hand removal with a mattock and shovel works on stumps under 12 inches across that have been dead for at least two years, and costs nothing if you own the tools.
- Stump grinder rentals cost $75 to $150 per day and remove any stump in an hour, but require a truck to transport and physical strength to operate safely.
- Chemical stump removers (potassium nitrate products) cost $20 to $40 and work in four to six weeks by softening the wood, but do not remove the stump—they only make it easier to dig out later.
- Burning a stump requires a permit in most places, takes weeks of repeated fires, and leaves a hole that still needs filling.
- Digging out roots by hand is the most labor-intensive part of any method and often takes longer than removing the stump itself.
Hand removal: the cheapest method for small, old stumps
If the stump is small and has been dead for two or more years, you can dig it out with hand tools. You will need a mattock (a pick-like tool with a flat blade on one end), a shovel, a pry bar, and work gloves. Start by digging around the stump's base to expose the roots—go down at least 12 inches. Use the mattock to break up compacted soil and sever roots as you find them.
Once you have exposed the main roots, use the pry bar to lever the stump side to side. Older wood is drier and breaks more easily. As roots snap, dig deeper and pry again. This is not fast work—a 12-inch stump can take three to five hours of digging. Fresher stumps (less than two years old) have wet, tough wood that resists both the mattock and the pry bar, making hand removal impractical.
After the stump comes free, you still have to remove the roots. Dig out the largest ones—anything thicker than a pencil—and cut them with a handsaw or pruning saw. Smaller roots can stay in the ground; they will rot over time. Fill the hole with topsoil and seed it if you want grass to grow back.
Stump grinder rentals: the fastest option
A stump grinder is a machine with a spinning wheel of carbide teeth that grinds the stump and roots into chips. Rental companies charge $75 to $150 per day, depending on the machine size and your location. A small grinder handles stumps up to 12 inches across; larger machines cost more but work faster on bigger stumps. You will also need a truck or trailer to transport it, since most grinders weigh 500 to 1,500 pounds.
Operating a grinder is straightforward but requires caution. You position the machine over the stump, lower the grinding wheel, and move it side to side as it cuts. The wheel throws chips and debris, so wear a face shield, long sleeves, and steel-toed boots. Most rental companies include a brief training session. The actual grinding takes 30 minutes to an hour for a typical stump, but setup, transport, and cleanup add another two to three hours.
After grinding, the stump is gone but the hole remains. You can fill it with topsoil, wood chips, or leave it as is. Roots left in the ground will rot and eventually settle, so the hole may sink slightly over the next year or two.
Chemical stump removers: slow but low-effort
Potassium nitrate products (sold under names like Spectracide Stump Remover and Bonide Stump Killer) soften the wood by accelerating rot. They cost $20 to $40 per container and work on any stump size. The process takes four to six weeks. You drill holes into the top of the stump, pour the chemical powder into the holes, add water, and wait. The powder dissolves and soaks into the wood, making it soft enough to dig out or burn.
These products do not remove the stump on their own—they only prepare it for removal. After the chemical has worked, you still dig or burn the softened wood. They are useful if you have time but no money for a grinder rental, or if you want to make hand digging easier on a large stump.
Follow the product instructions exactly. Most require you to drill holes 8 to 10 inches deep and space them 2 to 3 inches apart across the stump's top. Keep the holes wet for the first week by adding water as it soaks in. Do not use these products near plants you want to keep—potassium nitrate can leach into soil and affect nearby roots.
Burning a stump: legal restrictions and time investment
Burning works but is slow and regulated. You will need a fire permit from your local fire department or county office—many areas ban stump burning entirely during fire season or in residential zones. Even where legal, you must keep the fire contained, attended at all times, and have water or a fire extinguisher nearby.
To burn a stump, soak it with kerosene or charcoal lighter fluid, light it, and let it burn down. This takes several hours. You will need to repeat the process over several days or weeks to burn through the entire stump and roots. The result is a hole filled with ash and charred wood that still needs digging out and filling.
Burning is rarely the best choice unless you have a rural property with no fire restrictions and time to spare. It is slower than grinding, more dangerous than digging, and leaves the same hole that other methods do.
Removing roots after the stump is gone
No matter which removal method you use, roots remain in the ground. Large roots (thicker than a pencil) should come out because they can interfere with new planting or create tripping hazards. Dig down along each root and cut it with a pruning saw or handsaw. Smaller roots can stay—they will decompose over one to three years depending on the tree species and soil moisture.
If you are planting something new in the same spot, remove as much root material as you can reach. If the hole is just going to be grass or mulch, you can leave smaller roots and fill the hole with topsoil. Roots left in place will eventually create a slight depression as they rot, so plan for that if appearance matters.
Comparing cost and time across methods
| Method | Cost | Time to completion | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand digging | $0 (if you own tools) | 3–8 hours | Small stumps, 2+ years old |
| Stump grinder rental | $75–$150 per day | 1–2 hours grinding + transport | Any size, when you need it done fast |
| Chemical softener | $20–$40 | 4–6 weeks + digging | Large stumps, when you have time |
| Burning | $0–$20 (fuel) | 2–4 weeks of repeated fires | Rural areas with fire permits |
Safety and tool requirements
Hand removal requires a mattock, shovel, pry bar, and work gloves. Wear closed-toe boots and long pants—roots and wood splinters cause cuts. Grinder operation requires a face shield, long sleeves, and steel-toed boots because the machine throws debris at high speed. Never operate a grinder alone; have someone nearby in case of injury.
Chemical products are low-risk if you follow label instructions, but keep them away from children and pets. Burning requires constant supervision and a water source within reach. Never leave a burning stump unattended. Check local fire codes before starting any fire—violations can result in fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for a stump to rot naturally without doing anything?
Most stumps take five to ten years to rot completely, depending on the tree species, climate, and soil moisture. Hardwoods like oak rot slower than softwoods like pine. You can speed this up by drilling holes and adding nitrogen-rich material like grass clippings or compost, but the stump will still be there for years.
Can I use a chainsaw to cut the stump below ground level?
You can cut the stump flush with the ground, but this does not remove it—the roots remain and the stump will sprout new growth. Cutting below ground risks hitting soil and rocks, which dull or damage the chain. If you cut the stump low, you will still need to remove the roots or treat the cut surface with herbicide to prevent sprouting.
What should I do with the wood chips from a grinder?
Grinder chips can be used as mulch in garden beds or left in the hole to help fill it. They decompose over one to two years. Do not use chips from a diseased tree (like one with Dutch elm disease) in areas where that disease is present, as the chips can spread it.
Will tree roots grow back if I just remove the stump?
Roots will not grow back if you remove the stump completely. However, if you only cut the stump at ground level and leave the roots, the tree will sprout new growth from the remaining roots. You must either remove the roots or treat the cut surface with a brush killer containing glyphosate to prevent sprouting.
Is it cheaper to hire a contractor than rent a grinder?
Contractor costs typically range from $150 to $500 per stump depending on size and location. A grinder rental is $75 to $150 per day, so if you have multiple stumps or a large one, renting is usually cheaper. If you have only one small stump and no experience with heavy equipment, hiring a contractor may be worth the extra cost.