Stump Grinding in Little Rock, AR

Stump grinding turns a stump into a pile of wood chips without digging it out. A grinder with a toothed wheel works back and forth across the stump and down into the root flare until the wood is below the soil line, usually several inches down, and further if you plan to replant or lay sod. It is quicker and much less destructive to a yard than pulling a stump, and in a city where many yards still have stumps left from the 2023 tornado and older storms, it is one of the most common jobs we do.

Why stumps are worth grinding

A stump left in place is a mowing obstacle and a trip hazard, and as it rots it attracts insects and fungi. Pine stumps are full of resin and last a long time. Oak and sweetgum stumps send up sprouts for years. Sweetgum especially is known for suckering from its roots, so grinding the stump and the main surface roots cuts down on the shoots that come up in the lawn.

Underground lines come first

Grinding goes below ground, and in Little Rock that ground can hold gas service lines, water lines, irrigation and buried cable. Arkansas 811 asks both homeowners and contractors to call before digging, and member utilities mark their lines within two full working days of the request. We make that request before any grinding job and work around the marks. Private lines such as sprinkler systems and landscape lighting are not marked by 811, so tell us where they run.

Rocky ground and slopes

On the west side of town, many lots sit on rock, and stumps often grow right over a ledge or around buried stone. A grinder can only go as deep as the rock allows, so we tell you up front if a stump sits on rock and how far down it can be taken. Stumps on steep slopes or behind narrow gates may need a smaller grinder, which takes longer but leaves the yard in better shape.

The chips and the hole

A stump turns into more chips than people expect. You can keep them as mulch for beds, or we can haul them off and fill the hole with topsoil so it is ready for seed or sod. The chips settle as they rot, so a hole filled with chips alone will sink over the next year.

Same day or later

If we are removing the tree, the stump can be ground the same day. Old stumps from past storms or a previous owner can be scheduled on their own, and several stumps on one visit cost less each than separate trips.