It keeps trying to grow back
Many species send up suckers from the stump and the root plate for years. You mow them, they come back, and every one of them is drawing water you are paying for.
Stump Grinding · Aurora & the Denver Metro
The tree is gone. The stump is still doing damage
A stump left in the ground keeps sprouting, feeds carpenter ants and fungus, and wrecks a mower blade the one time you forget it is there. Grinding takes it below grade so you can sod over it, plant into it, or just mow across and forget it existed.
Free quote. Ground below grade. Chips hauled or backfilled — your call, stated on the quote.
Free on-site assessment · Written quote · No obligation
- ISA Certified Arborist
- Aurora-Based Since 2003
- 4.8★ from 191 Google Reviews
- Licensed & Fully Insured
What a stump is actually costing you
People put this off for years because a stump looks harmless. It usually is not.
It is an invitation to carpenter ants and fungus
A decaying stump is exactly the habitat wood-boring insects and fungi want, ten feet from a house that is also made of wood.
It makes the yard unusable
You cannot sod it, you cannot plant it, and you cannot put a shed, a patio or a swing set on top of it. It is a hole in the middle of your yard that you paid to create.
It is a trip hazard and a mower killer
Ground-level stumps disappear into turf by the second summer. Then somebody catches a foot on it, or you catch it with a mower deck.
How grinding works
A straightforward job, but the details are where cheap operators cut corners.
1
We locate utilities before the wheel turns
Grinders cut well below grade. Irrigation lines, gas, and low-voltage lighting all live in that layer, and finding them with a cutting wheel is an expensive way to find them.
2
You decide how deep and how wide
Standard is a few inches below grade, which is enough for sod. If you are planting a new tree in the same spot, it needs to go deeper and wider, and that changes the price.
3
The stump and the surface roots come out
The visible root flares get ground too, not just the trunk circle. That is the difference between a finished job and a patch of yard that still bulges.
4
Chips are hauled or backfilled
Grinding produces a surprising volume of chips. Backfilling is free and settles over a season. Hauling them away costs more and leaves you a clean hole ready for soil.
Five promises, in writing, on every job
Nearly every complaint people have about tree companies comes down to the same thing: something happened that the homeowner never agreed to. These five exist so that cannot happen here.
- Know Before We CutA certified arborist walks your property and explains what is wrong before a saw comes off the truck.
- Know Before You PayYou get a written quote. The number you approve is the number you pay.
- No Unauthorized ExtrasNothing gets cut, treated or hauled that is not on the quote you approved.
- Your Property Comes FirstRigging and drop zones planned around your roof, fence and beds — not around our schedule.
- Cleanup Is Part of the JobChips hauled, limbs gone, lawn raked. It is not a line item and it is not extra.
What a stump grinding job costs
Mostly a function of diameter and access. A stump you can drive a machine to is a different job than one behind a 32-inch gate.
What drives the price up
Diameter — price scales with the size of the cut. Multiple stumps. Tight backyard access that needs a narrow machine. Rocky or compacted soil. Grinding deep enough to replant rather than just to sod.
What brings it down
Open access from a driveway. Several stumps on one visit. Grinding at the same time as the removal, while the machine is already on site. Leaving the chips to backfill.
What is always free
The quote. And an honest answer on whether the stump actually needs to come out at all for what you want to do with the space.
Grinding is not the same as removal
People use the words interchangeably and they are two different jobs at two very different prices. It is worth knowing which one you are buying.
- Grinding chews the stump and flares into chips a few inches below grade. Fast, far cheaper, and enough for sod, mowing or most planting
- Full removal means excavating the entire root plate. It leaves a large hole, disturbs everything around it, and costs several times as much
- Grinding is the right answer for almost every homeowner — full extraction is usually only needed for construction or a foundation
- Roots left in the ground decay on their own and do not resprout once the stump is gone
- Both are quoted in writing so you can see the difference before you choose
What people say about this work
★★★★★
“Ironwood (Jonathan & Richard w/Patrick playing quarterback) are a great team and fantastic to work with. They did perfect work, lots of attention to detail not only in the cuts, but also in the clean up. Will definitely have them back!”
— Ari O. · Verified Google Review
★★★★★
“Ironwood Earthcare trimmed one of our trees and removed a stump quickly and efficiently. All debris was cleared away and the whole job lasted only 2 hours.”
— Vanessa S. · Verified Google Review
★★★★★
“The entire crew did a great job removing an enormous elm tree that was encroaching our house… Clean up was thorough, and we would highly recommend Ironwood!”
— Cynthia O. · Verified Google Review
Stump grinding questions people ask first
How much does stump grinding cost?
It is priced mainly on the diameter of the stump and how easily a machine can reach it. A driveway-accessible stump is a straightforward job. The same stump behind a narrow gate needs a smaller machine and more time. We quote it in writing after looking at it, and if you are having a tree removed it is cheaper to grind the stump on the same visit.
How deep do you grind?
A few inches below grade as standard, which is enough to lay sod or seed over. If you want to plant a new tree or shrub in the same spot, tell us at the quote — that needs a deeper and wider grind so there is real soil for roots instead of a bowl of wood chips.
What happens to the hole and the wood chips?
Your choice, and it is stated on the quote either way. Backfilling with the chips is included and the ground settles over a season. Hauling the chips off costs more and leaves you a clean hole to fill with topsoil, which is the better option if you are planting or laying sod right away.
Can I plant a new tree in the same spot?
Yes, but not straight into the grindings. Wood chips tie up nitrogen as they break down and will starve a young tree. Either grind deep and wide and backfill with real topsoil, or plant a few feet away from the old stump. The arborist will tell you which makes sense for your yard.
The other five
One certified arborist behind all of them, and one written quote if you need more than one.
Tree Removal · Tree Trimming & Pruning · Pest & Disease Control · Tree Injections · Lawn Fertilization & Weed Control
Get the stump out and get your yard back
Most stumps take under an hour once the machine is there, and the quote costs nothing. If you have several around the property, one visit is far cheaper than three.
312 Norfolk St, Unit A, Aurora, CO 80011 · Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM · Serving the Denver metro since 2003