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How to Remove Tree Stumps | Ask This Old House
ChannelThis Old HouseIn brief
Learn to remove a tree stump by hand or with a grinder, whether you’re dealing with stubborn roots or multiple stumps. Roger Cook demonstrates two methods—digging and cutting roots, or grinding—then shows how to fill the hole and replant grass. Best for homeowners tackling yard cleanup without professional help.
Key steps
- Dig around the stump with a pointed shovel to expose all roots.
- Cut small roots with bypass loppers and larger roots with a saw.
- Use an iron digging bar to break hard-to-reach roots, then roll the stump out.
- Rent a stump grinder to chip away at stubborn stumps below ground level.
- Fill the hole with excavated soil and loam, then rake smooth.
- Plant grass seed in spring and water regularly to restore the area.
Questions & answers
What tools do I need for manual stump removal?
A pointed shovel, bypass loppers, pruning saw, and iron digging bar.
When should I plant grass seed after removing the stump?
Wait until spring, then rake grass seed into the soil and water frequently.
Description from the creator
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook helps a homeowner dig out a stubborn tree stump. (See below for a shopping list, tools, and steps.)
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Shopping List for How to Remove Tree Stumps:
- Loam [amzn.to/32p20aE], for filling stump hole
- Grass seed [amzn.to/2Y2WQSa], to plant over backfilled stump hole
Tools for How to Remove Tree Stumps:
- Pointed shovel [amzn.to/2l5yoOf], for digging around stump
- Bypass loppers [amzn.to/2l6WRCL], to cut small tree roots
- Pruning saw [amzn.to/2l5YAZ8] or reciprocating saw [amzn.to/2jDpQO7] with pruning blade [amzn.to/2l7xsbZ], for cutting large roots
- Iron digging bar [amzn.to/2jF9Tam], to chop through roots
- Gas-powered stump grinder [amzn.to/2l5ZeG2], for power grinding stumps
- Garden [amzn.to/2jDqrPR] and lawn rake [amzn.to/2l7hP4w], used to smooth loam
Steps for How to Remove Tree Stumps:
1. Use a pointed shovel to dig out the soil around the tree stump. Continue digging until you’ve exposed the roots all the way around the stump.
2. Cut small-diameter tree roots with bypass loppers.
3. Use a pruning saw or reciprocating saw to cut through larger tree roots.
4. Chop through hard-to-reach roots with an iron digging bar.
5. After cutting all the roots, push over the stump, then roll it out of the hole.
6. Backfill the hole with the excavated soil and loam.
7. In the spring, rake grass seed into the soil and water frequently.
8. If you have to remove more than one stump, rent a gas-powered stump grinder.
9. Remove any rocks from the around the stump, then use the stump grinder to slowly chip away at the stump.
10. Stop grinding when the stump is 6 to 8 inches below the surface.
11. Rake away the wood chips, then fill the hole with loam.
12. In the spring, plant grass seed.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House:
Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB
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bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter
Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest
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For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite
How to Remove Tree Stumps | Ask This Old House
youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/
SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse
Shopping List for How to Remove Tree Stumps:
- Loam [amzn.to/32p20aE], for filling stump hole
- Grass seed [amzn.to/2Y2WQSa], to plant over backfilled stump hole
Tools for How to Remove Tree Stumps:
- Pointed shovel [amzn.to/2l5yoOf], for digging around stump
- Bypass loppers [amzn.to/2l6WRCL], to cut small tree roots
- Pruning saw [amzn.to/2l5YAZ8] or reciprocating saw [amzn.to/2jDpQO7] with pruning blade [amzn.to/2l7xsbZ], for cutting large roots
- Iron digging bar [amzn.to/2jF9Tam], to chop through roots
- Gas-powered stump grinder [amzn.to/2l5ZeG2], for power grinding stumps
- Garden [amzn.to/2jDqrPR] and lawn rake [amzn.to/2l7hP4w], used to smooth loam
Steps for How to Remove Tree Stumps:
1. Use a pointed shovel to dig out the soil around the tree stump. Continue digging until you’ve exposed the roots all the way around the stump.
2. Cut small-diameter tree roots with bypass loppers.
3. Use a pruning saw or reciprocating saw to cut through larger tree roots.
4. Chop through hard-to-reach roots with an iron digging bar.
5. After cutting all the roots, push over the stump, then roll it out of the hole.
6. Backfill the hole with the excavated soil and loam.
7. In the spring, rake grass seed into the soil and water frequently.
8. If you have to remove more than one stump, rent a gas-powered stump grinder.
9. Remove any rocks from the around the stump, then use the stump grinder to slowly chip away at the stump.
10. Stop grinding when the stump is 6 to 8 inches below the surface.
11. Rake away the wood chips, then fill the hole with loam.
12. In the spring, plant grass seed.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House:
Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB
Twitter: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter
bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter
Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest
Instagram: instagram.com/asktoh/
bit.ly/AskTOHIG
Tumblr: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTumblr
For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite
How to Remove Tree Stumps | Ask This Old House
youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/
About this tutorial
This Old House published this 5:54 video tutorial on November 7, 2016. It has been watched 3,025,415 times on YouTube.
- Channel
- This Old House
- Category
- Howto & Style
- Duration
- 5:54
- Published
- November 7, 2016
- Views
- 3,025,415
- Likes
- 15,700
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