Stump Grinding in Naperville, IL

Stump grinding uses a machine with a toothed cutting wheel to chew a stump down into wood chips, usually several inches below the soil line. It is the standard way to deal with stumps in Naperville yards, where digging one out of heavy clay with its root plate attached would leave a large hole and a lot of soil damage. Many homeowners here have a stump or two left from an ash removal years ago, or from a storm cleanup where the stump was never part of the job. Grinding gets the spot back to lawn, a garden bed or a patio base.

How deep and how wide

A typical grind takes the stump down 4 to 6 inches below grade, which is enough for sod or seed. If you plan to plant a new tree in the same spot, set a paver patio or pour concrete, tell us, since that may call for going deeper and wider and for removing more of the grindings. Surface roots that run out across the lawn, common with silver maple and other shallow-rooted trees in clay soil, can be ground out along their length for an extra charge.

Access and small grinders

Stump grinders come in sizes. Large machines are fast but need wide access; smaller machines can fit through a standard side gate into a fenced Naperville backyard. We check gate widths, slopes and what is near the stump: fences, foundations, sprinkler lines and buried utilities.

Call before grinding

Illinois law requires a call to the JULIE one-call system before digging, and grinding counts as digging. Underground electric, gas, cable and phone lines are often closer to stumps than people expect. Lawn sprinkler lines and pet fences are private and are not marked by JULIE, so let us know where they run.

What happens to the grindings

Grinding a stump leaves a pile of mixed wood chips and soil much larger than the stump looked. You can keep it to fill the hole and use the rest as mulch, or have it hauled away and the hole backfilled with topsoil. The chips break down over a season or two, so the spot may settle and need a little more soil before seeding.